433 research outputs found

    Software system for mining spatio-temporal association rules

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    Single crystal field-effect transistors based on an organic selenium-containing semiconductor

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    We report on the fabrication and characterization of single crystal field-effect transistors (FETs) based on diphenylbenzo diselenophene (DPh-BDSe). These organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) function as p-channel accumulation-mode devices. At room temperature, for the best devices, the threshold voltage is less than -7V and charge carrier mobility is nearly gate bias independent, ranging from 1cm2/Vs to 1.5 cm2/Vs depending on the source-drain bias. Mobility is increased slightly by cooling below room temperature and decreases below 280 K

    plant-wide control of industrial processes using rigorous simulation and heuristics

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    Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

    The Role of Applied Behaviour Analysing in Zoo Management System for Animals

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    This study examines the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in animal management systems in zoos with an emphasis on how well it enhances animal wellbeing. The goals of the study were comparing ABA-based approaches to conventional zoo management techniques and evaluating the effect of ABA on stress reduction in captive chimpanzees. Over the course of a year, information was gathered from a chosen group of chimpanzees, including baseline and post-ABA stress levels. Following the use of ABA techniques, the data from Table 1 show a consistent trend among the chimpanzees, suggesting a considerable reduction in stress levels. Strong evidence for the effectiveness of ABA in lowering stress levels in the chimpanzees was given by statistical analysis of the data (Table 2). With a high t-statistic of 8.25, the mean baseline stress level of 7.7 substantially decreased to 3.5 post-ABA treatments (p 0.05), emphasizing the significance of this reduction. With regard to reducing stress, Objective 2 compared ABA-Based and Traditional groups. Compared to the Traditional group, the ABA-Based method had a reduced baseline stress level, according to the findings in Table 3. The ABA-Based group showed a significant reduction in stress levels following ABA sessions, while the Traditional group also showed a reduction in stress levels, albeit to a lesser extent. Both strategies significantly reduced stress, according to statistical analysis (Table 4), with the ABA-Based strategy having a greater degree of statistical significance (p 0.05). This study concludes by offering empirical proof that Applied Behaviour Analysis is a useful method for enhancing animal wellbeing in the context of zoo management. The findings imply that when compared to conventional management techniques, ABA therapies can significantly lower stress levels in caged animals

    Analysis Evaluation of Resource Value Effects Territorial Defense by Broad-Tailed and Rufous Humming Birds

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    Hummingbirds of the species Selasphorous platycercus and Selasphorous rufus were studied in Colorado, where they displayed territorial behaviour at feeders containing 10%, 20%, and 30% sucrose solutions. At each of the three energy availability levels, the number of invaders, the number of territory owners, and the level of Defence were recorded. After being forced out of their breeding area by Rufous Hummingbirds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds only bother to defend locations of inferior quality. Both Wide-tailed and Rufous hummingbirds, while keeping tabs on important locations, resort to more flamboyant modes of behaviour, such as extended pursuits augmented with chip cries and aimless wing flapping. According to certain probes, a chase is ready to start if chip calls and hovering are any indication. However, I learned that when an intruder was present, it was only natural to want to get rid of them. Hovering and chip calls were utilised to increase the intensity of the chase. Broad-tailed Hummingbirds were less likely than Rufous Hummingbirds to make chip sounds or hover without giving pursuit

    Efficient Dehydration and Recovery of Ionic Liquid After Lignocellulosic Processing Using Pervaporation

