Understanding the Internet Digital Divide: An Exploratory Multi-Nation Individual-Level Analysis

As evidenced in the digital divide literature, various and diverse sets of indicators and analytical techniques have been applied that have contributed to different purposes. Some investigations try to measure the gap of digital divide, while others have attempted to explain its determinants. However, certain facets are yet to be addressed in the literature. This study uses an individual-level multi-nation approach to study both developed and developing nations with the aim of identifying factors of digital divide that separate the digitally deprived and the intense users of internet. This unique research examines the two extreme sides of the inequality—citizens with no access to the internet and frequent users of the internet. We empirically test conventional (e.g., age, education, and income) and novel (e.g., income perception, media channels, and religion) factors. We find some interesting significant results that are later outlined in the study

Ambient fabrication of organic-inorganic hybrid Perovskite solar cells

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their high‐power conversion efficiency, simple fabrication, and low material cost. However, due to their high sensitivity to moisture and oxygen, high efficiency PSCs are mainly constructed in an inert environment. This has led to significant concerns associated with the long‐term stability and manufacturing costs, which are some of the major limitations for the commercialization of this cutting‐edge technology. Over the past few years, excellent progress in fabricating PSCs in ambient conditions has been made. These advancements have drawn considerable research interest in the photovoltaic community and shown great promise for the successful commercialization of efficient and stable PSCs. In this review, after providing an overview to the influence of an ambient fabrication environment on perovskite films, recent advances in fabricating efficient and stable PSCs in ambient conditions are discussed. Along with discussing the underlying challenges and limitations, the most appropriate strategies to fabricate efficient PSCs under ambient conditions are summarized along with multiple roadmaps to assist in the future development of this technology

Ambient Fabrication of Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their high‐power conversion efficiency, simple fabrication, and low material cost. However, due to their high sensitivity to moisture and oxygen, high efficiency PSCs are mainly constructed in an inert environment. This has led to significant concerns associated with the long‐term stability and manufacturing costs, which are some of the major limitations for the commercialization of this cutting‐edge technology. Over the past few years, excellent progress in fabricating PSCs in ambient conditions has been made. These advancements have drawn considerable research interest in the photovoltaic community and shown great promise for the successful commercialization of efficient and stable PSCs. In this review, after providing an overview to the influence of an ambient fabrication environment on perovskite films, recent advances in fabricating efficient and stable PSCs in ambient conditions are discussed. Along with discussing the underlying challenges and limitations, the most appropriate strategies to fabricate efficient PSCs under ambient conditions are summarized along with multiple roadmaps to assist in the future development of this technology

Application of a rapid qPCR method for enterococci for beach water quality monitoring purposes in Hawaii: Loss of DNA during the extraction protocol due to coral sands

Rapid qPCR methods for enumerating enterococci can provide results in a few hours, thereby enhancing public health protection. Analysis of 140 samples collected from 11 beaches in Hawaii for enterococci using EPA Method 1611 revealed that a majority (70%) of samples yielded unusable data using the recommended protocol due to DNA losses during extraction. The DNA loss was correlated to the presence of suspended coralline sand. Acidification of samples alleviated or removed the interference, enabling successful method application. There were significant correlations across the three methods evaluated (Enterolert®/Method 1600 R2 = 0.85, Enterolert®/ Method 1611 R2 = 0.78 and Method 1600/1611 R2 = 0.82). When samples were not compromised, there was also good agreement among methods for beach management decisions. This study presents a protocol for beach areas with coralline sands, and re-emphasizes the need to use appropriate controls to prevent underestimation of bacterial concentrations at recreational beaches

Comparison of Transcription-Mediated Amplification and Growth-Based Methods for the Quantitation of Enterococcus Bacteria in Environmental Waters

An assay based on transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) technology was used to quantitate Enterococcus fecal indicator bacteria in environmental water samples. The results generated by this and two growth-based methods relative to the 104 most-probable-number or CFU-per-100-ml threshold show that the three methods are in good qualitative agreement when tested against a range of water samples taken from different locations. The results demonstrate sensitive and rapid detection (approximately 4 h from sample collection to result) and quantitation of Enterococcus bacteria compared to the results with the growth-based methods

U.S. Recreational Water Quality Criteria: A Vision for the Future

This manuscript evaluates the U.S. Recreational Water Quality Criteria (RWQC) of 2012, based upon discussions during a conference held 11–13 March 2013, in Honolulu, Hawaii. The RWQC of 2012 did not meet expectations among the research community because key recommended studies were not completed, new data to assess risks to bathers exposed to non-point sources of fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) were not developed, and the 2012 RWQC did not show marked improvements in strategies for assessing health risks for bathers using all types of recreational waters. The development of the 2012 RWQC was limited in scope because the epidemiologic studies at beach sites were restricted to beaches with point sources of pollution and water samples were monitored for only enterococci. The vision for the future is development of effective RWQC guidelines based on epidemiologic and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) studies for sewage specific markers, as well as human enteric pathogens so that health risks for bathers at all recreational waters can be determined. The 2012 RWQC introduced a program for states and tribes to develop site-specific water quality criteria, and in theory this approach can be used to address the limitations associated with the measurements of the traditional FIB

Forced migrations and Externalization of European Union Border Control: Serbia on the Balkan Migration Route

The article argues that the recent "migration crisis" has been constructed as a security threat to the European Union, which conceals both the multiple causes of forced migrations, and the inability of the Union to respond to the massive influx of people in need of protection. Serbia had taken up a "refugee-friendly" policy, which implied a humanitarian approach. However, due to a change of political discourse in connection with the EU accession, a shift towards the security position occurred. This article sheds light on the actual status of migrants and asylum seekers in Serbia, as well as the state response to the growing challenges in the area of acceptance and protection, following the official closure of the Balkan route. In the conclusion, the authors tentatively plead for return to a balanced humanitarian approach, since there is clear evidence that mixed migration flows will resume in the times to come

Geology, petrography, shock petrography, and geochemistry of impactites and target rocks from the Krdla crater, Estonia

The Kärdla crater is a 4 km-wide impact structure of Late Ordovician age located on Hiiumaa Island, Estonia. The 455 Ma-old buried crater was formed in shallow seawater in Precambrian crystalline target rocks that were covered with sedimentary rocks. Basement and breccia samples from 13 drill cores were studied mineralogically, petrographically, and geochemically. Geochemical analyses of major and trace elements were performed on 90 samples from allochthonous breccias, sub-crater and surrounding basement rocks. The breccia units do not include any melt rocks or suevites. The remarkably poorly mixed sedimentary and crystalline rocks were deposited separately within the allochthonous breccia suites of the crater. The most intensely shockmetamorphosed allochthonous granitoid crystalline-derived breccia layers contain planar deformation features (PDFs) in quartz, indicating shock pressures of 20-35 GPa. An apparent Kenrichment and Ca-Na-depletion of feldspar- and hornblende-bearing rocks in the allochthonous breccia units and sub-crater basement is interpreted to be the result of early stage alteration in an impact-induced hydrothermal system. The chemical composition of the breccias shows no definite sign of an extraterrestrial contamination. By modeling of the different breccia units with HMXmixing, the indigenous component was determined. From the abundances of the siderophile elements (Cr, Co, Ni, Ir, and Au) in the breccia samples, no unambiguous evidence for the incorporation of a meteoritic component above about 0.1 wt% chondrite-equivalent was found.The Meteoritics & Planetary Science archives are made available by the Meteoritical Society and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202