bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Danmarks arktiske udenrigspolitik: regionale ambitioner og rigsfællesskabets komplikationer
Authors: Jacobsen Marc
Published: July 2021

Denne artikel undersøger, hvordan politiske beslutningstagere diskursivt har positioneret Danmark i relation til Arktis, som i dag er én af regeringens højeste udenrigspolitiske prioriteringer. Analysen viser, hvordan diskursen i perioden 2006-2020 har gennemgået flere skift, der hver især vægter de eksterne ambitioner i regionen og de interne hensyn i rigsfællesskabet på forskellig vis. Fra udelukkende at fokusere på det dansk-grønlandske forhold betonede man senere i stedet det regionale udsyn. Det indebar, at Danmarks autoritet blev fremhævet, mens de to andre rigsdeles internationale agens blev nedtonet. I takt med en mere eksplicit erkendelse af, at rigsfællesskabets sammenhængskraft er forudsætningen for Danmarks status som en arktisk stat, er Færøerne og Grønlands betydning blevet mere anerkendt. Det har resulteret i stadig større enighed på tværs af det politiske spektrum om, at et mere ligeværdigt forhold er værd at stræbe efter. En udvikling, der ikke mindst er blevet tilskyndet af omverdenens stigende opmærksomhed.
Inklusion, imagepleje eller nødvendighed? Basepolitik i Grønland og politisk kultur i Danmark
Authors: Takahashi Minori , Kawana Shinji
Published: July 2021

Thulebasen er en strategisk vigtig amerikansk base med flere funktioner. Ikke kun for USA og Danmark, men også for Grønland – basens vært – der har status som medunderskriver af aftalen, som garanterer basens eksistens. Hvordan fik Grønland en sådan status inden for national sikkerhed, der ellers traditionelt betragtes som udelukkende et statsanliggende? I denne artikel diskuterer vi etablerede teorier og forklaringer af basepolitik, baseret på henholdsvis realismens fokus på magtforhold og sikkerhedstrusler og socialkonstruktivismens opmærksomhed på historisk og social genealogi af billeder og identitet i internationale relationer. Ved at nærlæse danske folketingsdebatter og lovtekster foreslår vi imidlertid, at det politiske klima og konventioner også udgør vigtige faktorer, som er vigtige at inkludere sammen med magt og billeder.
Arte y realidad aumentada. Ilusiones ópticas en el espacio híbrido
Authors: Jaume Pérez Borja
Published: July 2021

Las ilusiones ópticas y la realidad aumentada (RA) utilizadas en el ámbito artístico son conceptos que han sido ampliamente estudiados por separado, pero muy pocas investigaciones han tratado el fenómeno de las ilusiones ópticas en piezas artísticas de vanguardia, creadas mediante RA. Dentro de este campo de estudio, otro factor para tener en cuenta son las variaciones a nivel perceptual de los engaños, las ambigüedades y los equívocos producidos por las ilusiones ópticas, si sus efectos se comparan entre escenarios de RA y aquellos entornos totalmente reales. Con la intención de tener un mejor entendimiento de esta cuestión, se estudian, por un lado, las obras de varios artistas, generadas a través de RA, donde se producen ilusiones ópticas; y, por el otro, se lleva a cabo un experimento en el que una serie de participantes evalúan tres piezas artísticas dinámicas, donde se superponen elementos digitales de diferentes formas, colores y dimensiones sobre fondos cuyas características generan procesos de discordancia y tensión entre figura y fondo.
Criticisms of digital art: foundations and theoretical limits
Authors: Roncoroni Osio Umberto
Published: July 2021

This article attempts a critical examination of the actual digital art production, posing key questions about its artistic value inside the contemporary esthetic discourse, including the relationships with the art system. Considering the properties of the numeric language, two important topics will be discussed: the dialectic artwork-process and the meaning of digital multimedia. With the support of up-to-date computational creativity theories and the evidences of experimental digital art, the treacherous influence of the romantic aesthetic paradigm and the traditional art system will be tested. As a possible solution, the author suggests rethinking the components of software as meta-medium, such as its information assets, its algorithms, the code textual properties, interactivity and interfaces. In the conclusions it will be stressed that the immateriality of software is paramount to avoid misunderstandings and to open new fields of research. For instance, natural computation, ethnomathematics and ethnocomputing are valuable social and educational contents and meanings that could substantially improve digital art.
NODOS: una propuesta de investigación para divulgar los proyectos transmedia y multiplataforma realizados en Colombia entre 2009 y 2020
Authors: Diaz Duarte Norberto Fabian , Arciniegas Martínez Ana Teresa
Published: July 2021

«NODOS Transmedia: un universo narrativo en construcción» es una multiplataforma de investigación que documenta los proyectos transmedia realizados en Colombia entre 2009 y 2020. Este estudio surge ante la inexistencia de una base documental y de un análisis exhaustivo sobre el creciente número de estas obras en el país. El objetivo se centró en llevar a cabo una investigación en torno a la producción, exhibición y circulación de los audiovisuales transmedia en plataformas digitales, con el fin de reconocer las particularidades técnicas y temáticas de las propuestas e identificar las características del ecosistema de financiación y producción en Colombia.

