bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Yield Stability of Dry Bean Genotypes across Nitrogen‐Fixation‐Dependent and Fertilizer‐Dependent Management Systems
Authors: Farid Mehdi , Earl Hugh J. , Navabi Alireza
Published: December 2015

Despite the inherent N2–fixing ability of legumes, the actual symbiotic N2fixation (SNF) of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgarisL.) compared with other legumes is relatively low. Accordingly, application of inorganic nitrogen in bean fields has often been recommended to maximize economical yield. The genetic diversity for SNF in common bean may provide the opportunity to develop bean genotypes with stable yield across N‐fertilizer‐dependent and SNF‐dependent production practices. A population of 140 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of a cross between high and low N‐fixing genotypes, ‘Mist’ and ‘Sanilac’, respectively, was evaluated under two different N management conditions, SNF and N fertilizer dependent, across multiple environments. While N management did not significantly affect the overall yield, genotypes responded differentially to SNF‐dependent and N‐fertilizer‐dependent environments. Among the RILs with higher than average yield, the stability analysis identified 6% as generally adapted to all environments, regardless of N management. The study highlights the opportunity to select bean genotypes that maintain their yielding ability under SNF‐dependent management systems.
Effect of Temperature and Photoperiod on Time to Flowering in Chickpea
Authors: Daba Ketema , Tar'an Bunyamin , Bueckert Rosalind , Warkentin Thomas D.
Published: December 2015

Flowering time is a key factor in determining the adaptation of crops to diverse environments. Temperature and photoperiod are the two major environmental variables that affect the length of the period between sowing and flowering and the rate of plant development. The objectives of this research were to examine the days to flowering of selected chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) accessions grown in a range of thermal regimes combined with either long or short days and to examine the interaction between photoperiod and day and night temperatures on flowering response. Eight chickpea accessions representative of different photoperiod sensitivity responses were included, that is, day‐neutral (ICCV 96029 and FLIP‐98‐142C), intermediate (ICC 8621, ICC 8855, ICC 15294, and ILC 1687), and highly sensitive (‘CDC Frontier’ and ‘CDC Corinne’). Significant effects of accession, temperature, photoperiod, and their interaction were observed for days to flower. Under long photoperiod combined with the higher temperature regime, earliest flowering was observed in day‐neutral accessions followed by intermediate accessions, then photoperiod‐sensitive accessions, which flowered, on average, in 20, 23, and 41 d, respectively. For the two day‐neutral accessions, the difference in the number of days to flower under 16 h photoperiod combined with the temperature regimes of 24 and 16°C and 20 and 12°C (day vs. night) was not significant. Regression analysis revealed that days to flower of the day‐neutral, intermediate, and photoperiod‐sensitive accessions was a linear function of temperature (R2 = 0.88–0.99) within the photoperiod.
Early‐Season Lactofen Application has Limited Effect on Soybean Branch and Mainstem Yield Components
Authors: Orlowski John M. , Gregg Gary L. , Lee Chad D.
Published: December 2015

Recent interest in maximizing soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield has led producers to seek management strategies to affect soybean yield components. One strategy that has been pursued is application of diphenyl ether herbicides, such as lactofen, to early‐vegetative soybean to kill the apical meristem in an effort to increase soybean branching, resulting in increased node and pod numbers. The objective of this study was to determine if the application of lactofen and fomesafen herbicides can kill the soybean apical meristem and quantify how early‐season application of these herbicides affect soybean yield components. Field studies were established at two locations in Kentucky during the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons. Lactofen, fomesafen, leaf removal, and meristem removal treatments were applied to soybean at first, second, third, and fourth trifoliate stages. Plants were harvested at maturity and nodes, pods, and seeds per square meter and seed mass were determined for both mainstem and branches. Meristem removal increased soybean branch development and shifted yield component formation from the mainstem nodes to branch nodes. Lactofen and fomesafen had small and inconsistent effects on mainstem and branch yield components compared with untreated soybean but did not affect total yield components. Lactofen and fomesafen were not able to kill the apical meristem or increase branching in soybean. Attempting to increase soybean node number through agronomic management does not appear to be a viable strategy to increase soybean yield.
The paradox of water accessibility: understanding the temporal and spatial dimensions of access to improved water sources in Rwanda
Authors: Osei Lydia , Amoyaw Jonathan , Boateng Godfred Odei , Boamah Sheila , Luginaah Isaac
Published: December 2015

According to the United Nations, the world has met the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water. However, global figures mask massive disparities between regions and countries, and within countries. For instance, only 64% of the people in sub-Saharan Africa have access to improved water sources. Over 40% of all people globally who lack access to drinking water live in sub-Saharan Africa. Rwanda is used as a case in point in this study. Despite the abundance of water resources in the country, access to improved water sources is limited. Using the Rwandan Demographic and Health Surveys (2000–2010), we examined regional disparities in access to improved water sources. Results from logistic regression models show that overall, access to improved water has declined between 2000 and 2010; except in the western region, where access to water marginally improved. Educated individuals, wealthier and urban dwellers were more likely to have access to improved water sources over time compared to their uneducated, poor and rural counterparts. The persistence of regional disparities in access to improved water over time suggests the need for policy to address insufficient investments in water infrastructure in Rwanda.
Agricultural water vulnerability in rural Iran
Authors: Keshavarz Marzieh
Published: December 2015

