bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New method to calculate the anisotropies of polarizability and thermal expansion of uniaxial liquid crystals
Authors: Jirón Vanessa , Castellón Erick
Published: May 2021

The anisotropy of molecular polarizability in liquid crystals is linked to the birefringence in these substances. The classic methods to compute the polarizabilities of liquid crystals assume an average number density of molecules that is equal in all directions. In the present work, a new model is proposed for the anisotropic molar polarization based on a virtual anisotropy of the number density of molecules in the liquid-crystalline material. This new strategy hence allows for the computation of both the anisotropic polarizabilities and the anisotropic thermal-expansion coefficients of liquid crystals. The model is applied to the liquid crystals 4-n-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl and N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline, yielding polarizabilities similar to those reported for these materials. For these nematic liquid crystals, the results imply the existence of a positive thermal-expansion coefficient in the direction perpendicular to the director vector throughout the entire nematic temperature range and a negative thermal-expansion coefficient parallel to the director vector near the temperature of the nematic–isotropic transition. At the isotropization temperature, there exists divergent and critical behavior of the anisotropic thermal-expansion coefficients, consistent with the typical discontinuity of volume in first-order transitions.
Facilitating thermal transport across Si/Ge interface via mass-graded interlayer: The role of elastic and inelastic phonon processes
Authors: Ma Dengke , Zhao Yunshan , Zhang Lifa
Published: May 2021

Poor heat dissipation has become the bottleneck that limits the further development of electronics, which lies in the enhancement of interface thermal conductance (ITC). In this paper, the ITC and spectral characteristics of Si/Ge interfaces with mass-graded interlayers are studied through non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation. For Si/Ge interface with exponentially mass-graded interlayer, the ITC is 1.73 times larger than that of pure case. More interestingly, the ITC shows a non-monotonic dependence on the number of layers and a double scale behavior when the thickness of each layer increases. To clarify the underlying physical mechanism, spectral phonon transmission function is calculated, and ITC contributed by elastic and inelastic processes is quantified through the Landauer formula. It is revealed that the elastic ITC and inelastic ITC show quite different behaviors with each other when changing the thickness of each layer and number of layers, which is responsible for the abnormal results. The findings here emphasize the mutual control of elastic and inelastic phonon processes at interfaces.
Sign inversion phenomenon of voltage-induced tunnel magnetocapacitance
Authors: Nakagawa Takeru , Ogata Kentaro , Nakayama Yusuke , Xiao Gang , Kaiju Hideo
Published: May 2021

Tunnel magnetocapacitance (TMC) in magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) has recently attracted interest due to unique properties, such as large magnetic response, thermal stability, and robustness to the bias voltage. In this Letter, we report the sign inversion phenomenon of TMC observed with frequency modulation and dc voltage application to MgO-based MTJs at room temperature. A negative TMC is observed in the frequency region of about kHz due to the appearance of spin capacitance. By applying a dc voltage (a few hundred mV) in this frequency region, the spin flip is promoted in the parallel configuration of MTJs. This results in the observation of the sign inversion of TMC from negative to positive. These physical pictures can be well explained by the calculation based on the modified Debye-Fröhlich model. Our research offers a deeper understanding of AC spin transports, DC spin accumulation, equilibrium and non-equilibrium spin dynamics.
Nuclear quantum effects in thermal conductivity from centroid molecular dynamics
Authors: Sutherland Benjamin J. , Moore William H. D. , Manolopoulos David E.
Published: May 2021

We show that the centroid molecular dynamics (CMD) method provides a realistic way to calculate the thermal diffusivity a = λ/ρcV of a quantum mechanical liquid such as para-hydrogen. Once a has been calculated, the thermal conductivity can be obtained from λ = ρcVa, where ρ is the density of the liquid and cV is the constant-volume heat capacity. The use of this formula requires an accurate quantum mechanical heat capacity cV, which can be obtained from a path integral molecular dynamics simulation. The thermal diffusivity can be calculated either from the decay of the equilibrium density fluctuations in the liquid or by using the Green–Kubo relation to calculate the CMD approximation to λ and then dividing this by the corresponding approximation to ρcV. We show that both approaches give the same results for liquid para-hydrogen and that these results are in good agreement with the experimental measurements of the thermal conductivity over a wide temperature range. In particular, they correctly predict a decrease in the thermal conductivity at low temperatures—an effect that stems from the decrease in the quantum mechanical heat capacity and has eluded previous para-hydrogen simulations. We also show that the method gives equally good agreement with the experimental measurements for the thermal conductivity of normal liquid helium.
Hackathons catch on for creativity, education, and networking
Authors: Feder Toni
Published: May 2021

Physics and astronomy communities take a page from data-science and tech worlds to hold events of feverish teamwork.
Microswimmers learning chemotaxis with genetic algorithms
Authors: Hartl Benedikt , Hübl Maximilian , Kahl Gerhard , Zöttl Andreas
Published: May 2021