La metodología empleada en el proyecto es de tipo cualitativo y se divide en tres fases: la primera consistió en establecer un estado del arte a partir de la elaboración de fichas técnicas para cada obra; luego se diseñó y elaboró una matriz de análisis para clasificar la información recopilada de acuerdo con el género, la temática, la financiación o los productos expandidos, entre otros. En la segunda fase se efectuaron entrevistas y grupos focales con los actores involucrados en el diseño, la producción y la financiación de contenidos transmedia. Por último, en la tercera fase la divulgación de los resultados de la investigación se hizo a través de una obra transmedia denominada NODOS, compuesta por una dataweb, un documóvil y un podcast.

La investigación permitió consolidar una base de datos con 136 proyectos, los cuales evidencian la creciente producción de transmedia en Colombia. La dataweb permite clasificar, filtrar y enlazar los datos recopilados en la investigación, cumpliendo la función de un repositorio digital de las obras. Por su parte, en el documóvil y el podcast se interrelacionan los discursos, los conceptos y las prácticas de las diversas propuestas transmedia, siendo una fuente de consulta permanente. NODOS es un modelo que puede servir de referente en otros lugares para la expansión narrativa en torno al transmedia y, por tanto, la convergencia entre arte, ciencia y tecnología.
Spectrum of discrete 2n-th order difference operator with periodic boundary conditions and its applications
Authors: El Amrouss Abdelrachid , Hammouti Omar
Published: July 2021

Let \(n\in\mathbb{N}^{*}\), and \(N\geq n\) be an integer. We study the spectrum of discrete linear \(2n\)-th order eigenvalue problems \[\begin{cases}\sum_{k=0}^{n}(-1)^{k}\Delta^{2k}u(t-k) = \lambda u(t) ,\quad & t\in[1, N]_{\mathbb{Z}}, \\ \Delta^{i}u(-(n-1))=\Delta^{i}u(N-(n-1)),\quad & i\in[0, 2n-1]_{\mathbb{Z}},\end{cases}\] where \(\lambda\) is a parameter. As an application of this spectrum result, we show the existence of a solution of discrete nonlinear \(2n\)-th order problems by applying the variational methods and critical point theory.
Region of existence of multiple solutions for a class of Robin type four-point BVPs
Authors: Verma Amit K. , Urus Nazia , Agarwal Ravi P.
Published: July 2021

This article aims to prove the existence of a solution and compute the region of existence for a class of four-point nonlinear boundary value problems (NLBVPs) defined as \[\begin{gathered} -u''(x)=\psi(x,u,u'), \quad x\in (0,1),\\ u'(0)=\lambda_{1}u(\xi), \quad u'(1)=\lambda_{2} u(\eta),\end{gathered}\] where \(I=[0,1]\), \(0\lt\xi\leq\eta\lt 1\) and \(\lambda_1,\lambda_2\gt 0\). The nonlinear source term \(\psi\in C(I\times\mathbb{R}^2,\mathbb{R})\) is one sided Lipschitz in \(u\) with Lipschitz constant \(L_1\) and Lipschitz in \(u'\) such that \(|\psi(x,u,u')-\psi(x,u,v')|\leq L_2(x)|u'-v'|\). We develop monotone iterative technique (MI-technique) in both well ordered and reverse ordered cases. We prove maximum, anti-maximum principle under certain assumptions and use it to show the monotonic behaviour of the sequences of upper-lower solutions. The sufficient conditions are derived for the existence of solution and verified for two examples. The above NLBVPs is linearised using Newton's quasilinearization method which involves a parameter \(k\) equivalent to \(\max_u\frac{\partial \psi}{\partial u}\). We compute the range of \(k\) for which iterative sequences are convergent.
Metal-dielectric-metal multilayer structure with tunable Fabry-Perot resonance for highly sensitive refractive index sensing
Authors: Zhang Xiang-Yu , Liu Hui-Gang , Kang Ming , Liu Bo , Liu Hai-Tao ,   Engineering Research Center of Thin Film Optoelectronics Technology, Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China,   Tianjin Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Sensor and Sensing Network Technology, Tianjin 300350, China,   Department of Microelectronic Engineering, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China,   College of Physics and Materials Science, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300387, China,   Institute of Modern Optics, College of Electronic Information and Optical Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China,   Tianjin Key Laboratory of Micro-scale Optical Information Science and Technology, Tianjin 300350, China
Published: July 2021

The metal-dielectric-metal multilayer structure sensor with a transparent top layer and an opaque bottom layer is proposed, which can provide a perfect narrow-band absorption resonance and is suitable for sensing refractive index change of the liquid to be measured in dielectric layer. The Fabry-Perot resonance analytical model that can accurately reproduce response spectrum and theoretically analyze the mechanism of the dielectric layer thickness to tune resonance wavelength and linewidth of response spectrum is constructed. Theoretical analysis shows that the resonance wavelength is directly proportional to the thickness of dielectric layer, and the full width at half maximum is inversely proportional to the thickness of dielectric layer. The analytical expressions for its resonance wavelength, quality factor, full width at half maximum and sensitivity are also given. When used for the refractive index sensing, the quality factor and figure of merit of the proposed multilayer structure based on the 8th order Fabry-Perot resonance are 2162.8 and 1648.1 RIU–1, respectively. However, due to the influence of the minimum resolution of the spectrometer, the conventional method of measuring resonance wavelength shift to achieve refractive index sensing has a high measurement limit. For the sensing of weaker refractive index perturbation, with the help of superposition of exceptional point degenerate state and tuning mechanism of Fabry-Perot resonance, in this paper proposed is a method of tunably sensing the liquid refractive index by measuring the increase of reflection coefficient or splitting of eigenvalue at a specific wavelength. Here, we take for example the metal-dielectric-metal multilayer structure sensor based on the 8th order Fabry-Perot resonance. According to the calculation results of Fabry-Perot model, when the change in refractive index of liquid to be measured is 10–4 RIU, the increase of forward reflection coefficient and the splitting of two eigenvalues of the scattering matrix are 0.319 and 1.1279, respectively.
Empirical evaluation of methods forde novogenome assembly
Authors: Dida Firaol , Yi Gangman
Published: July 2021