Water is an important factor of production and livelihood support in rural communities. Meanwhile, water shortage is a virtually common feature in many arid and semi-arid countries. It is also projected that water stress will be exacerbated in such regions because of climate change. The cumulative effects of these stressors can potentially increase agricultural water vulnerability (AWV). Therefore, assessing AWV is essential as the first step in identifying water management strategies and maintaining a stable water supply. Water vulnerability studies have mainly focused on the national scale and little is known about the farm level agricultural water vulnerabilities. Adopting a principal component analysis/fuzzy logic-based method, this study investigates the AWV of farmers. A survey of 335 farmers of Firuzabad County, selected through a simple random sampling technique, revealed different levels of water vulnerability, i.e. the least, intermediate and the most water vulnerable. The agricultural water vulnerable farmers were principally distinguished by various degrees of water resources, economics, social characteristics and institutions. Promotion of irrigation efficiency, financial support for vulnerable farmers, increasing farmers' capacity to participate in social activities, enhancing communication infrastructure and considering new governance structures and planning processes are offered to reduce AWV.
Comparative study of raw and chemically treated mangrove leaf for remediation of 304 Methyl Violet 2B dye from aqueous solution: thermo-kinetics aspect
Authors: Bano Bakht , Zahir Erum
Published: December 2015

The adsorption process is the most attractive alternative way for the treatment of industrial effluents. The main objective of the study is to compare the efficacy of adsorption by raw and chemically treated forms of mangrove plant leaf powder. It acts as adsorbent, and would not only be economical but also help to reduce pollution. The adsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Results showed that percent removal of dye was higher by chemically treated mangrove leaf (98%) than by raw mangrove leaf (75%) under all determined conditions. The equilibrium and kinetics adsorption data were analyzed by the Langmuir isotherm and the pseudo second order model. They were found to be the best fit to interpret the present data. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated by using the Langmuir equilibrium constant. Results suggested that dye adsorption on mangrove leaf was a spontaneous and exothermic process with enthalpy change = −15.26 kJ/mol, and there was decrease in disorder with entropy change = −5.089 kJ/mol K.
Mitigation of marine biofouling on tubes of open rack vaporizers using electromagnetic fields
Authors: Trueba Alfredo , Vega Luis M. , García Sergio , Otero Félix M. , Madariaga Ernesto
Published: December 2015

This study quantitatively evaluates the antifouling action of the continuous physical treatment with electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of seawater used as heat exchanger fluid in an open rack vaporizer (ORV) pilot plant to reduce the growth of biofouling on external rib-tube surfaces. The results demonstrate that the biofilm adhered on the treated rib-tubes was reduced by 33% in thickness and by 44% in dissolved solids regarding the biofilm adhered on the untreated control rib-tubes. The lower conductivity and Ca2+ and Mg2+ ionic content in the effluent of the treated seawater confirmed that the EMFs accelerated the process of ionic calcium nucleation and precipitation as calcium carbonate. The precipitation of ions dissolved affected the inter-molecular interactions among extracellular polymers, thereby weakening the biofouling film matrix and reducing its adhesion capacity. The drag of small particles by the flow of seawater had an erosive action and decreased the biofouling film thickness. Consequently, the antifouling methods treatment with EMFs allowed reduce the negative effect that the biofouling have for the heat transfer equipment used in the regasification process and keep the highest techno-economic operating conditions.
Removal of sunset yellow FCF from aqueous solution using polyethyleneimine-modified MWCNTs
Authors: Gao Hejun , Zhang Luanluan , Liao Yunwen
Published: December 2015

A novel adsorbent consisting of polyethyleneimine-modified multi-wall carbon nanotubes (PEI-MWCNTs) was synthesized by grafting PEI on the carboxyl MWCNTs. The surface properties of the PEI-MWCNTs were measured by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared, and zeta potential. The adsorption behavior of the PEI-MWCNTs was investigated using sunset yellow FCF as adsorbate. The effects of dosage of adsorbent, the initial pH of solution, contact time and temperature on the adsorption capacity were studied. Then, the kinetics and thermodynamics of the adsorption process were further investigated. Experimental results showed that the adsorption kinetics fitted a pseudo-second-order model and the adsorption isotherms agreed well with the Langmuir model. The adsorption process occurred very fast and the adsorption capacity of PEI-MWCNTs was much higher than that of many of the previously reported adsorbents. Additionally, the plausible adsorption mechanism was discussed.
Nutrient removal performance and microbial characteristics of a full-scale IFAS-EBPR process treating municipal wastewater
Authors: Bai Yang , Zhang Yaobin , Quan Xie , Chen Shuo
Published: December 2015