Significance

Swimming microorganisms and migrating cells have developed various strategies in order to move in nutrient-rich or other chemical environments. We apply a genetic algorithm to the internal decision-making machinery of a model microswimmer and show how it learns to approach nutrients in static and dynamic environments. Strikingly, the emerging dynamics resembles the well-known run-and-tumble motion of swimming cells. We demonstrate that complex locomotion and navigation strategies in chemical environments can be achieved by developing a surprisingly simple internal machinery, which in our case, is represented by a small artificial neural network. Our findings shed light on how small organisms have developed the capability to conduct environment-dependent tasks.
AI-assisted superresolution cosmological simulations
Authors: Li Yin , Ni Yueying , Croft Rupert A. C. , Di Matteo Tiziana , Bird Simeon , Feng Yu
Published: May 2021

Significance

Cosmological simulations are indispensable for understanding our Universe, from the creation of the cosmic web to the formation of galaxies and their central black holes. This vast dynamic range incurs large computational costs, demanding sacrifice of either resolution or size and often both. We build a deep neural network to enhance low-resolution dark-matter simulations, generating superresolution realizations that agree remarkably well with authentic high-resolution counterparts on their statistical properties and are orders-of-magnitude faster. It readily applies to larger volumes and generalizes to rare objects not present in the training data. Our study shows that deep learning and cosmological simulations can be a powerful combination to model the structure formation of our Universe over its full dynamic range.
SIK2 orchestrates actin-dependent host response upon
Salmonella
infection
Authors: Hahn Marcel , Covarrubias-Pinto Adriana , Herhaus Lina , Satpathy Shankha , Klann Kevin , Boyle Keith B. , Münch Christian , Rajalingam Krishnaraj , Randow Felix , Choudhary Chunaram , Dikic Ivan
Published: May 2021

Significance

Through conducting quantitative proteomics upon
Salmonella
infection, we identified a SIK2 signaling network, implementing the kinase into a so far concealed biological function. Our data exposed SIK2 as a central orchestrator of an actin regulatory network, coordinating the stability of
Salmonella
-containing vacuole (SCV) and cellular actin assembly, in order to limit the acute phase of the infection. Most strikingly, SIK2 is not exclusively acting locally on actin assembly associated with the SCV but impacts the actin cytoskeleton architecture in its entirety upon
Salmonella
infection. Our work provides a mechanistic framework for how the actin cytoskeleton is regulated and how it helps to control an acute
Salmonella
infection.
Optofluidic multiplex detection of single SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A antigens using a novel bright fluorescent probe assay
Authors: Stambaugh Alexandra , Parks Joshua W. , Stott Matthew A. , Meena Gopikrishnan G. , Hawkins Aaron R. , Schmidt Holger
Published: May 2021

Significance

This work introduces an ultrasensitive single protein capture and detection technique based on a bright fluorescent reporter probe that is sensed on a photonic chip with integrated microfluidics. We perform differentiated detection of single SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A antigens at clinically relevant concentrations from clinical nasal swab materials. This ultrasensitive capture and detection technique could one day be realized as a tool for molecular diagnostics at the point of care.
“Germany asks: is it OK to laugh at Hitler?”
Authors: Freeth Peter Jonathan
Published: May 2021

Within imagological approaches, paratexts can provide insights into how the Other of translated literature is presented to a new target audience. So, within a transnational context, such as Germany and Britain’s shared experience of the Second World War, can the source and target-culture paratexts invoke the same images? Through a case study of Er ist wieder da, a novel that satirises Germany’s relationship with its National Socialist past, and the British publication of the English translation Look Who’s Back, this article finds that while the novel’s humour is reframed by the British publisher, the novel’s controversial position within Germany’s Vergangenheitsbewältigung discourse remains intrinsic to the paratexts published in the British press. As such, this article demonstrates the transnational relevance of individual national characteristics to the paratextual framing of translated literature, the value of paratexts as objects of imagological study, and the methodological benefits of distinguishing between production- and reception-side paratexts.
Boron-doped Sb/SbO2@rGO composites with tunable components and enlarged lattice spacing for high-rate sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Liu Jin-Hua , Li Yan-Fei , Shi Yan-Hong , Guo Jin-Zhi , Yang Jin , Wu Xing-Long , Zhang Jing-Ping , Hu Wei , Sun Hai-Zhu
Published: May 2021

Antimony (Sb) and its oxides, as promising electrode materials, have attracted much attention because of their low cost, environmental friendliness, and high theoretical capacity. Herein, boron doped flower-cluster-like Sb/SbO2@reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites are synthesized for use as sodium-ion battery anode materials using a solvothermal strategy. The contents of Sb and antimony oxide (SbO2) are controlled by adding different contents of NaBH4. Meanwhile, the introduction of NaBH4 successfully realizes boron doping and enlarges the lattice spacing of the SbO2, improving its conductivity and Na+ transport. As a result, optimal Sb/SbO2@rGO-10 composites display a desirable capacity of 346 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 after 100 cycles with a capacity retention of 106%. Even at high current densities, a capacity of 236 mAh g−1 is achieved, demonstrating a satisfactory rate capacity. Moreover, the Sb/SbO2@rGO-10 electrode shows satisfactory Na storage performance at low temperatures. In addition, sodium-ion full cells are assembled using an Sb/SbO2@rGO-10 anode and a Na3V2(PO4)2O2F cathode, with which a satisfactory electrochemical performance of 102 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles at 50 mA g−1 is achieved, showing their high practical potential.
Structural, electrical and optical properties of bilayer SiX (X = N, P, As and Sb)
Authors: Ghobadi Nayereh , Touski Shoeib Babaee
Published: May 2021