Technologies for next-generation sequencing (NGS) have stimulated an exponential rise in high-throughput sequencing projects and resulted in the development of new read-assembly algorithms. A drastic reduction in the costs of generating short reads on the genomes of new organisms is attributable to recent advances in NGS technologies such as Ion Torrent, Illumina, and PacBio. Genome research has led to the creation of high-quality reference genomes for several organisms, andde novoassembly is a key initiative that has facilitated gene discovery and other studies. More powerful analytical algorithms are needed to work on the increasing amount of sequence data. We make a thorough comparison of thede novoassembly algorithms to allow new users to clearly understand the assembly algorithms: overlap-layout-consensus and de-Bruijn-graph, string-graph based assembly, and hybrid approach. We also address the computational efficacy of each algorithm’s performance, challenges faced by the assem- bly tools used, and the impact of repeats. Our results compare the relative performance of the different assemblers and other related assembly differences with and without the reference genome. We hope that this analysis will contribute to further the application ofde novosequences and help the future growth of assembly algorithms.
Short-term high fat diet alters genes associated with metabolic and vascular dysfunction during adolescence in rats: a pilot study
Authors: Mohr Alex E. , Reiss Rebecca A. , Beaudet Monique , Sena Johnny , Naik Jay S. , Walker Benjimen R. , Sweazea Karen L.
Published: July 2021

Background

Diet-induced metabolic dysfunction precedes multiple disease states including diabetes, heart disease, and vascular dysfunction. The critical role of the vasculature in disease progression is established, yet the details of how gene expression changes in early cardiovascular disease remain an enigma. The objective of the current pilot project was to evaluate whether a quantitative assessment of gene expression within the aorta of six-week old healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats compared to those exhibiting symptoms of metabolic dysfunction could reveal potential mediators of vascular dysfunction.

Methods

RNA was extracted from the aorta of eight rats from a larger experiment; four animals fed a high-fat diet (HFD) known to induce symptoms of metabolic dysfunction (hypertension, increased adiposity, fasting hyperglycemia) and four age-matched healthy animals fed a standard chow diet (CHOW). The bioinformatic workflow included Gene Ontology (GO) biological process enrichment and network analyses.

Results

The resulting network contained genes relevant to physiological processes including fat and protein metabolism, oxygen transport, hormone regulation, vascular regulation, thermoregulation, and circadian rhythm. The majority of differentially regulated genes were downregulated, including several associated with circadian clock function. In contrast, leptin and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (Hmgcs2) were notably upregulated. Leptin is involved in several major energy balance signaling pathways and Hmgcs2 is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the first reaction of ketogenesis.

Conclusion

Together, these data describe changes in gene expression within the aortic wall of HFD rats with early metabolic dysfunction and highlight potential pathways and signaling intermediates that may impact the development of early vascular dysfunction.
Predicting temperature curve based on fastkNN local linear estimation of the conditional distribution function
Authors: Almanjahie Ibrahim M. , Kaid Zoulikha , Laksaci Ali , Rachdi Mustapha
Published: July 2021

Predicting the yearly curve of the temperature, based on meteorological data, is essential for understanding the impact of climate change on humans and the environment. The standard statistical models based on the big data discretization in the finite grid suffer from certain drawbacks such as dimensionality when the size of the data is large. We consider, in this paper, the predictive region problem in functional time series analysis. We study the prediction by the shortest conditional modal interval constructed by the local linear estimation of the cumulative function of $Y$ given functional input variable $X$. More precisely, we combine the $k$-Nearest Neighbors procedure to the local linear algorithm to construct two estimators of the conditional distribution function. The main purpose of this paper is to compare, by a simulation study, the efficiency of the two estimators concerning the level of dependence. The feasibility of these estimators in the functional times series prediction is examined at the end of this paper. More precisely, we compare the shortest conditional modal interval predictive regions of both estimators using real meteorological data.
Diversity and function of culturable actinobacteria in the root-associated of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge
Authors: Wu Yu-Rui , Li Cui-Bai , Wu Yan-Hong , Li Lan , Li Bo , Li Wen-Bo , Ma Bu-Jin , Yan Zhu-Yun
Published: July 2021