This work describes the nutrient removal performance and microbial characteristics of a full-scale integrated fixed-film activated sludge-enhanced biological phosphorus removal (IFAS-EBPR) process for municipal wastewater treatment. The polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis results showed that the presence of bacteria in this process, including Nitrosomonas sp., Nitrospira sp., Nitrobacter sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Acinetobacter sp., clusters. The fluorescence in situ hybridization results implied that there were more nitrifiers and denitrifiers on the biofilm carriers than in the suspended sludge, whereas more phosphorus-accumulating organisms (PAOs) resided in the suspended sludge. With the cooperation of these functional microbial populations both on the biofilm carriers and in the suspended sludge, the chemical oxygen demand (COD), NH4+-N, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies were maintained at 84, 97, 70 and 81%, and the effluent concentrations of them averaged 30, 1.0, 11.5 and 0.6 mg/L, which all satisfy the Chinese discharge standard (COD <50 mg/L, NH4+-N <5 mg/L, TN <15 mg/L and TP <1 mg/L), respectively. Therefore, the IFAS-EBPR process is a reliable and effective process for nutrient removal.
Enhanced sonochemical degradation of tetracycline by sulfate radicals
Authors: Eslami Akbar , Bahrami Hamideh , Asadi Anvar , Alinejad Abdolazim
Published: December 2015

Tetracyclines (TCs) are widely used antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine and as growth promoters in the world. Sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation processes have been of great interest due to the high oxidizing potential of sulfate radical to degrade refractory organic pollutants in aqueous solution. In this study, the degradation of antibiotic TC in aqueous solution by silver-activated persulfate (Na2S2O8) in the presence of ultrasound irradiation under various conditions has been investigated. The effects of several parameters such as Ag2SO4, Na2S2O8 concentration, temperature, ultrasonic (US) power, initial TC concentration and initial pH on the degradation of TC were investigated. More than 83% of TC removal was achieved within 120 min under optimal conditions. The optimum operational conditions were found to be as follows: Ag2SO4 dosage 3.5 mmol/L, Na2S2O8 concentration 70 mmol/L, reaction temperature 25 °C, US power 120 W, initial TC concentration 50 mg/L, pH 3.0 and contact time 120 min. The degradation of TC in the persulfate/Ag+/US process followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics.
A systematic data collection procedure for software defect prediction
Authors: Mausa Goran , Galinac-Grbac Tihana , Dalbelo-Basic Bojana
Published: December 2015

Software defect prediction research relies on data that must be collected
from otherwise separate repositories. To achieve greater generalization of
the results, standardized protocols for data collection and validation are
necessary. This paper presents an exhaustive survey of techniques and
approaches used in the data collection process. It identifies some of the
issues that must be addressed to minimize dataset bias and also provides a
number of measures that can help researchers to compare their data collection
approaches and evaluate their data quality. Moreover, we present a data
collection procedure that uses a bug-code linking technique based on regular
expression. The detailed comparison and root cause analysis of
inconsistencies with a number of popular data collection approaches and their
publicly available datasets, reveals that our procedure achieves the most
favorable results. Finally, we implement our data collection procedure in a
data collection tool we name the Bug-Code (BuCo) Analyzer.
Apelin Controls Fetal and Neonatal Glucose Homeostasis and Is Altered by Maternal Undernutrition
Authors: Mayeur Sylvain , Wattez Jean-Sébastien , Lukaszewski Marie-Amélie , Lecoutre Simon , Butruille Laura , Drougard Anne , Eberlé Delphine , Bastide Bruno , Laborie Christine , Storme Laurent , Knauf Claude , Vieau Didier , Breton Christophe , Lesage Jean
Published: December 2015

The adequate control of glucose homeostasis during both gestation and early postnatal life is crucial for the development of the fetoplacental unit and adaptive physiological responses at birth. Growing evidences indicate that apelin and its receptor, APJ, which are expressed across a wide range of tissues, exert important roles in glucose homeostasis in adults. However, little is known about the function of the apelinergic system during gestation. In this study, we evaluated the activity of this system in rats, the role of apelin in fetal and neonatal glucose homeostasis, and its modulation by maternal food restriction. We found that 1) the apelinergic system was expressed at the fetoplacental interface and in numerous fetal tissues, 2) ex vivo, the placenta released high amounts of apelin in late gestation, 3) intravenous apelin injection in mothers increased the transplacental transport of glucose, and 4) intraperitoneal apelin administration in neonates increased glucose uptake in lung and muscle. Maternal food restriction drastically reduced apelinemia in both mothers and growth-restricted fetuses and altered the expression of the apelinergic system at the fetoplacental interface. Together, our data demonstrate that apelin controls fetal and neonatal glucose homeostasis and is altered by fetal growth restriction induced by maternal undernutrition.
High-Fat Diet During Mouse Pregnancy and Lactation Targets GIP-Regulated Metabolic Pathways in Adult Male Offspring
Authors: Kruse Michael , Keyhani-Nejad Farnaz , Isken Frank , Nitz Barbara , Kretschmer Anja , Reischl Eva , de las Heras Gala Tonia , Osterhoff Martin A. , Grallert Harald , Pfeiffer Andreas F.H.
Published: December 2015