In this work, the structural, electrical, and optical properties of bilayer SiX (X= N, P, As, and Sb) are studied using density functional theory. Five different stacking orders are considered for every compound and their structural properties are presented. The band structure of these materials demonstrates that they are indirect semiconductors. The out-of-plane strain has been applied to tune the bandgap and its electrical properties. The bandgap increases with tensile strain, whereas, compressive strain leads to semiconductor-to-metal transition. The sensitivity of the bandgap to the pressure is investigated and bilayer SiSb demonstrates the highest bandgap sensitivity to the pressure. These structures exhibit Mexican hat-like valence band dispersion that can be approved by a singularity in the density of states (DOS). The Mexican-hat coefficient can be tuned by out-of-plane strain. Optical absorption of these compounds shows that the second and lower valence bands due to the high DOS display a higher contribution to optical transitions.
Adlayer influence on Dirac-type surface state at W(110)
Authors: Grenz P J , Thonig D , Holtmann M , Miyamoto K , Kumar S , Schwier E , Okuda T , Henk J , Donath M
Published: May 2021

In a combined experimental and theoretical study, we investigated how Fe and Co adlayers on W(110) affect the Dirac-type surface state (DSS). Angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy data show an increase in binding energy of 75 meV and 107 meV for Fe and Co, respectively. In order to identify the origin of the energy shift we performed first-principles calculations of the surface electronic structure. The inward surface relaxation of the uncovered W(110) surface is lifted by the adlayers. This structural change is one reason of the energy shift of the DSS. Furthermore, the Fe and Co adlayers change the surface potential, which results in an additional energy shift of the DSS.
Improved scatter correction model for high attenuation gamma-ray tomography measurements
Authors: Spelay R B , Hashemi S A , Sanders R S , Hjertaker B T
Published: May 2021

In this study a state-of-the-art gamma-ray tomography (GRT) unit was used to measure the solids concentration distributions of high density, high attenuation clay/water/sand slurries in a 4 in. (100 mm) diameter recirculating pipe loop. The presence of neighbouring radiation sources on the GRT results in a scattered radiation contribution to the total intensity measured at each detector. The scattered radiation decreases the signal-to-noise ratio of the measured radiation intensity and introduces error in the measured tomography data and the reconstructed tomograms (Maad et al 2008 Meas. Sci. Technol.
19 6). Because of the high attenuation of the materials being measured, the scatter contribution was a significant fraction of the total radiation measured at each detector. To correct for the scattered radiation contribution in the measurements, a test campaign was undertaken to characterize and model the scattering behaviour of the GRT at the Saskatchewan Research Council. The scattered radiation was measured experimentally from empty pipe, water filled pipe and a number of flowing clay/water/sand slurries at densities ranging from 1206 kg m−3 to 1580 kg m−3. A semi-empirical scatter correction model has been developed which allows the scattered contribution at each detector to be calculated iteratively based on the measured uncorrected attenuated radiation intensity. This article is an extension of the work presented at the 9th World Congress for Industrial Process Tomography (Spelay et al 2018 Proc. 9th World Congress Industrial Process Tomography p 14).
An efficient numerical scheme for the simulation of time-fractional nonhomogeneous Benjamin-Bona-Mahony-Burger model
Authors: Majeed Abdul , Kamran Mohsin , Abbas Muhammad , Bin Misro Md Yushalify
Published: May 2021

The Benjamin-Bona-Mahony-Burger (BBM-Burger) equation is important for explaining the unidirectional propagation of long waves in nonlinear dispersion systems. This manuscript proposes an algorithm based on cubic B-spline basis functions to study the nonhomogeneous time fractional model of BBM-Burger via Caputo derivative. The discretization of fractional derivative is achieved by L1 formula, while the temporal and spatial derivatives are interpolated by means of Crank-Nicolson and forward finite difference scheme together with B-spline basis functions. The performance of the Cubic B-spline scheme (CBS) is examined by three test problems with homogeneous initial and boundary conditions. The obtained results are found to be in good agreement with the exact solutions. The behaviour of travelling wave is studied and presented in the form of tables and graphics for various values of α and t. A linear stability analysis, based on the von Neumann scheme, shows that the CBS is unconditionally stable. Moreover, the accuracy of the scheme is quantified by computing error norms.
Fractional order phase transition based on Q − Φ criticality of RN-AdS black hole
Authors: Liu Fang , Wang Li-Hua , Zhang Zi-Zhen , He Yun
Published: May 2021