The root-associated actinobacteria play important roles in plant growth, nutrient use, and disease resistance due to their functional diversity. Salvia miltiorrhiza is a critical medicinal plant in China. The root actinobacterial community structure has been studied; however, the functions of root-associated actinobacteria of S. miltiorrhiza have not been elucidated. This study aimed to decipher the diversity and function of the culturable root-associated actinobacteria in plant growth using culture-dependent technology and culturable microbe metagenomes. We isolated 369 strains from the root-associated actinobacteria, belonging to four genera, among which Streptomyces was dominant. Besides, the functional prediction revealed some pathways related to plant growth, nitrogen and phosphorus metabolism, and antagonistic pathogens. We systematically described the diversity and functions of the culturable root-associated actinobacteria community. Our results demonstrated that the culturable root-associated actinobacteria of S. miltiorrhiza have rich functionalities, explaining the possible contribution of culturable root-associated actinobacteria to S. miltiorrhiza’s growth and development. This study provides new insights into understanding the function of the culturable root-associated actinobacteria and can be used as a knowledge base for plant growth promoters and biological control agent development in agriculture.
Bioremediation of Some Reactive Dyes Commonly used in Fabric Re-dyeing by Chlorella vulgaris
Authors: Sani Zainab M. , Dalhatu Aisha S. , Adam Baha’uddeen S. , Mohammed Kasim , Muhammad Yusuf Y. , Ibrahim Sani
Published: July 2021

Aim: The work was aimed at assessing the potential of Chlorella vulgaris in remediation of reactive dyes.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Plant Biology and Department of Biochemistry, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria, between January 2019 and December 2019.
Methodology: Wastewater containing individual reactive dyes: reactive red 198 (RR198), reactive yellow 176 (RY176), reactive green 19 (RG19), reactive orange 122 (RO122), reactive red 195 (RR195) and reactive violet 1 (RV1) were collected from a local fabric re-dyeing pit at Kofar Na’isa, Kano, Nigeria. The green microalga C. vulgaris was cultured in Bold Basal medium (BBM) at 30 ± 2°C and subjected to adsorption and decolourization assays of the dyes.
Results: The highest dye removal efficiency by enzymatic action was recorded after 48 hours, while that for the biomass adsorption was at day 14, at pH 11.3 and temperature of 30°C. The percentage dye removal by adsorption and decolourization were within the ranges of 68.1-97.8% and 69.8-99.9% respectively. Dye removal decreased with increase in contact time until saturation is attained. Freundlich’s isotherm model was best fitted for the adsorption of the dyes with a strong linear correlation coefficient, R2 ranging from 0.954-0.811. There was a strong linear relationship and high statistical significance among the dyes for both decolourization and adsorption (P value; .01).
Conclusion: Chlorella vulgaris was found to be effective in the removal of reactive dyes from textile wastewater samples. The results revealed C. vulgaris to be a cost-effective and eco-friendly biosorbent that can be used for the treatment of wastewaters containing toxic dyes.
A Review on Current Status and Future Prospectus of Oral Vaccines
Authors: Patel Adil , Ramani Ria
Published: July 2021

The second leading reason of mortality worldwide is communicable diseases. The highly cost effective approach for disease prevention in case of communicable disease is vaccination. It is need of the hour to design and develop novel as well as safe vaccine delivery systems to safeguard against present incurable and emerging diseases. For various factors, the production of orally administered vaccines is superior to conventional injection-based formulations, including increased protection and compliance, and simplified processing and administration. In comparison, the oral route helps humoral and cellular immune responses to be activated at both systemic and mucosal sites to create larger and longer-lasting defence. This review addresses the reasoning for oral vaccines here including important biological and physicochemical implications for the design of oral vaccines for the next decade.
Effect of Communicable Diseases on the Economy: A Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Brown Prinye Bethel , Essi Isaac Didi
Published: July 2021

Communicable diseases are a major health challenge for the world. However, their negative impacts are felt most in Africa. This panel data study investigates the effect of communicable diseases and health expenditure on the economy. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and current health expenditure are used as proxies for economic performance and health expenditure, respectively. Incidence of Tuberculosis, prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and adults living with HIV (15 years - above) are the health indicators used in the study. Data for a period of ten years: 2007 to 2016 were collected from seven African countries in low and middle-income countries, according to World Health Organization (WHO) income groupings. Low-income countries are Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Togo, while Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa are middle-income countries. The three analytical panel data models; namely: Pooled Ordinary Least Squares Model (POLS), Fixed Effects Model (FEM) and Random Effects Model (REM) were used. Model selection tests were also performed, using the F Ratio Test, the Breush-Pagan Langrange Multiplier Test, and the Hausman Test, to choose the model that best describes the data. The results of the model selection tests show that the FEM is the most appropriate model for the data; therefore, the result of the FEM is used to interpret the impact of communicable diseases on the economy. First, the FEM analysis generally showed that HIV prevalence has a statistically significant negative effect on GDP, which is consistent with the existing literature. On the other hand, the incidence of tuberculosis and adults living with HIV have statistically positive effect. The result also shows that current health expenditure per capita is positively correlated with GDP, which implies that a unit increase in current health expenditure would lead to an increase of 961 units in GDP, based on the data used. Second, an additional analysis conducted in FEM to determine the effect of the variables in each country reveal that adults living with HIV and HIV prevalence have a statistically significant negative effect on economic performance. In conclusion, communicable diseases are an impediment to economic growth. The prevention and control of these diseases is a step in the right direction towards improving economic performance.
Rural-Urban Financial Literacy Divide in India: A Comparative Study of Kerala and Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Azeez N. P. Abdul , Banu M. Nasira
Published: July 2021