Maternal obesity is a worldwide problem associated with increased risk of metabolic diseases in the offspring. Genetic deletion of the gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) receptor (GIPR) prevents high-fat diet (HFD)–induced obesity in mice due to specific changes in energy and fat cell metabolism. We investigated whether GIP-associated pathways may be targeted by fetal programming and mimicked the situation by exposing pregnant mice to control or HFD during pregnancy (intrauterine [IU]) and lactation (L). Male wild-type (WT) and Gipr−/− offspring received control chow until 25 weeks of age followed by 20 weeks of HFD. Gipr−/− offspring of mice exposed to HFD during IU/L became insulin resistant and obese and exhibited increased adipose tissue inflammation and decreased peripheral tissue substrate utilization after being reintroduced to HFD, similar to WT mice on regular chow during IU/L. They showed decreased hypothalamic insulin sensitivity compared with Gipr−/− mice on control diet during IU/L. DNA methylation analysis revealed increased methylation of CpG dinucleotides and differential transcription factor binding of promoter regions of genes involved in lipid oxidation in the muscle of Gipr−/− offspring on HFD during IU/L, which were inversely correlated with gene expression levels. Our data identify GIP-regulated metabolic pathways that are targeted by fetal programming.
Lack of Prox1 Downregulation Disrupts the Expansion and Maturation of Postnatal Murine β-Cells
Authors: Paul Leena , Walker Emily M. , Drosos Yiannis , Cyphert Holly A. , Neale Geoffrey , Stein Roland , South Jack , Grosveld Gerard , Herrera Pedro L. , Sosa-Pineda Beatriz
Published: December 2015

Transcription factor expression fluctuates during β-cell ontogeny, and disruptions in this pattern can affect the development or function of those cells. Here we uncovered that murine endocrine pancreatic progenitors express high levels of the homeodomain transcription factor Prox1, whereas both immature and mature β-cells scarcely express this protein. We also investigated if sustained Prox1 expression is incompatible with β-cell development or maintenance using transgenic mouse approaches. We discovered that Prox1 upregulation in mature β-cells has no functional consequences; in contrast, Prox1 overexpression in immature β-cells promotes acute fasting hyperglycemia. Using a combination of immunostaining and quantitative and comparative gene expression analyses, we determined that Prox1 upregulation reduces proliferation, impairs maturation, and enables apoptosis in postnatal β-cells. Also, we uncovered substantial deficiency in β-cells that overexpress Prox1 of the key regulator of β-cell maturation MafA, several MafA downstream targets required for glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and genes encoding important components of FGF signaling. Moreover, knocking down PROX1 in human EndoC-βH1 β-cells caused increased expression of many of these same gene products. These and other results in our study indicate that reducing the expression of Prox1 is beneficial for the expansion and maturation of postnatal β-cells.
Light penetration in seawater polluted by dispersed oil: results of radiative transfer modelling
Authors: Haule K. , Darecki M. , Toczek H.
Published: December 2015

The downwelling light in seawater is shaped by natural seawater constituents as well as by some external substances which can occur locally and temporally. In this study we focused on dispersed oil droplets which can be found in seawater after an oil spill or in the consequence of intensive shipping, oil extraction and transportation. We applied our modified radiative transfer model based on Monte Carlo code to evaluate the magnitude of potential influence of dispersed oil droplets on the downwelling irradiance and the depth of the euphotic zone. Our model was validated on the basis of in situ measurements for natural (unpolluted) seawater in the Southern Baltic Sea, resulting in less than 5% uncertainty. The optical properties of dispersed Petrobaltic crude oil were calculated on the basis of Mie theory and involved into radiative transfer model. We found that the changes in downwelling light caused by dispersed oil depend on several factors such as oil droplet concentration, size distribution, and the penetration depth (i.e. vertical range of oil droplets occurrence below sea surface). Petrobaltic oil droplets of submicron sizes and penetration depth of 5 m showed a potentially detectable reduction in the depth of the euphotic zone of 5.5% at the concentration of only 10 ppb. Micrometer-sized droplets needed 10 times higher concentration to give a similar effect. Our radiative transfer model provided data to analyse and discuss the influence of each factor separately. This study contributes to the understanding of the change in visible light penetration in seawater affected by dispersed oil.
Drift compensation using a multichannel slot waveguide Young interferometer
Authors: Aikio S. , Hiltunen M. , Stenberg P. , Hiltunen J.
Published: December 2015