We consider the Q − Φ criticality of RN-AdS black hole in four-dimensional spacetime. Especially, by employing the fractional derivative we reanalyze the order of phase transition at the critical point. By means of this fine-grained classification of phase transition, it is found that at the critical point it is a 4/3-order, but not the second-order phase transition. This result is the same as that obtained in a previous work on the basis of P − V criticality.
Spatial modulation on vortex FWM induced by the nonlinear Kerr effect
Authors: Li Xuenan , Wang Zhiguo , Luo Runding , Wang Yafen , Zhang Yanpeng
Published: May 2021

We experimentally observe the interference patterns of vortex probe transmission signal (PTS) and vortex four-wave mixing (FWM). By changing the difference in the divergences of two optical beams, the spiral interference patterns of the probe beam and the reference Gaussian probe beam can be obtained. It is found that in the interference patterns of vortex PTS, the shifting of the fork can be regulated by blocking different dressing fields and tuning the probe frequency. When the two-photon resonance condition is satisfied, the shift of the fork is the weakest since the strongest probe field intensity induces the weak nonlinear phase shift. In addition, we realize that the relationship between the intensities of the vortex FWM signal and the probe field is not monotonic, because both the intensity of probe field and the dressing effect will affect the intensity of the vortex FWM signal. We also find that the spatial modulations including shifting and splitting are also regulated by the intensity of the probe field and the coupling field. Here, the explanation of these phenomena is presented by the transition of the nonlinear refraction index. Finally, we realize that the singularity overlap or separation between the linear probe and the third-order vortex FWM will lead to the change of fork quantity. Our research is helpful to understand and manipulate optical vortices and can be widely used in quantum computation and communication.
Accurate prediction method for the microstructure of amorphous alloys without non-metallic elements*
Authors: Zhao Wei , Cheng Jia-Lin , Li Gong , Wang Xin
Published: May 2021

A new structural parameter of amorphous alloys called atomic bond proportion was proposed, and a topological algorithm for the structural parameter was proven feasible in the previous work. In the present study, a correction factor, λ, is introduced to optimize the algorithm and dramatically improve the calculation accuracy of the atomic bond proportion. The correction factor represents the ability of heterogeneous atoms to combine with one another to form the metallic bonds and it is associated with the uniformity of the master alloy, mixing enthalpy, cooling rate during preparation, and annealing time. The correction factor provides a novel pathway for researching the structures of the amorphous alloys.
Dislocation slip behaviors in high-quality bulk GaN investigated by nanoindentation
Authors: Shao Kai-Heng , Zhang Yu-Min , Wang Jian-Feng , Xu Ke
Published: May 2021

The dislocation slip behaviors in GaN bulk crystal are investigated by nanoindentation, the dislocation distribution patterns formed around an impress are observed by cathodoluminescence (CL) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscope (TEM). Dislocation loops, vacancy luminescence, and cross-slips show hexagonal symmetry around the 〈11-20〉 and 〈1-100〉 direction on c-plane. It is found that the slip planes of dislocation in GaN crystal are dominated in {0001} basal plane and {10-11} pyramid plane. According to the dislocation intersection theory, we come up with the dislocation formation process and the related mechanisms are discussed.
Using discrete Ricci curvatures to infer COVID-19 epidemic network fragility and systemic risk
Authors: Barros de Souza Danillo , da Cunha Jonatas T S , Figueirôa dos Santos Everlon , Correia Jailson B , da Silva Hernande P , de Lima Filho José Luiz , Albuquerque Jones , Santos Fernando A N
Published: May 2021

The damage of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is reaching an unprecedented scale. There are numerous classical epidemiology models trying to quantify epidemiology metrics. To forecast epidemics, classical approaches usually need parameter estimations, such as the contagion rate or the basic reproduction number. Here, we propose a data-driven, parameter-free, geometric approach to access the emergence of a pandemic state by studying the Forman–Ricci and Ollivier–Ricci network curvatures. Discrete Ollivier–Ricci curvature has been used successfully to forecast risk in financial networks and we suggest that those results can provide analogous results for COVID-19 epidemic time-series. We first compute both curvatures in a toy-model of epidemic time-series with delays, which allows us to create epidemic networks. We also compared our results to classical network metrics. By doing so, we are able to verify that the Ollivier–Ricci and Forman–Ricci curvatures can be a parameter-free estimate for identifying a pandemic state in the simulated epidemic. On this basis, we then compute both Forman–Ricci and Ollivier–Ricci curvatures for real epidemic networks built from COVID-19 epidemic time-series available at the World Health Organization (WHO). This approach allows us to detect early warning signs of the emergence of the pandemic. The advantage of our method lies in providing an early geometrical data marker for the pandemic state, regardless of parameter estimation and stochastic modelling. This work opens the possibility of using discrete geometry to study epidemic networks.
Stochastic dynamics and superstatistics of the many-particle kappa distribution
Authors: Gravanis E , Akylas E , Livadiotis G
Published: May 2021