One of the significant competencies required in the contemporary scenario is an awareness or knowledge of varied financial affairs and the skill to handle matters apropos of finance. The dearth of financial literacy precludes rural people from the country's formal financial system and created a rural-urban financial divide, especially in the digitalized era. Effective incorporation of financial literacy in formal education will lead to greater access to financial services. This paper tries to find the rural-urban financial literacy divide based on the primary data collected from two states of India, namely Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. A total of 400 samples respondents were taken by using the multi-stage sampling technique. A comprehensive approach for measuring financial literacy is developed by constructing the Financial Literacy Index (FLI), which comprises financial knowledge, financial behaviour, and financial attitude. The results concluded with the rural-urban financial literacy divide findings as the financial literacy in rural areas is consistently lower than in urban. The results expose the need for a persistent and prolonged intervention from all the stakeholders, including policymakers, to enhance and sustain financial literacy to accomplish a bright financial decision making by the rural people.
Integrated Nutrient Management on Fodder Dual Purpose Oat (Avena sativa L.)
Authors: Shiyal Vikram , Patel H. K. , Rathod P. H. , Patel P. M. , Raval C. H. , Patel A. P.
Published: July 2021

Aim: To study the effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) on growth, yield and quality of dual purpose fodder oat.

Study Design: Randomized Block Design.

Place and Duration of Study: Anand Agricultural University, Anand during Rabi 2019-2021.

Methodology: The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with four replications. The experimental treatments were consisted of ten INM treatments viz., T1 (100% recommendation dose of fertilizer; RDF’ 80-40-00 kg NPK/ha), T2 (10 t FYM/ha + 100% RDF), T3 (castor cake/ha + 100% RDF), T4 (poultry manure/ha + 100% RDF), T5 (neem cake/ha + 100% RDF), T6 (5 t FYM + 25% RDN from FYM + 75% RDF + biofertilizer), T7 (5 t FYM + 25% RDN from castor cake + 75% RDF + biofertilizer), T8 (5 t FYM + 25% RDN from poultry manure + 75% RDF + biofertilizer), T9 (5 t FYM + 25% RDN from neem cake + 75% RDF + biofertilizer) and T10 (50% RDN from FYM + 50% RDN from castor cake + biofertilizer). Amount of castor cake, poultry manure and neem cake were applied based on 10 t FYM/ha equivalent N, i.e., respectively 1.45, 3.23 and 3.27 t/ha.

Results: The results revealed that quality parameters of fodder oat such as dry matter, dry matter yield, crude protein, ADF, NDF, crude fiber contents as well as ash content of green fodder and straw were found significant superior with application of T6 and T10 treatments. Similarly, NPK content and their uptake into the seed and straw were also found significantly higher with the same treatments. The physicochemical and biological properties of experimental field soil at harvest of oat crop were also considerably improved due to application of INM treatment as compared to initial soil nutrient status.
Use of PhenoCam Measurements and Image Analysis to Inform the ALMANAC Process-based Simulation Model
Authors: Jacot Jacqueline , Kiniry James R. , Williams Amber S. , Coronel Addison , Su Jianzhong , Miller Gretchen R. , Mohanty Binayak , Saha Amartya , Gomez-Casanovas Nuria , Johnson Jane M. F. , Browning Dawn M.
Published: July 2021

Near-surface remote sensing has been used to document seasonal growth patterns (i.e. phenology) for plant communities in diverse habitats. Phenology from this source may only apply to the area within the images. Meanwhile ecosystem models can accommodate variable weather and landscape differences to plant growth, but accuracy is improved by adding ground-truthed inputs. The objective of this study was to use PhenoCam data, image analysis, and Beer’s law with established extinction coefficients to compare leaf area index (LAI) development in the ALMANAC model for diverse plant types and environments. Results indicate that PhenoCam time series imagery can be used to improve leaf area development in ALMANAC by adjusting parameter values to better match LAI derived values in new diverse environments. Soybeans, mesquite, and maize produced the most successful match between the model simulations and PhenoCam data out of the eight species simulated. This study represents, to our knowledge, the first independent evaluation of the ALMANAC process-based plant growth model with imagery in agroecosystems available from the PhenoCam network. The results show how PhenoCam data can make a valuable contribution to validate process-based models, making these models much more realistic and allows for expansion of PhenoCam influence.
Causes and Management of Hyperkyphosis
Authors: Almujel Khaled Nasser , Almhmd Abdalah Emad , Alharfy Abdulrahman Arshed N. , Albalawi Ibrahim Abdullah Said , Alanazi Tariq Bander F. , Alshehri Aysha Jaber , Alatawi Bedour Eid H. , Alshehri Abdullah Dhafer , Alhawiti Meshari Salman , Alshehri Shumoukh Homoud
Published: July 2021

Hyperkyphosis is identified when kyphosis angle exceeds the normal ranges. In overall, hyperkyphosis upsurges with age, particularly after the age of 40. It arises as a consequence of multifactorial causes and is associated with increased health susceptibility. Separately from the penalties of typical aging, as declining muscle power and degenerative vicissitudes of the spine, additional influences lead to the growth of the kyphosis angle. Besides fractures, other adverse health outcomes associated with hyperkyphosis include worsening physical function, falls and earlier mortality. Given the growing older population and the high prevalence of age-related hyperkyphosis, better delineation of associated ill-health outcomes will help inform the development and testing of effective kyphosis managements. The sequence of handling with kyphosis start conventional and rolling to surgical interference as a previous option if the patient’s symptoms do not recover with conventional treatment or if the curving is too significant.
Lossless Image Compression Schemes: A Review
Authors: Manga I. , Garba E. J. , Ahmadu A. S.
Published: July 2021