Polymeric integrated Young interferometer sensor chips utilizing a slot waveguide have demonstrated to be sensitive, to work at visible wavelengths, to be manufacturable by simple process, and to have a reduced sensitivity to temperature fluctuations. Although slot waveguide Young interferometers have these desirable features for low-cost rapid diagnostics, the sensor readout is disturbed by mechanical drifts of the sensing system. In this paper we demonstrate that mechanical drifts of the readout system can be compensated by using a multichannel slot waveguide Young interferometer having two reference waveguides and applying a drift compensation method based on the analysis of the spatial shifts of the interferogram fringes. The applicability of the drift compensation method was studied by conducting experiments with undisturbed and with mechanically disturbed setup to measure the phase changes induced by the changes of the bulk refractive index. By applying the drift compensation method, the sample induced phase change responses were extracted from up to 18 times larger measured phase changes in the disturbed experiments proving the applicability of the method with multichannel slot waveguide Young interferometers.
Accuracy of the subsurface damage parameters calculated by the finite difference algorithm
Authors: Wang H. , Fu G. , Xiao L. , Chen H. , Xiao H.
Published: December 2015

An important approach to characterize the full three-dimensional information of subsurface damage is to simulate the etching process of a sample reversely. The simulation starts from the morphology of the sample after the subsurface damage micro cracks being opened totally. During the etching experiment, it is possible for us to get the surface morphology at any moment. This paper presents a finite difference algorithm to simulate the morphology evolution during the etching process and then the surface’s morphology of the sample at a specific time can be obtained. Comparison between the simulated morphology and the measured one provides the clue of improving the precision of the finite difference algorithm. This method is kind of the fast calculation. In addition, the accuracy of this calculation of the corrosion model needs to be ensured. In order to improve the precision of calculation, the time interval should be set as the appropriate value by comparison and analysis. In this paper, the accuracy can be calculated through comparing the simulated result with the experimental result, and the maximum error of this method can be gained.
The Dirty Body that Cleans
Authors: Pinho Patricia de Santana
Published: December 2015

This article examines representations of domestic workers in Brazilian “common sense,” in the Gramscian use of the term. It argues that the dominant trope of maids' bodies as “dirty,” and yet the “most suitable” to carry out the job of cleaning, is produced at the intersection of three major components of Brazilian cultural politics: the pervasive authoritarianism that is directed mainly at the poor; the contempt for manual labor and the constant ridicule of manual workers' alleged inferiority; and the repulsion for the black body, frequently portrayed as hyper-resistant and infra-human. These components, in turn, are deeply permeated by Brazilian conceptions of blackness, whiteness, masculinity, femininity, and higher- and lower-class identities, and their interconnections with notions of cleanliness and filth. The article thus looks at common-sense representations of domestic workers' dark-skinned female bodies as sites where race, gender, and class asymmetries meet and sustain one another.
The Crucible of Witnessing
Authors: Raymond Claire
Published: December 2015

This essay considers the ethically complex figure of the feminine witness to suffering by thinking in-depth about photographer and installation artist Carrie Mae Weems's installation From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried (Weems 1995–1996). The essay is concerned with interpreting the controversy surrounding From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried, controversy that focuses on the question whether Weems is ethically wrong to show, in her series, daguerreotype images of enslaved and arguably humiliated women, images that Weems rephotographs and re-presents, drastically altering their original presentation. In interpreting this controversy, I forward an original reading of some aspects of Weems's series while commenting on the fact of the controversy in contemporary criticism. I focus my inquiry on the juxtaposition of two figures in the series, photographs that Weems has rephotographed and altered by tinting and inscribing: an image of George Specht's “Nobosodrou, Femme Mangbetu” and daguerreotypes of enslaved fathers and daughters taken as part of a nineteenth-century anthropological study. I consider how the Specht image functions as a problematic figure for the witnessing of images of enslaved Americans. This 1925 image is positioned as a witness insofar as Weems constructs her installation in the form of a very complicated sentence that crosses and weaves between images. My argument ultimately draws from Arthur C. Danto's notion of a “project of identity” that the artist respects, or fails to respect, in her subject. Commenting on Danto's useful paradigm, I conclude the essay by suggesting that Weems deploys the witness function in From Here I Saw What Happened and I Cried in a way that respects the “project of identity” of the abused photographic subjects whose images she recasts. Reading the controversy surrounding this series as a reflection of its power, I work dialectically through considering key aspects of representations of witnessing the sadistic mistreatment of other human beings.
“I'm So Proud to Be Your Queen”
Authors: Bascomb Lia T.
Published: December 2015

The image of black queens has a rich legacy within African diasporic discourse. This article examines Barbadian singer Alison Hinds's performance as Soca Queen. Hinds's prolific career spans decades. Her fans named her the Queen of Soca and she took on the designation, titling her first solo album Soca Queen and her second Caribbean Queen. I argue that Hinds uses the Queen trope as a diasporic resource, allowing her to negotiate diverse standards of respectability, femininity, and sensuality while offering herself as a representation of Barbados, the wider Caribbean region, and specifically the women within it. Such a performance draws on both Afrocentric reclamations of royalty and critical analyses that seek to do more than celebrate a mythic African past.
Variability of the atmospheric ozone over Kathmandu using ground-based measurements
Authors: Chapagain NP
Published: December 2015