The diffusion of particles with kappa distributed velocities is strongly influenced by statistical correlations. We argue that the consistent way to deduce the diffusion laws of any one degree of freedom is to analyze the simultaneous diffusion of virtually infinite correlated degrees of freedom. This is done by deriving the diffusion laws (I) by utilizing the superstatistics interpretation of the kappa distribution and averaging the usual Brownian motions correlators over the super-ensemble of fluctuating temperatures, (II) through the one degree of freedom Langevin equation, (III) through the many degrees of freedom Langevin equation, calculating the diffusion of any one degree of freedom. It turns out that only the results (I) and (III) agree. The disagreement between (II) and (III) is a striking outcome of the strong correlations between kappa distributed degrees of freedom. The agreement between (I) and (III) shows that the superstatistics is a fundamental interpretation of the kappa distribution. The discrepancy of (II) shows that focusing on a single degree of freedom or particle is inconsistent with a superstatistics interpretation. Derivation (III) explicitly realizes the recent observation by the authors that the mean energy per degree of freedom is the superstatistical fluctuating temperature in a system with a large number of particles. We conclude that superstatistics is intimately related to a system of correlated degrees of freedom (in our case, kappa distributed); one cannot consistently reason with a single degree of freedom.
Wisdom of crowds: much ado about nothing
Authors: Reia Sandro M , Fontanari José F
Published: May 2021

The puzzling idea that the combination of independent estimates of the magnitude of a quantity results in a very accurate prediction, which is superior to any or, at least, to most of the individual estimates is known as the wisdom of crowds. Here we use the federal reserve bank of Philadelphia’s survey of professional forecasters database to confront the statistical and psychophysical explanations of this phenomenon. Overall we find that the data do not support any of the proposed explanations of the wisdom of crowds. In particular, we find a positive correlation between the variance (or diversity) of the estimates and the crowd error in disagreement with some interpretations of the diversity prediction theorem. In addition, in opposition to the predictions of the psychophysical augmented quincunx model, we find that the skew of the estimates offers no information about the crowd error. More importantly, we find that the crowd beats all individuals in less than 2% of the forecasts and beats most individuals in less than 70% of the forecasts, which means that there is fair chance that an individual selected at random will perform better than the crowd. These results contrast starkly with the performance of non-natural crowds composed of unbiased forecasters which beat most individuals in practically all forecasts. The moderate statistical advantage of a real-world crowd over its members does not justify the ado about its wisdom, which is most likely a product of the selective attention fallacy.
Research on Intelligent Flight Test Monitoring Technology Based on Expert System
Authors: Guowang Zhang , Hao Wang , Rui Nie
Published: May 2021

The current manual-based traditional flight test monitoring technology can no longer fulfill the requirements of high integration, system complexity and technological advancement of new aircraft. In addition, the existing flight monitoring systems are mostly single-point, single-system applications, including ground-assisted systems such as meteorology, radar, and response system. It is easy to cause problems such as data islands, which is not conducive to data sharing and comprehensive evaluation and analysis. This paper proposes a new method for analyzing and mining existing test data based on expert system technology to build a flight test expert system library. A new real-time monitoring system is designed that can meet the real-time processing and integration of multi-source data, comprehensive evaluation and analysis, intelligent warning and assistant decision-making. This system expands the function and intelligence of the existing system, and further improves the quality, safety and efficiency of the flight test monitoring system.
Beam physics research with the IOTA electron lens
Authors: Stancari G. , Agustsson R. , Banerjee N. , Boffo C. , Burov A. , Carlson K. , Cathey B. , Chen Y.-C. , Chung M. , Crawford D. , Dhuley R. , Eddy N. , Freemire B. , Hall C. , Kim Y.-K. , Kolehmainen A. , Lebedev V. , Murokh A. , Nagaitsev S. , Park C.S. , Perini D. , Romanov A. , Ruan J. , Shiltsev V. , Smirnov A. , Stern E. , Valishev A.
Published: May 2021

The electron lens in the Fermilab Integrable Optics Test
Accelerator (IOTA) will enable new research in nonlinear integrable
optics, space-charge compensation, electron cooling, and the
stability of intense beams. This research addresses scientific
questions on high-brightness beams and operational challenges of
high-power accelerators for nuclear and particle physics. We review
the roles that electron lenses play in this field and the physical
principles behind their applications. The design criteria and
specifications for the IOTA storage ring and electron lens are then
discussed. We conclude with a description of the components of the
apparatus.
Physics-informed generative neural network: an application to troposphere temperature prediction
Authors: Chen Zhihao , Gao Jie , Wang Weikai , Yan Zheng
Published: May 2021

The troposphere is one of the atmospheric layers where most weather phenomena occur. Temperature variations in the troposphere, especially at 500 hPa, a typical level of the middle troposphere, are significant indicators of future weather changes. Numerical weather prediction is effective for temperature prediction, but its computational complexity hinders a timely response. This paper proposes a novel temperature prediction approach in framework of physics-informed deep learning. The new model, called PGnet, builds upon a generative neural network with a mask matrix. The mask is designed to distinguish the low-quality predicted regions generated by the first physical stage. The generative neural network takes the mask as prior for the second-stage refined predictions. A mask-loss and a jump pattern strategy are developed to train the generative neural network without accumulating errors during making time-series predictions. Experiments on ERA5 demonstrate that PGnet can generate more refined temperature predictions than the state-of-the-art.
Projected sea level rise on the continental shelves of the China Seas and the dominance of mass contribution
Authors: Chen Changlin , Wang Guihua , Yan Yunwei , Luo Fengyun
Published: May 2021