Data compression refers to the process of representation of data using fewer number of bits. Data compression can be lossless or lossy. There are many schemes developed and used to perform either lossless or lossy compression. Lossless data compression allows the original data be conveniently reconstructed from the compressed data while lossy compression allow only an approximate of the original data to be constructed. The type of data to compressed can be classified as image data, textual data, audio data or even video content. Various researches are being carried out in the area of image compression. This paper presents various literatures in field of data compression and the techniques used to compress image using lossless type of compression. In conclusion, the paper reviewed some schemes used to compress an image using a single schemes or combination of two or more schemes methods.
Direct visualization and correlation of liver stereotactic body radiation therapy treatment delivery accuracy with interfractional motion
Authors: Kuznetsova S. , Sinha R. , Thind K. , Ploquin N.
Published: July 2021

This study used the visualization of hypo‐intense regions on liver‐specific MRI to directly quantify stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) spatial delivery accuracy. Additionally, the interfractional motion of the liver region was determined and compared with the MRI‐based evaluation of liver SBRT spatial treatment delivery accuracy. Primovist®‐enhanced MRI scans were acquired from 17 patients, 8–12 weeks following the completion of liver SBRT treatment. Direct visualization of radiation‐induced focal liver reaction in the form of hypo‐intensity was determined. The auto‐delineation approach was used to localize these regions, and center‐of‐mass (COM) discrepancy was quantified between the MRI hypo‐intensity and the CT‐based treatment plan. To assess the interfractional motion of the liver region, a planning CT was registered to a Cone Beam CT obtained before each treatment fraction. The interfractional motion assessed from this approach was then compared against the localized hypo‐intense MRI regions. The mean ± SD COM discrepancy was 1.4 ± 1.3 mm in the left‐right direction, 2.6 ± 1.8 mm in an anteroposterior direction, and 1.9 ± 2.6 mm in the craniocaudal direction. A high correlation was observed between interfractional motion of visualized hypo‐intensity and interfractional motion of planning treatment volume (PTV); the quantified Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.96. The lack of correlation was observed between Primovist® MRI‐based spatial accuracy and interfractional motion of the liver, where Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from −0.01 to −0.26. The highest random and systematic errors quantified from interfractional motion were in the craniocaudal direction. This work demonstrates a novel framework for the direct evaluation of liver SBRT spatial delivery accuracy.
Large‐Scale Mapping of Moiré Superlattices by Hyperspectral Raman Imaging
Authors: Lin Kai‐Qiang , Holler Johannes , Bauer Jonas M. , Parzefall Philipp , Scheuck Marten , Peng Bo , Korn Tobias , Bange Sebastian , Lupton John M. , Schüller Christian
Published: July 2021

Moiré superlattices can induce correlated‐electronic phases in twisted van der Waals materials: strongly correlated quantum phenomena emerge, such as superconductivity and the Mott‐insulating state. However, moiré superlattices produced through artificial stacking can be quite inhomogeneous, which hampers the development of a clear correlation between the moiré period and the emerging electrical and optical properties. Here, it is demonstrated in twisted‐bilayer transition‐metal dichalcogenides that low‐frequency Raman scattering can be utilized not only to detect atomic reconstruction, but also to map out the inhomogeneity of the moiré lattice over large areas. The method is established based on the finding that both the interlayer‐breathing mode and moiré phonons are highly susceptible to the moiré period and provide characteristic fingerprints. Hyperspectral Raman imaging visualizes microscopic domains of a 5° twisted‐bilayer sample with an effective twist‐angle resolution of about 0.1°. This ambient methodology can be conveniently implemented to characterize and preselect high‐quality areas of samples for subsequent device fabrication, and for transport and optical experiments.
S‐Decorated Porous Ti3C2 MXene Combined with In Situ Forming Cu2Se as Effective Shuttling Interrupter in Na–Se Batteries
Authors: Lu Chengxing , Li Anran , Li Guozheng , Yan Yu , Zhang Mengyang , Yang Qinglin , Zhou Wei , Guo Lin
Published: July 2021

Given natural abundance of Na and superior kinetics of Se, Na–Se batteries have attracted much attention but still face the problem of shuttling effect of soluble intermediates. The first‐principle calculations reveal the S‐decorated Ti3C2 exhibits increased binding energy to sodium polyselenides, suggesting a better capture and restriction on intermediates. The obtained Se@S‐decorated porous Ti3C2 (Se@S‐P‐Ti3C2) exhibits a high reversible capacity of 765 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 (calculated based on Se), ≈1.2, 1.3, and 1.7 times of Se@porous Ti3C2 (Se@P‐Ti3C2), Se@Ti3C2, and Se, respectively. It gives considerable capacity of 664 mAh g−1 at 20 A g−1 and impressive cycling stability over 2300 cycles with an ultralow capacity decay of 0.003% per cycle. The excellent electrochemical performance can be ascribed to the S‐modified porous Ti3C2, which provides effective immobilization toward polyselenides, makes full use of nanosized Se, and alleviates volume expansion during sodiation/desodiation. Additionally, in situ forming Cu2Se can generate Cu nanoparticles through discharge process and then transform polyselenides into solid‐phase Cu2Se, further suppressing the shuttling effect. This work provides a practical strategy to immobilize and transform sodium polyselenides for high‐capacity and long‐life Na–Se batteries.
Upcycling to Sustainably Reuse Plastics
Authors: Zhao Xin , Boruah Bhanupriya , Chin Kek Foo , Đokić Miloš , Modak Jayant M. , Soo Han Sen
Published: July 2021