Measurement of the atmospheric total ozone over Kathmandu (27.67°N, 85.29°E) was carried out with a Brewer Spectrophotometer from February 2001 through February 2002. The total ozone data obtained from Brewer instrument are analyzed to study the daily variations of total ozone over Kathmandu on different seasons. The results reveal that day-to-day variations of the total ozone over Kathmandu are seasonal dependent. Total ozone values are relatively high in summer and spring seasons (up to 327 DU) and low  (~213 DU) during the winter season. The low ozone concentration would be due to chemical and dynamic destruction processes related to the low temperature and less active photochemical reaction as less intense solar radiations are received during winter season.BIBECHANA 13 (2016) 9-17
Prunus domestica dye extraction for fabrication of zinc oxide based dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Joshi Leela Pradhan
Published: December 2015

Aluminium doped Zinc Oxide (AZO) seed layers were deposited on Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrates using a spin coating technique. These were then immersed in growth solutions of zinc nitrate, hexamethylenetetramine and distilled water to develop nanoplates of Zinc Oxide (ZnO). The nanostructures of ZnO grown on FTO were studied using x-ray diffraction techniques. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) were fabricated using two prepared electrodes, one of dye-loaded zinc oxide and another that was platinum coated. The electrolyte used was potassium iodide iodine solution. The performance of the assembled DSCCs was tested by drawing an IV curve. The results showed that the short circuit current and open circuit voltages were about 10 microamperes and 270 millivolts respectively.BIBECHANA 13 (2016) 23-28
Micellization behavior of mixed surfactants in pure water and methanol-water mixed solvent media by density methods
Authors: Bhattarai Ajaya , Pathak Kavita , Dev Bikash
Published: December 2015

The properties of anionic-rich and cationic-rich mixtures of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) in pure water and methanol-water mixed solvent media were studied using density measurements at room temperature. The results showed that density increases with increasing concentration of surfactant mixture over the entire concentration range investigated in pure water and in the given mixed solvent media and which are found to decrease with an increase in the volume fraction of methanol in the solvent composition. The critical micelle concentration increases with the increase in volume fraction of methanol for both the anionic-rich (SDS-DTAB) and cationic-rich (DTAB-SDS) systems.BIBECHANA 13 (2016) 114-120
Representations of Death in a Changing World: An Anthropological Perusal of Death Rites of Gurungs in Nepal
Authors: Upadhyay Prakash
Published: December 2015

People have developed ceremonies and rituals to help make sense or celebrate an alteration in position, circumstance or relationship. However, over time some have become diluted or rejected for whom they are intended. In majority of cultures, the greatest effort is given to the death rite of passage– and yet paradoxically it is the one that is now most often distorted or lost. This study attempted to describe the multiple aspects of changes that are occurring in Gurung death rite. Gurungs are followers of ‘Bonism’ but they are under the profound influence of Tibetan Mahayani Lamaism. Gurung community is changing from Mechanical to Organic Solidarity in which the Mechanical Unity of their traditional culture is transforming to loosely united Organic Solidarity of body. Gurung death rites have been influenced by many rudiments--migration, urbanization and modernization due to which there has been the emergence of deformed usages and behaviors in death rite. Urbanization impact on death rite is closely linked to modernization and the sociological process of rationalization, a speedy and historic transformation of Gurung social roots whereby predominantly rural Gurung culture is being rapidly modified by urban ostentatious culture. However, there is very vital element of unity, cooperation, sympathy and we feeling among the Gurungs owing to death rite that has tied all Gurungs under a shared and endorsed bond. It has created a reciprocal relationship between the living and dead-- both depending upon each other. Death rituals have been a means of co-ordination creating solidarity through ‘Syaisyai’ which is a social institution for uniting the Gurungs. This bond between giver and gift, the act of giving creates a social bond in Gurung community with an obligation to reciprocate on part of the recipient.
Process and Impact of Globalization in Nepalese Women
Authors: Sharma Manju
Published: December 2015

This paper explores the impact of globalization in Nepalese women. The changes on the women’s way of life due to globalization can be seen directly in the economy, media, IT sectors, various parts of society and ultimately in the culture. When the Nepalese women entered into the globalization process the Hindu norms and values of the society (where more than 82 percent are Hindu) has creolized with the global way of life. The women are becoming more self- reliant and empowered due to globalization but at the same time they are entering more risky markets to fulfill the desires that floated by the globalization. Similarly, globalization has offered various employment opportunities and exposure in international arena, but it also creates mental anxiety, depression and sexual abuse for those remaining in or outside the country. As there is very limited research and study on the impact of globalization in the Nepalese society, it is too early to conclude the impact of globalization as good or bad on Nepalese women.
Visual Ethnography, Thick Description and Cultural Representation
Authors: Kharel Dipesh
Published: December 2015