We analyze the projected sea level rise (SLR) for the 21st century for the China Seas (the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea) using the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 dataset. We find that the projected SLR over the shallow continental shelves of the China Seas is nearly the same as the global mean sea level change in all future emission scenarios, with a magnitude of 43.6 cm (20.8–67.7 cm, 90% confidence interval) in RCP2.6 and 74.5 cm (41.7–112.8 cm, 90% confidence interval) in RCP8.5 by the year 2100 relative to 1986–2005. We further analyze the causes of SLR and find that more than 90% of the total projected SLR over the continental shelves of the China Seas will result from mass contributions and only a minor contribution will result from local steric height adjustments. This increase in water mass over the continental shelves is not only caused by the loss of land ice, but also from the change in sterodynamic, which tends to push water mass onto the continental shelves from the open oceans.
Life Cycle Assessment of a combined cycle power plant in Indonesia
Authors: Sinaga Pricilia D L , Moersidik Setyo S , Hamzah Udi S
Published: May 2021

This paper presents the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a 640 MW combined cycle power plant located in West Java, Indonesia. The power plant adopts the dual-fuel firing system, in which both natural gas and high-speed diesel fuels are used. The LCA was performed using the open-source LCA software OpenLCA version 1.9. A functional unit of 1 kWh of electricity generation was used in calculating the environmental impacts. The system boundary was modeled using the gate-to-gate system, which includes all inputs and outputs for the following subsystems: fuel storage, water preparation, electricity production, and supporting subsystems. The life cycle inventory (LCI) used data gathered from July 2018 to June 2019. The CML-IA baseline method was used to perform the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA), providing results for ten midpoint impact categories. All impact categories were normalized using World 2000 normalization factors. The result shows that the most significant impact categories are acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), and global warming potential (GWP), respectively. The largest acidification source is nitrogen oxide emission from the combustion chamber, with a percentage of 80.32%. Regarding the combustion stage, the post-combustion method is recommended to remove nitrogen oxide from exhaust gases to lower the AP impact category.
Study of mathematics modeling on ginger geometric changes during drying using image analysis
Authors: Putra G M D , Setiawati D A , Murad
Published: May 2021

Many studies have examined the drying process, but only a few studies have examined shrinkage as one of the parameters that affect drying. Depreciation of agricultural products could have an impact on damage and reduce quality. This study aimed to examine the shrinkage pattern of product size during drying using the mathematical model approach regression. The method used was experimental with sliced ginger as material. The equipment used was a rack-type hybrid dryer and a set of image capture devices. This study indicates that to dry the sliced ginger from 95.65% to 9.49% moisture content required approximately 8 hours. The results of image processing showed shrinkage that occurs in sliced ginger was 52.49%. The most accurate mathematical model describing the prediction of sliced ginger shrinkage during drying was the 2nd order polynomial regression model with the equation of y = - 131.3.x
2 - 1804.4x + 41941.6 and an R2 value of 0.99.
Comparison of the separation process of crude citronella oil using vacuum fractionation distillation on a pilot plant scale and laboratory scale
Authors: Kanza S , Silvianti R , Ramadhan D S , Cahayo M , Sukardi
Published: May 2021

Crude citronella oil contains a mixture of components such as a group of hydrocarbon monoterpenes compounds, oxygenated monoterpenes, and sesquiterpenes. Therefore, it has low economic value and low functional value. A single component with high purity can be obtained through chemical and physical properties analysis. Based on the physical properties of the constituent components of citronella oil, the boiling points of each component are quite adjacent so that a single component can be separated by the fractionation distillation process. This study aims at determining the optimum condition (temperature, pressure, and reflux ratio) of a pilot plant scale fractionation with 8 meters of the column and the capacity of 200kg (raschig ring packing; temperature range 115-118°C and 118-121°C, reflux ratio 4:1 and 2:1) and comparing it to the laboratory scale (raschig ring packing; temperature range 115-118°C and 118-121°C, reflux ratio 2:1). Although the laboratory scale of fractionation distillation produced good quality rhodinol with 85% purity, the scale-up version of the pilot plant scale still cannot be occupied. For the citronellal fraction, both fractionation distillation process produced poor quality with only 50% purity. This occurred due to the different dimensions that lead to a higher pressure drop. A higher pressure drop will change the optimum temperature conditions.
Morphological and quality characteristics of genus of Canarium L.: A review
Authors: Rashid N A H A , Shamsudin R , Arifin S H , Abdullah W N Z Z
Published: May 2021