Plastics are now indispensable in daily lives. However, the pollution from plastics is also increasingly becoming a serious environmental issue. Recent years have seen more sustainable approaches and technologies, commonly known as upcycling, to transform plastics into value‐added materials and chemical feedstocks. In this review, the latest research on upcycling is presented, with a greater focus on the use of renewable energy as well as the more selective methods to repurpose synthetic polymers. First, thermal upcycling approaches are briefly introduced, including the redeployment of plastics for construction uses, 3D printing precursors, and lightweight materials. Then, some of the latest novel strategies to deconstruct condensation polymers to monomers for repolymerization or introduce vulnerable linkers to make the plastics more degradable are discussed. Subsequently, the review will explore the breakthroughs in plastics upcycling by heterogeneous and homogeneous photocatalysis, as well as electrocatalysis, which transform plastics into more versatile fine chemicals and materials while simultaneously mitigating global climate change. In addition, some of the biotechnological advances in the discovery and engineering of microbes that can decompose plastics are also presented. Finally, the current challenges and outlook for future plastics upcycling are discussed to stimulate global cooperation in this field.
A Full‐Spectrum Porphyrin–Fullerene D–A Supramolecular Photocatalyst with Giant Built‐In Electric Field for Efficient Hydrogen Production
Authors: Yang Jun , Jing Jianfang , Zhu Yongfa
Published: July 2021

A full‐spectrum (300–850 nm) responsive donor–acceptor (D–A) supramolecular photocatalyst tetraphenylporphinesulfonate/fullerene (TPPS/C60) is successfully constructed. The theoretical spectral efficiency of TPPS/C60 is as high as 70%, offering the possibility of full‐solar‐spectrum light harvesting. The TPPS/C60 performs a highly efficient photocatalytic H2 evolution rate of 276.55 µmol h−1 (34.57 mmol g−1 h−1), surpassing many reported organic photocatalysts. The D–A structure effectively promotes electron transfer from TPPS to C60, which is beneficial to the photocatalytic reaction. Specifically, a giant internal electric field in the D–A structure is built via the enhanced molecular dipole, which dramatically promotes the charge separation (CS) efficiency by 2.35 times. Transient absorption spectra results show a long‐lived CS state TPPS•+–C60•− in the D–A structure, which effectively promotes participation of photogenerated electrons in the reduction reaction. Briefly, this work provides a novel approach for designing high‐performance photocatalytic materials via enhancing the interfacial electric field.
Self‐Powered Respiration Monitoring Enabled By a Triboelectric Nanogenerator
Authors: Su Yuanjie , Chen Guorui , Chen Chunxu , Gong Qichen , Xie Guangzhong , Yao Mingliang , Tai Huiling , Jiang Yadong , Chen Jun
Published: July 2021

In mammals, physiological respiration involves respiratory cycles of inhaled and exhaled breaths, which has traditionally been an underutilized resource potentially encompassing a wealth of physiologically relevant information as well as clues to potential diseases. Recently, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) have been widely adopted for self‐powered respiration monitoring owing to their compelling features, such as decent biocompatibility, wearing comfort, low‐cost, and high sensitivity to respiration activities in the aspect of low frequency and slight amplitude body motions. Physiological respiration behaviors and exhaled chemical regents can be precisely and continuously monitored by TENG‐based respiration sensors for personalized health care. This article presents an overview of TENG enabled self‐powered respiration monitoring, with a focus on the working principle, sensing materials, functional structures, and related applications in both physical respiration motion detection and chemical breath analysis. Concepts and approaches for acquisition of physical information associated with respiratory rate and depth are covered in the first part. Then the sensing mechanism, theoretical modeling, and applications related to detection of chemicals released from breathing gases are systemically summarized. Finally, the opportunities and challenges of triboelectric effect enabled self‐powered respiration monitoring are comprehensively discussed and criticized.
Two‐Dimensional Metal Chalcogenide Heterostructures: Designed Growth and Emerging Novel Applications
Authors: Li Dongyan , Li Zexin , Chen Ping , Pi Lejing , Zuo Nian , Peng Qiaojun , Zhou Xing , Zhai Tianyou
Published: July 2021