The purposes of this paper are threefold: to cover historical, theoretical and methodological overview of visual ethnography (photography and film) as a research tool in studying culture; to examine visual ethnography as a means of cultural representation, and to discuss visual ethnographic method with Clifford Geertz’s idea of “thick description”. I hope to bring some clarity and consensus to our understanding how visual ethnography can be an adequate research tool for “thick description” and a study of culture. Furthermore, in this paper, I begin by seeing visual ethnography in the context to visual anthropology, photography, ethnographic film, and semiotics.
Nitrogen ion bombardment of multilayer graphene films grown on Cu foil by LPCVD
Authors: Jafari Azadeh , Ghorannevis Zohreh , Ghoranneviss Mahmood , Karimi Sara
Published: December 2015

Multilayer graphene films were synthesized on copper foil by means of low pressure chemical vapor deposition and characterized using Raman spectroscopy. Low energy nitrogen bombardment was performed to form N-doped graphene, which is a metal catalyst method to induce nitrogen disorder in the carbon network. In order to investigate the effect of the nitrogen bombardment on graphene, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy are used. Analysis before and after the bombardment reveals that nitrogen doping of graphene is performed successfully by this method.
Registration of OK05312, a High‐Yielding Hard Winter Wheat Donor of Cmc4 for Wheat Curl Mite Resistance
Authors: Carver Brett F. , Smith C. Michael , Chuang Wen-Po , Hunger Robert M. , Edwards Jeffrey T. , Yan Liuling , Brown-Guedira Gina , Gill Bikram S. , Bai Guihua , Bowden Robert L.
Published: December 2015

Wheat streak mosaic (WSM) is a devastating disease in the High Plains region that is advancing eastward toward lower elevations. Its control is best achieved by combining known disease resistance genes with resistance to the insect vector. A hard red winter (HRW) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germplasm line, OK05312 (Reg. No. GP‐995, PI 670019), was co‐developed by Oklahoma State University, Kansas State University, the Wheat Genetics Resource Center, and USDA‐ARS and released in 2014. It possesses gene Cmc4 and confers strong resistance to the wheat curl mite (WCM, Aceria tosichella Keifer). OK05312 is an F4–derived line from the double cross TX93V5919/KS96WGRC40//OK94P549/KS96WGRC34 and is expected to provide an improved source of Cmc4 over KS96WGRC40. OK94P549 was the parent line from which HRW cultivar Endurance was selected. OK05312 was released for its high grain yield potential in a late‐maturing background with resistance to the with resistance to the wheat soil‐borne mosaic–wheat spindle streak mosaic complex and acceptable milling and baking quality. Hence, OK05312 provides wheat breeders an alternative source of WCM resistance and a critical component to mitigate yield losses to WSM and other WCM‐transmitted viruses.
Models and Methods to Investigate Acute Stress Responses in Cattle
Authors: Chen Yi , Arsenault Ryan , Napper Scott , Griebel Philip
Published: December 2015

There is a growing appreciation within the livestock industry and throughout society that animal stress is an important issue that must be addressed. With implications for animal health, well-being, and productivity, minimizing animal stress through improved animal management procedures and/or selective breeding is becoming a priority. Effective management of stress, however, depends on the ability to identify and quantify the effects of various stressors and determine if individual or combined stressors have distinct biological effects. Furthermore, it is critical to determine the duration of stress-induced biological effects if we are to understand how stress alters animal production and disease susceptibility. Common stress models used to evaluate both psychological and physical stressors in cattle are reviewed. We identify some of the major gaps in our knowledge regarding responses to specific stressors and propose more integrated methodologies and approaches to measuring these responses. These approaches are based on an increased knowledge of both the metabolic and immune effects of stress. Finally, we speculate on how these findings may impact animal agriculture, as well as the potential application of large animal models to understanding human stress.
Local Effects on Lung Parenchyma Using a 600 µm Bare Fiber with the Diode-Pumped Nd:YAG Laser LIMAX® 120
Authors: Rexin Peter , Bartsch Detlef , Kirschbaum Andreas
Published: December 2015