The genus Canarium L. comprises 75 species of aromatic trees which are found in the rainforests of tropical Asia, Africa and the Pacific. A literature review was conducted through published works to gather information on nutritional and ethnic values, colour, shape, fatty acid and also antioxidant activities of Canarium sp. The phytoconstituents which are present in most Canarium L. genus especially its fruit are mainly phenolic and fatty acid which are responsible for the actions. This novel compound serves as a contributor to the antioxidant capacity of Canarium fruit and thus, the genus can be recommended as a major source of natural antioxidants. However, this genus still can be categorised as underutilised fruit and little study is paid on its collection and comparison amongst species of Canarium L. species. Thus, the present review summarizes some such attributes of the Canarium L. genus.
Agricultural soil moisture sensor based on U-bend Plastic Optical Fibre (POF)
Authors: Marinah Murti , Husna Nadhifa Aqilla , Salam Hafiz , Hatta Agus Muhamad
Published: May 2021

Soil moisture has an essential role in agriculture. The growth of specific vegetation requires a certain level of soil moisture. Therefore, monitoring soil moisture is very important for farmers. In monitoring, the first essential component is the sensor. Nevertheless, the existing proper soil moisture sensor is an electric-based system sensor with low water resistance. It easily damaged in extreme environments which can reduce sensor ability. Based on these problems, we developed a soil moisture sensor based on plastic optical fibre with a U-bend structure. Optical fibre was developed as an alternative sensor due to low prices, immunity to water, and resistance to extreme conditions. U-bend optical fibre can measure soil moisture depends on changes in the refractive index. The changes of refractive index caused by changes in external force which causes a decrease in the optical fibre output power are following the concentration of water contained in the soil. Plastic material is used because of its high durability and high responsiveness in refractive index-based measurements. In this experiment, a plastic optical fibre with a U-bend radius of 30 mm and a wavelength of 930 nm is used. The result shows that the U-Bend structure plastic optical fibre sensor is highly potential to use as a soil moisture sensor with sensor sensitivity of 2.885x10 W/%VWC, R of 97.14%, and standard deviation of 0.6%.
Smart food packaging from sago starch incorporated with anthocyanin from Brassica oleracea
Authors: Hamzah N H C , Shaidi N A M , Merais M S , Khairuddin N
Published: May 2021

Smart packaging is a general term that refers to any material or system employed to detect, perceive, and record any changes during the life cycle of packaged foods or their surroundings. In this study, the pH indicator film developed from sago starch and natural colourants or anthocyanin extracted from red cabbage (Brassica oleracea). Incorporating anthocyanin into food package matrices applies the bio-switch concept, which aids automatic response to changes (external stimuli) in the environment. Consumers are extra alert to the freshness of the food based on the colour changes of the bio-switch system. The formulation of sago starch film incorporated with different concentrations of anthocyanin (0, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 %) was investigated. The sago starch-based film with anthocyanin showed colour variations in response to different pH. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) showed the compatibility of the starch with the anthocyanin extract and film morphology. Chemical characterization of the synthesized films by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Analysis (FTIR) showed no chemical changes when compared to the control film. However, the films showed a decreasing lightness trend when a higher concentration of anthocyanin was incorporated. Smart food packaging is a promising response to consumers’ demand for packaging that accommodates a hectic way of life and offers greater economic potential.
Ethnobotany of medicinal plant used by Sundanese Ethnic at Nyangkewok Hamlet, Kalaparea Village, Sukabumi District
Authors: Cita K D , Waluyo P
Published: May 2021

Nyangkewok Hamlet community used medicinal plants and practices based on their local knowledge to treat and prevent various diseases. This study aimed to identify medicinal plants used by the Nyangkewok hamlet community who lives in Kalaparea Village. The research was conducted in February-May 2020. The field study was conducted from February-May 2020 in Kalaparea Village, Sukabumi District through in-depth interview and questionnaire then all information were written and documented. The result showed that 103 species of medicinal plants from 42 families. The highest frequency of plant parts used was leaf 52.02%. Based on ICS analysis the plant’s was categorized into high significance (16 species), moderate significance (25 species), low significance (33 species), and very low significance (29 species). The highest value of ICS was Zingiber officinale and the lowest value was Spilanthes acmella.
Parameter identification for the decision model of uncertainty price competition in food delivery services
Authors: Andriani D P , Kusuma L T W N , Rachman A B , Firdausa S Z , Azzahra A D , Fadhlurrahman Q A
Published: May 2021

The sharing economy innovation has created a new service industry sector, the ride-hailing industry. Government regulations regarding minimum tariffs change the competition map and uncertainty in that industry. This has led to predatory pricing, switching costs and pre-emptive duopoly. This study aims to determine the parameters that can affect the decision model in the uncertainty of price competition through factorial experiments. This study was conducted on two ride-hailing companies, which currently lead market share, thus establishing a duopoly market. There are many services offered by these companies. This study focuses on investigating food delivery services, which are one of the stable services during the Covid-19 pandemic. The approach that will be used in this research is a factorial experiment to determine what parameters can affect price determination with several uncertainty cases. The result is the identification of the optimal decision model, both parameters and levels in pricing. The implication of this study is fair competition for the welfare of society and the country.
A thematic analysis on work safety and ergonomics issues in Indonesian food-producing SMEs
Authors: Silalahi R L R , Ryan B , Cobb S , Houghton R
Published: May 2021