There has been a renewed interest in 2D metal chalcogenide heterostructures (2DMCHs) in the context of their exceptional optoelectronic properties and potential for a wide variety of practical applications. However, the controllable synthesis of 2DMCHs remains a huge challenge. Recently, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been proposed to be an efficient way to realize high‐quality, large‐scale, and layer‐controllable 2D materials and has also shown high feasibility in 2DMCHs. Here, the latest controllable CVD growth strategies of 2DMCHs are introduced. The designed growth techniques mainly focus on three vital factors in CVD: source supply, mass transport, and substrate engineering. Then, the emerging novel applications of 2DMCHs are also systematically reviewed with particular attention to memory, infrared photodetector, and moiré superlattice, which have demonstrated significant progress in recent years. Finally, future opportunities and remaining challenges concerning the developments of 2DMCHs are presented.
Well‐Defined Segment of Carbon Nanotube with Bright Red Emission for Three‐Photon Fluorescence Cerebrovascular Imaging
Authors: Qiu Zhen‐Lin , He Mu‐bin , Chu Ke‐Shan , Tang Chun , Chen Xuan‐Wen , Zhu Liang , Zhang Li‐Ping , Sun Di , Qian Jun , Tan Yuan‐Zhi
Published: July 2021

As the shortest segment of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), cycloparaphenylenes (CPPs) offer a well‐defined alternative for CNTs as the fluorophores in bioimaging. However, most of CPPs emit blue or yellow light, the bright red‐emitting CPP materials required by bioimaging, particularly in vivo imaging, are still lacking. Here, it is shown that a CPP (TB[9]CPP) with red emission up to 650 nm is successfully synthesized and characterized. The fluorescence quantum yields of TB[9]CPP are measured up to 44% in chloroform and 17% as nanodots in aqueous media. Meanwhile, the water‐soluble nanodots present outstanding three‐photon fluorescence performances, thereby are utilized for in vivo probing of brain vessels by three‐photon fluorescence microscopic imaging technique, exhibiting a high penetration depth, good resolution, and clear image contrast.
Algorithm‐Designed Plasmonic Nanotweezers: Quantitative Comparison by Theory, Cathodoluminescence, and Nanoparticle Trapping
Authors: Li Neuton , Cadusch Jasper , Liu Amelia , Barlow Anders J. , Roberts Ann , Crozier Kenneth B.
Published: July 2021

Plasmonic apertures permit optical fields to be concentrated into sub‐wavelength regions. This enhances the optical gradient force, enabling the precise trapping of nanomaterials such as quantum dots, proteins, and DNA molecules at modest laser powers. Double nanoholes, coaxial apertures, bowtie apertures, and other structures have been studied as plasmonic nanotweezers, with the design process generally comprising intuition followed by electromagnetic simulations with parameter sweeps. Here, instead, a computational algorithm is used to design plasmonic apertures for nanoparticle trapping. The resultant apertures have highly irregular shapes that, in combination with ring couplers also optimized by algorithm, are predicted to generate trapping forces more than an order of magnitude greater than those from the double nanohole design used as the optimization starting point. The designs are realized by fabricating precision apertures with a helium/neon ion microscope and are studied them by cathodoluminescence and optical trapping. It is shown that, at every laser intensity, the algorithm‐designed apertures can trap particles more tightly than the double nanohole.
Aligning Transition Dipole Moment toward Light Amplification and Polarized Emission in Hybrid Perovskites
Authors: Qin Jiajun , Zhang Jia , Shen Tangyao , Wang Heyong , Hu Bin , Gao Feng
Published: July 2021

Orientational manipulation of transition dipole moment (TDM) plays an important role in controlling the polarization of excited states in light emission as well as lasing actions. The present work discovers vertically aligned TDMs in hybrid perovskite films through angle‐resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements, which show enhanced emission through the film edge. With increasing excitation intensity, the edge emission induced by these vertically aligned TDMs becomes dominant and eventually leads to amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) through the edge view. Meanwhile, polarized emission of both PL and electroluminescence (EL) provides further evidence for vertically aligned TDMs. Surprisingly, the degree of polarization (DOP) through the film edge is increased when grain boundary defects are passivated through either stochiometric engineering or self‐passivation by mobile ions under working conditions. With increasing DOP, ASE threshold of the perovskite film is reduced owing to enhanced collective behaviors of light‐emitting states. This work presents a useful method to manipulate TDMs in organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites.
Large Anomalous Hall and Nernst Effects in High Curie‐Temperature Iron‐Based Heusler Compounds
Authors: Mende Felix , Noky Jonathan , Guin Satya N. , Fecher Gerhard H. , Manna Kaustuv , Adler Peter , Schnelle Walter , Sun Yan , Fu Chenguang , Felser Claudia
Published: July 2021

The interplay between topology and magnetism has recently sparked the frontier studies of magnetic topological materials that exhibit intriguing anomalous Hall and Nernst effects owning to the large intrinsic Berry curvature (BC). To better understand the anomalous quantum transport properties of these materials and their implications for future applications such as electronic and thermoelectric devices, it is crucial to discover more novel material platforms for performing anomalous transverse transport studies. Here, it is experimentally demonstrated that low‐cost Fe‐based Heusler compounds exhibit large anomalous Hall and Nernst effects. An anomalous Hall conductivity of 250–750 S cm−1 and Nernst thermopower of above 2 µV K−1 are observed near room temperature. The positive effect of anti‐site disorder on the anomalous Hall transport is revealed. Considering the very high Curie temperature (nearly 1000 K), larger Nernst thermopowers at high temperatures are expected owing to the existing magnetic order and the intrinsic BC. This work provides a background for developing low‐cost Fe‐based Heusler compounds as a new material platform for anomalous transport studies and applications, in particular, near and above room temperature.