Implementation and Evaluation of an Image Analysis System for Determining Viability of Pollen Grains in Temperate Rice

Pereira, I (Pereira R, Iris). Univ Talca, Inst Biol Vegetal & Biotecnol, Talca, ChileGeographical and climatic factors limit the production of temperate rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Chile. Large thermal fluctuations of air and water temperatures affect the viability of pollen, causing high levels of spikelet sterility ("blanking"), resulting in reduced yields per hectare. Counting viable pollen grains, at the time of anthesis, may allow determining, ahead, whether there will be yield losses by spikelet sterility; besides, knowing the potential pollen viability serves as a powerful tool for material selection in breeding programs, and for determining which management factors may influence "blanking". If performed manually, counting total and viable pollen grains can be extremely tedious, producing highly variable results. The present work had for objectives to develop and evaluate a system, based on imagery analysis, for counting total and viable pollen in rice anthers. At the time of anthesis, three panicles were collected from plot treatments of two field experiments in which the effects of different management factors (variety, water height, N rate, and spatial arrangement) on spikelet sterility were evaluated. Two spikelets and four anthers were sampled from each panicle; pollen grains were extracted from anthers and photographed. Manual and digital counts were made on the images to determine total and viable pollen. Digital count was performed with the software SigmaScan Pro, setting some parameters on the imagery before counting. Precision and accuracy of the digital method were estimated. The results indicated that the digital pollen count showed a very good precision and accuracy and could be used to estimate pollen viability, and as a response variable to compare management treatments

Rapport building and witness memory: Actions may ‘speak’ louder than words

Building rapport during police interviews is argued as important for improving on the completeness and accuracy of information provided by witnesses and victims. However, little experimental research has clearly operationalised rapport and investigated the impact of rapport behaviours on episodic memory. Eighty adults watched a video of a mock crime event and 24-hours later were randomly allocated to an interview condition where verbal and/or behavioural (non-verbal) rapport techniques were manipulated. Memorial performance measures revealed significantly more correct information, without a concomitant increase in errors, was elicited when behavioural rapport was present, a superiority effect found in both the free and probed recall phase of interviews. The presence of verbal rapport was found to reduce recall accuracy in the free recall phase of interviews. Post-interview feedback revealed significant multivariate effects for the presence of behavioural (only) rapport and combined (behavioural + verbal) rapport. Participants rated their interview experience far more positively when these types of rapport were present compared to when verbal (only) rapport or no rapport was present. These findings add weight to the importance of rapport in supporting eyewitness cognition, highlighting the potential consequences of impoverished social behaviours for building rapport during dyadic interactions, suggesting ‘doing’ rather than simply ‘saying’ may be more beneficial

Rapport building with offenders in probation supervision: The views of English probation practitioners

Rapport-based supervision in probation is linked to positive behavioural change and reduced reoffending for probation service users. However, the process of rapport building is not well documented in probation practice. This study conducted focus groups and interviews with London-based probation practitioners to understand their views of rapport when supervising service users. Thematic analysis generated five themes related to how practitioners facilitated rapport building and maintenance, as well as several barriers that exist towards building and maintaining rapport – these were conceptualised as a rapport-building process. We provide recommendations to help alleviate barriers and further facilitate the rapport-building process

Correlated electron-hole plasma in organometal perovskites

Organic-inorganic perovskites are a class of solution-processed semiconductors holding promise for the realization of low-cost efficient solar cells and on-chip lasers. Despite the recent attention they have attracted, fundamental aspects of the photophysics underlying device operation still remain elusive. Here we use photoluminescence and transmission spectroscopy to show that photoexcitations give rise to a conducting plasma of unbound but Coulomb-correlated electron-hole pairs at all excitations of interest for light-energy conversion and stimulated optical amplification. The conductive nature of the photoexcited plasma has crucial consequences for perovskite-based devices: in solar cells, it ensures efficient charge separation and ambipolar transport while, concerning lasing, it provides a low threshold for light amplification and justifies a favourable outlook for the demonstration of an electrically driven laser. We find a significant trap density, whose cross-section for carrier capture is however low, yielding a minor impact on device performance

Novel Psychoactive Substances in Custodial Settings: A Mixed Method Investigation on the Experiences of People in Prison and Professionals Working With Them

Introduction: Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPS), especially Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists (SCRAs), pose a substantial challenge to health and the security of the prison environment. This study analyses the phenomenon from the perspective of people in prison and that of professionals working with them. Methods: A phenomenological qualitative approach was used to analyze self-reported experiences with ‘Spice’ (NPS) among users in prison. A semi-structured questionnaire was also disseminated among professionals working in these settings to better understand (a) the impact of NPS on their work; (b) perceived issues on safety in their working environment; (c) approaches used to tackle the phenomenon and best practices. Results: Psychotic events resulting from the collected Spice accounts (5) were marked by hallucinations, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideations. Other emerging elements included fear, paranoia, inability to be with others, mistrust, breakdown and other risky behaviors. Overall, 186 responses from prison staff were collected across the country. 67% claimed NPS to have had a deep impact on their work as they commonly witnessed episodes involving outbursts of anger, slurred speech, hallucinations, psychosis, and significant mental deterioration among those in prison. Some 91% have witnessed aggression at least once, with 53% experiencing direct harm. Suggested interventions included enhanced training and education (84%), improved detection (92%) and treatment and support services (93%). Conclusions: Findings highlight the urgent need for joint multi-disciplinary efforts to tackle the exponential escalation of NPS in prisons as well as to facilitate the recovery and societal reintegration of those affected. Phenomenology can be recommended as a valuable methods to study drug induced experiences

Practicing convict criminology: lessons learned from British academic activism

Joanne Belknap’s recent ASC presidential address included a critique of Convict Criminology’s activism. A number of concerns were provided, although of particular importance here are, first, Belknap’s concerns regarding the absence of ‘marginalized voices’ in the Convict Criminology network. Second, the issue of defining how non-con academics function as Convict Criminology group members. This paper responds to these criticisms. Specifically, we discuss the question of ‘representation’ in BCC and our attempts to remedy this issue. We also draw attention to the academic activism that British Convict Criminology is conducting in Europe. This includes a detailed discussion of the collaborative research-activist activities that involve non-con as well as ex-con academic network members. We demonstrate how these collaborations explain the vital group membership role that non-con academics assume in the activism of Convict Criminology

Colloidal synthesis and characterization of Bi2S3 nanoparticles for photovoltaic applications

Bismuth sulfide is a promising n-type semiconductor for solar energy conversion. We have explored the colloidal synthesis of Bi2S3 nanocrystals, with the aim of employing them in the fabrication of solution-processable solar cells and to replace toxic heavy metals chalcogenides like PbS or CdS, that are currently employed in such devices. We compare different methods to obtain Bi2S3 colloidal quantum dots, including the use of environmentally benign reactants, through organometallic synthesis. Different sizes and shapes were obtained according to the synthesis parameters and the growth process has been rationalized by comparing the predicted morphology with systematic physical-chemistry characterization of nanocrystals by X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)

Quantifying the effects of temperature and noise on attention-level using EDA and EEG sensors

Most people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience atypical sensory modality and need help to self-regulate their sensory responses. Results of a pilot study are presented here where temperature, noise types and noise levels are used as independent variables. Attention-based tests (ABTs), Electrodermal Activity (EDA) and Electroencephalography (EEG) sensors are used as dependent variables to quantify the effects of temperature and noise. Based on the outcome of the analyses, it is feasible to use off-the-shelf sensors to recognize physiological changes, indicating a possibility to develop sensory management recommendation interventions to support people with ASD