Lung metastases are frequently removed with an Nd:YAG laser. The aim is to perform a non-anatomic resection of all intraoperatively palpable lung metastases completely in order to preserve the largest possible amount of healthy lung parenchyma. The surgeon can either work with a focusing handpiece or use a laser fiber of the so-called bare fiber with direct contact to the lung parenchyma. We currently use a 600 µm bare fiber for applications involving the lung parenchyma. Precise data on the local effect of the laser fiber on the lung parenchyma are not available, especially with regard to an increase in the laser energy. We want to study this question within the scope of an experimental model in pig lungs by means of systematic and reproducible tests. The lung lobes were removed from animals recently slaughtered in the abattoir and taken to the laboratory immediately, where the lobes were stored such that the surface of the lungs was parallel to the floor. A 600 µm bare fiber was attached to a mounting bracket vertically above the lung surface at a distance of either 0, 5, or 10 mm. This mounting bracket was in turn connected to a hydraulic feed motor. The feed motor is capable of moving the bare fiber forward across the lungs consistently at three different speeds (5 mm/s, 10 mm/s, or 20 mm/s). The bare fiber itself was connected to the diode-pumped Nd: YAG Laser LIMAX® 120 (Gebrüder Martin GmbH & Co KG, Tuttlingen, Germany). We carried out the tests using three different laser powers: 20 W, 60 W, and 120 W. The lung lesions caused by the laser in each of the lungs were resected and sent in for histological analysis. The exact size of the vaporization and coagulation zone was measured using the HE sections, and the respective mean values (with standard deviations) were ascertained. For all laser powers, the extent of the vaporization was greatest with a motion speed of 5 mm/s for the respective laser power: 756.4 ± 1.2 µm (20 W), 1411.0 ± 2.3 µm (60 W) and 2126.0 ± 1.4 µm (120 W). At the same time, the extent of the coagulation zone decreased with a consistent speed: 221.8 ± 2.9 µm (20 W), 324.9 ± 1.8 µm (60 W), and 450.5 ± 1.8 µm (120 W). With a consistent laser energy and increasing speed, we also saw a decrease in the size of the vaporization and of the coagulation zone. The same applies for an increasing distance of the bare fiber to the lung surface. The coagulation effect is the dominant effect here. At an operating speed of 5 mm/s and a maximum laser energy of 120, the 600 µm bare fiber exerts a maximum effect. With an increasing distance of the tip of the bare fiber to the lung surface, the coagulation effect is dominant. The effect of the laser decreases with increasing operating speeds.
Review and Extension of Suitability Assessment Indicators of Weather Model Output for Analyzing Decentralized Energy Systems
Authors: Schermeyer Hans , Bertsch Valentin , Fichtner Wolf
Published: December 2015

Electricity from renewable energy sources (RES-E) is gaining more and more influence in traditional energy and electricity markets in Europe and around the world. When modeling RES-E feed-in on a high temporal and spatial resolution, energy systems analysts frequently use data generated by numerical weather models as input since there is no spatial inclusive and comprehensive measurement data available. However, the suitability of such model data depends on the research questions at hand and should be inspected individually. This paper focuses on new methodologies to carry out a performance evaluation of solar irradiation data provided by a numerical weather model when investigating photovoltaic feed-in and effects on the electricity grid. Suitable approaches of time series analysis are researched from literature and applied to both model and measurement data. The findings and limits of these approaches are illustrated and a new set of validation indicators is presented. These novel indicators complement the assessment by measuring relevant key figures in energy systems analysis: e.g., gradients in energy supply, maximum values and volatility. Thus, the results of this paper contribute to the scientific community of energy systems analysts and researchers who aim at modeling RES-E feed-in on a high temporal and spatial resolution using weather model data.
Examination of the Fractalkine and Fractalkine Receptor Expression in Fallopian Adenocarcinoma Reveals Differences When Compared to Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Gurler Hilal , Macias Virgilia , Kajdacsy-Balla Andre , Barbolina Maria
Published: December 2015

Fallopian adenocarcinoma is a rare malignancy arising in the epithelium of the fallopian tube. Fallopian tube epithelium has been proposed as a tissue origin for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. Given the commonalities in dissemination and treatment of these malignancies, we contemplated the possibility of similar patterns of gene expression underlying their progression. To reveal potential similarities or differences in the gene expression of fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, we tested expression of the fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1) and its ligand, fractalkine (CX3CL1), in the specimens of normal and pathologic fallopian tube using immunohistochemistry. Our data show that CX3CR1 is expressed in the normal, cancer adjacent normal, inflammatory, and malignant fallopian epithelium. CX3CL1 was expressed only by the normal and cancer adjacent normal fallopian tube epithelium; its expression was largely lost in the inflammatory and malignant fallopian epithelium. In opposite, both CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 are expressed in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. These findings are consistent with an idea that fallopian adenocarcinoma and high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, although currently thought to arise from the same organ, may not share similar molecular characteristics.
Scalable Fabrication of 2D Semiconducting Crystals for Future Electronics
Authors: Li Jiantong , Östling Mikael
Published: December 2015

Two-dimensional (2D) layered materials are anticipated to be promising for future electronics. However, their electronic applications are severely restricted by the availability of such materials with high quality and at a large scale. In this review, we introduce systematically versatile scalable synthesis techniques in the literature for high-crystallinity large-area 2D semiconducting materials, especially transition metal dichalcogenides, and 2D material-based advanced structures, such as 2D alloys, 2D heterostructures and 2D material devices engineered at the wafer scale. Systematic comparison among different techniques is conducted with respect to device performance. The present status and the perspective for future electronics are discussed.