Half Metallic Ferrimagnetism in Hole-Doped Lanthanide Iridates

Electronic and magnetic properties of a material of double perovskite [Pr _2?x Sr _x MgIrO ₆] ₂ had been studied by first-principles density functional approach. Under the cooperative effect of spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and Coulomb interactions of Ir-5d and Pr-4f electrons, our calculations reveal half metallic ferrimagnetism (HMFiM) with the total angular moment μ _{t o t} = ±3μ _B per unit cell for x = 0.5 and 1.5, desirable for spintronic applications. HMFiM is fully retained in presence of SOC due to the large exchange splitting between spin-up and spin-down bands at the Fermi level     

Discrete visual features modeling via leave-one-out likelihood estimation and applications

Discrete data are an important component in many image processing and computer vision applications. In this work we propose an unsupervised statistical approach to learn structures of this kind of data. The central ingredient in our model is the introduction of the generalized Dirichlet distribution as a prior to the multinomial. An estimation algorithm, based on leave-one-out likelihood and empirical Bayesian inference, for the parameters is developed. This estimation algorithm can be viewed as a hybrid expectation–maximization (EM) which alternates EM iterations with Newton–Raphson iterations using the Hessian matrix. We propose then the use of our model as a parametric basis for support vector machines within a hybrid generative/discriminative framework. In a series of experiments involving scene modeling and classification using visual words, and color texture modeling we show the efficiency of the proposed approach.     

Nitrogen Plasma Treatment Effect on Graphene Sheeted Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers

Nitrogen plasma treatment effect on GS-CNFs （graphene seeted vertically aligned carbon nanofibers） has been studied. GS-CNFs were grown on nickel coated cupper substrates by DC-plasma CVD （chemical vapor deposition） at relatively low temperature. GS-CNFs were studied by SEM （scanning electron microscopy）, HR-TEM （high-resolution transmission electron microscopy）, XPS and Raman measurements. GS-CNFs are composed of cylindrical shaped having pure graphite sheets with about 5 μm length and nanometer size tips and roots diameter. Nitrogen plasma treatment causes nitrogen chemical etching on the graphene seeted carbon nanofibers were disordered its fine shape and increase the graphetization due to nitrogen incorporation.     

Adsorptive separation of arsenate and arsenite anions from aqueous medium by using orange waste

Cellulose and orange waste were chemically modified by means of phosphorylation. The chemically modified gels were further loaded with iron(III) in order to create a suitable chelating environment for arsenate and arsenite removal. The loading capacity for iron(III) on the gel prepared from orange waste (POW) was 1.21 mmol g⁻¹ compared with 0.96 mmol g⁻¹ for the gel prepared from cellulose (PC). Removal tests of arsenic with the iron(III)-loaded gel were carried out batchwise and by using a column. Arsenite removal was favored under alkaline condition for both PC and POW gels, however, the POW gel showed some removal capability even at neutral pH. On contrary, arsenate removal took place under acidic conditions at pH=2–3 and 2–6 for the PC and POW gels, respectively. Since iron(III) loading is higher on the POW gel than on the PC gel greater arsenic removal has been achieved by the POW gel compared with the PC gel. It can be concluded that the POW gel can be used for the removal and recovery of both arsenite and arsenate from arsenic contaminated wastewater.     

A comprehensive approach and methods for glacial lake outburst flood risk assessment,with examples from Nepal and the transboundary area

Like other mountainous areas, Nepal is highly vulnerable to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and this vulnerability has increased due to climate change. Risk reduction strategies must be based on a comprehensive risk assessment. A comprehensive methodological approach for GLOF risk assessment is described and illustrated in case studies of the potential GLOF risk posed in Nepal by four glacial lakes, one located in China. People, property and public infrastructure (including hydropower plants, roads and bridges) are vulnerable, and there is a need to integrate GLOF risk reduction strategies into national policies and programmes.     

Soil organic matter,greenhouse gases and net global warming potential of irrigated conventional,reduced-tillage and organic cropping systems

Reducing tillage intensity and diversifying crop rotations may improve the sustainability of irrigated cropping systems in semi-arid regions. The objective of this study was to compare the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, soil organic matter, and net global warming potential (net GWP) of a sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.)-corn (Zea mays L,) rotation under conventional (CT) and reduced-tillage (RT) and a corn-dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) rotation under organic (OR) management during the third and fourth years of 4-year crop rotations. The gas and soil samples were collected during April 2011–March 2013, and were analyzed for carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions, water-filled pore space (WFPS), soil nitrate (NO₃ ^?–N) and ammonium (NH₄ ⁺–N) concentrations, soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN), and net global warming potential (net GWP). Soils under RT had 26% lower CO₂ emissions compared to 10.2 kg C ha^?1 day^?1 and 43% lower N₂O emissions compared to 17.5 g N ha^?1 day^?1 in CT during cropping season 2011, and no difference in CO₂ and N₂O emissions during cropping season 2012. The OR emitted 31% less N₂O, but 74% more CO₂ than CT during crop season 2011. The RT had 34% higher SOC content than CT (17.9 Mg ha^?1) while OR was comparable with CT. Net GWP was negative for RT and OR and positive for CT. The RT and OR can increase SOC sequestration, mitigate GWP and thereby support in the development of sustainable cropping systems in semiarid agroecosystems.     