Food-producing SMEs in a developing country like Indonesia involve a lot of physical work, as most of them are operating with manual equipment with high involvement of humans as workers. Due to its manual characteristic, work safety and Ergonomics and Human Factors (E/HF) are some major factors influencing the food-producing SMEs’ activities. The objective of this research was to understand work safety and ergonomics problems in the Indonesian food-producing SMEs. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 11 owners and workers of three different types of products of Indonesian food-producing SMEs. Thematic analysis on the interview identified themes and sub-themes related to work safety and ergonomics issues, explaining the experiences of Indonesian food-producing SMEs. These consultations indicated that there may be some unsafe conditions, exposure to various work hazards and ergonomics issues were found. The owners and workers of the SMEs seemed to be aware of the unsafe working conditions and ergonomics issues, though the reasons for why changes have not been implemented are not yet known. The owners and workers are keen on making improvements, but there are several limitations, e.g. inadequate understanding and cost consideration. This type of interview study has been effective in collecting opinions and explanations of working conditions from people with different perspectives of the food producing SMEs and the thematic analysis has increased understanding of the different factors that can affect safety in this type of work.
Controlling of pasteurized milk production using SPC and TRIZ
Authors: Sucipto S , Ria D R , Effendi U
Published: May 2021

Pasteurized milk has high nutrition, but it is perishable. Production controls are vital to secure nutrition, safety, and consumer satisfaction. This research supports the determination of protection during pasteurized milk production and provides appropriate repair approvals. The statistical process control (SPC) method determines the number of defects and their dominant causes and the Theory of Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadatch (TRIZ) approach to discuss appropriate solutions. The results showed that 92.5% of product defects consisted of inappropriate volumes of the cup. There are no sensors on the filling machine, incorrect tap and timer setting, inadequate lighting in the production room, and less conscientious labour. The TRIZ method can recognize the contradictions of proposed improvements in greater detail, namely an automatic level control system and improved lighting to control the production.
Comparison halal food regulation and practices to support halal tourism in Asia: A review
Authors: Nuraini S , Sucipto
Published: May 2021

The number of Muslims in the world continues to increase. Projected in 2026, more than 230 million Muslim tourists will contribute US $ 300 billion to the global economy. Halal tourism is growing and becoming a new phenomenon through increased consumer knowledge and awareness of halal products and services. Halal guarantee, priority on food products, is an opportunity for business supporters. The Global Islamic Report approved total expenditure in the food sector to reach the US $ 1,303 billion and is projected to increase in 2023 by the US $ 1,863 billion. This paper compareshalal food product regulation and practices in several Asian countries using a systematic review method. These countries (Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea) are ranked in the top 10 by the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) based on the criteria of Accessibility, Communication, Environment, and Services in the category of “Muslim friendly destinations” in terms of Organization Islamic Cooperation (OIC)and non-OIC countries, with the largest number of Global Muslim Traveller tourists in the world. Halal product guarantees must be realized properly to increase the confidence of Muslim tourists in the food products of the country. The implementation of standards and regulations in each country is different. Each country develops halal and quality products in tourist destinations for Muslim Global tourists and increases the number of visits. Halal tourism has become one of the strategic sectors to increase the country and the people’s income in the country.
Integration of Halal Assurance System (HAS) in the Integrated Management System (IMS) to support food industry performance: a review
Authors: Puspaningtyas S D , Sucipto S
Published: May 2021

Halal products are in great demand by consumers all over the world. The implementation of the Halal Assurance System (HAS) in the food industry is expected to increase consumer confidence and company performance. Generally, the continuous application of the Integrated Management System (IMS) which consists of a quality management system, a safety management system, and an environmental management system is proven to improve business performance. The application of HAS in the food industry are rarely integrated with other management systems. This paper discusses the internal and external constraints and challenges of companies in implementing HAS in IMS. The IMS application affects company performance in productivity, quality, safety, financial, and decreasing risks. Opportunities for HAS integration in IMS are examined in more detail.
The effect of facilities layout and services on visitors’ comfort in Keboen Kopi Karanganjar Agro-tourism Blitar
Authors: Dewi H E , Adityawati R , Subagyo H S H
Published: May 2021

Facilities layout and services are supporting system in agro-tourism to increase visitors’ interest. This study aimed to analyze the effect of facilities layout and service on visitors’ comfort at Keboen Kopi Karanganjar Agro-tourism Blitar. There were 100 respondents selected, and the study used the accidental sampling method. The statistical tools used were the Structural Equation Model with Partial Least Square technique to find out the effect of facility layout and services (exogenous variable) on visitors’ comfort (endogenous variable). The results of the study showed that the variable of layout facilities had no significant effect on visitors’ comfort, while the services variable had a significant effect on visitors’ comfort. This study advices to repair of damaged roads, add driving directions, facilities renewal, one-way system improvement, add facilities such as entertainment, toilets, trash cans, and improve their services by upholding the attitude of being friendly, informative, and reliable.