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    Background: Biomass pretreatment using certain ionic liquids (ILs) is very efficient, generally producing a substrate that is amenable to saccharification with fermentable sugar yields approaching theoretical limits. Although promising, several challenges must be addressed before an IL pretreatment technology can become commercially viable. One of the most significant challenges is the affordable and scalable recovery and recycle of the IL itself. Pervaporation (PV) is a highly selective and scalable membrane separation process for quantitatively recovering volatile solutes or solvents directly from non-volatile solvents that could prove more versatile for IL dehydration. Results: We evaluated a commercially available PV system for IL dehydration and recycling as part of an integrated IL pretreatment process using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2C1Im][OAc]) that has been proven to be very effective as a biomass pretreatment solvent. Separation factors as high as 1500 were observed. We demonstrate that \u3e 99.9 wt% [C2C1Im][OAc] can be recovered from aqueous solution (≤ 20 wt% IL) and recycled five times. A preliminary technoeconomic analysis validated the promising role of PV in improving overall biorefinery process economics, especially in the case where other IL recovery technologies might lead to significant losses. Conclusions: These findings establish the foundation for further development of PV as an effective method of recovering and recycling ILs using a commercially viable process technology

    Environmental Influences on Fish Species Distribution in the Musolo River System, Congo River Basin (Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa)

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    Ichthyofaunal distribution was studied in the Musolo River system, a small affluent tributary of the Congo River flowing into Pool Malebo (Democratic Republic of the Congo). Twelve ecological stations were sampled, of which eight were located in the Musolo main-channel and four in the Fushi River, a principal tributary of the Musolo. Each station was sampled four times over a two-year period, with fishing techniques following standardized methods utilizing dip and cast nets, and nine environment variables were measured at each station. Fifty-three fish species belonging to 36 genera and 16 families were collected with the Alestidae, Distichodontidae, Cichlidae, Cyprinidae, Mormyridae, and Mochokidae being the most diversified. Redundancy Analysis with forward selection coupled with Monte Carlo permutation tests (499 permutations) identified total dissolved solid (25.8%) and altitude (24.4%) as accounting for 50.2% of total variance (p < 0.05). The contribution of the two first axes was significant (F = 3.41; p = 0.004). Species richness increases from upstream to downstream. In general, the high value of Shannon’s diversity (1.07-2.67) and Equitability European Scientific Journal November 2019 edition Vol.15, No.33 ISSN: 1857 – 7881 (Print) e - ISSN 1857- 7431 193 (0.62-0.96) indices at all sites, indicates that the examined stretch of the Musolo River system is in good ecological health, despite its location adjacent to the megacity of Kinshasa

    Cultures of conflict:Protests, violent repression, and community values

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    What are the cultural origins of societal conflicts that revolve around democratization, women’s rights, and modern libertarian values? We propose that deep-seated differences in community-based collective values (at the micro-level) may be related to why people support anti-government protest and why they support repression of such protests (at the macro-level). The hypothesis was examined among residents of Turkey (N = 500). Cultural values, measured at the individual level and community level with the community collectivism scale, correlated with political orientation and emotions, as well as with subsequent support for anti-governmental protest or its repression. The main conclusions are that both support for protest and support for repression are related to the cultural values people hold and their subsequent political orientations and emotions. Micro-level cultural values in local communities may thus play a role in explaining macro-level socio-political divides

    Compatibility of Zr2AlCZr_{2}AlC MAX phase-based ceramics with oxygen-poor, static liquid lead-bismuth eutectic

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    This work investigates the compatibility of Zr2AlCZr_{2}AlC MAX phase-based ceramics with liquid LBE, and proposes a mechanism to explain the observed local Zr2AlCZr_{2}AlC/LBE interaction. The ceramics were exposed to oxygen-poor (CO2.21010C_{O}\le2.2 \cdot10^{-10} mass%), static liquid LBE at 500{\deg}C for 1000 h. A new Zr2(Al,Bi,Pb)CZr_{2}(Al,Bi,Pb)C MAX phase solid solution formed in-situ in the LBE-affected Zr2AlCZr_{2}AlC grains. Out-of-plane ordering was favorable in the new solid solution, whereby A\textit{A}-layers with high and low-Bi/Pb contents alternated in the crystal structure, in agreement with first-principles calculations. Bulk Zr2(Al,Bi,Pb)CZr_{2}(Al,Bi,Pb)C was synthesized by reactive hot pressing to study the crystal structure of the solid solution by neutron diffraction
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