Time-series analysis of NDVI from AVHRR data over the Hindu Kush–Himalayan region for the period 1982–2006

The Hindu Kush–Himalayan (HKH) region with its surrounding mountains in central Asia is a region that has been warming at an alarming rate and is sensitive to climate change due to its heterogeneous terrain and high altitude. In a region where research is limited due to the paucity of field-based biophysical observations, analysis of remotely sensed data such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) can provide invaluable information on spatio-temporal patterns in linkages among land use, climate and vegetative phenological cycles, and trends in vegetative cover. In this study, NDVI data with 8 km spatial resolution for each 15 day composite period from 1982 to 2006 were analysed using a seasonal trend analysis technique, where the first step determines the annual mean and seasonal NDVI patterns across the HKH region. The second step analyses the non-parametric trends in magnitude and timing of the annual mean and seasonal NDVI cycle. The seasonal vegetation cycles were compared for the first and last ten years of the time series and were also analysed across areas undergoing significant change. Results indicated an overall greening trend in NDVI magnitude in most areas, particularly over open shrubland, grassland and cropland. Trends in the annual seasonal timing of NDVI indicated an earlier green-up for most parts of this region. Results also confirmed deforestation trends observed in a few states in northeastern India and Myanmar (Shan state) within the HKH region.     

Optoelectronic properties of nitrogenated amorphous carbon films synthesized by microwave surface wave plasma chemical vapor deposition system

The n-type nitrogen doped amorphous carbon (a-C:N) thin films have been grown by microwave (MW) surface wave plasma (SWP) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system on silicon, quartz and ITO substrates at different nitrogen flow rates (1 to 4 sccm). The effects of nitrogen doping on chemical, optical, structural and electrical properties were studied through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Nanopics 2100/NPX200 surface profiler, UV/VIS/NIR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and solar simulator measurements. Argon, acetylene and nitrogen are used as plasma sources. Optical band gap decreased and nitrogen atomic concentration (%) increased with increasing nitrogen flow rate as a dopant. The a-C:N/p-Si based device exhibits photovoltaic behavior under illumination (AM 1.5, 100 mW/cm²), with a maximum open-circuit voltage (V_oc), short-circuit current (J_sc) and fill factor of 4.2 mV, 7.4 μA/cm² and 0.25 respectively.     

PZN-PT Single-Crystal Thin Film Monomorph Actuator

We report on the use of single-crystal lead zinc niobate-lead titanate films in monomorph actuators. The article responds to the growing interest in solid-solution (1 - x )Pb(Zn 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 - x PbTiO 3 relaxor ferroelectrics based on their large piezoelectric coefficients and their integration into microelectromechanical system. Freestanding films are fabricated by slicing a 7 μm-thick layer off the crystal bulk and assembled into a flexural actuator, thus circumventing polycrystalline deposition techniques. One-micron deflections are observed at 100 V for ~1 mm-long films. The article discusses the non-uniform electric field distribution profile established in the films and its role in the actuation process.     

Removal of fluoride using some lanthanum(III)‐loaded adsorbents with different functional groups and polymer matrices

Although fluoride is beneficial for human beings in small quantities, it causes dental fluorosis when consumed in larger quantities over a period of time. In recent years, considerable work has been conducted for the purpose of developing new and low cost absorbents for adsorptive removal of fluoride, especially chelating resins loaded with metal ions. In the present study, several types of adsorbents with different functional groups loaded with lanthanum(III) were prepared to be used for fluoride removal from water. The optimum conditions for loading lanthanum(III) on the adsorbents and the effects of pH and initial fluoride concentration as well as shaking time and solid–liquid ratio on the removal of fluoride have been investigated. Based on these fundamental data, the removal of fluoride from actual hot spring water was also tested as a practical application by comparing the efficiency of different adsorbents for the removal of fluoride from hot spring water. The following conclusions were obtained. (1) The different chemical composition and chemical structure of the polymer matrix play the most important role in fluoride adsorption, (2) strongly acidic adsorbents are more effective on fluoride removal at neutral pH than weakly acidic adsorbents, (3) the order of fluoride removal in the neutral pH range of 4.5–8.0 by the different La(III)‐loaded adsorbents employed in the present work is as follows: 200CT resin > POJRgel > IR124resin > SOJR gel ≥ CPAgel ≥ WK11 resin. The column experiments showed that the 200CT resin loaded with lanthanum(III) at pH 6.0 can be successfully employed for the removal of fluoride ions from actual hot spring water. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry