Loose Collection Research Articles

Effects of Air Vortex Finder Length and Outlet Diameter Variations on Oil Palm Loose Fruit Collector

Oil palm is one of the largest economy sectors in Malaysia. Among the problems faced in the estates are oil palm loose fruits deposition which is currently being collected manually in the industry. Hence, an oil palm loose fruit collector is designed using cyclone separator mechanism and was studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In the current study, Reynold’s stress model (RSM) and the Discrete phase model (DPM) was employed to navigate numerical simulations where the vortex finder of the cyclone separator was varied with two factors which are the vortex finder length and outlet diameter. Wall was set to a no slip condition with standard wall functions. Hydraulic diameter of the gas outlet is Bc=0.1 . Hydraulic diameters of the particle’s outlet are Jc=0.15 and 0.2 respectively. Turbulence intensity at the gas and particles outlet are specified at 5%. An injection with density 995.7 and 0.04 was set to simulate oil palm loose fruit collection into the system. Ultimately, effects of vortex finder and outlet variations on the pressure drop and collection efficiency were then analyzed. Results indicate that an outlet diameter of 0.18 m and vortex finder length of 0.405 m is favourable for the oil palm loose fruit machine with a collection efficiency of 88.71 % and pressure drop of 477.66 Pa.

The Specter of Female Masculinity: How Women Shaped the Ex-gay Movement in the 1970s and 1980s

Starting in the 1970s, the “ex-gay movement,” a loose collection of conservative Christian counselors and therapists, experienced sizable growth in the United States. Importantly, women played a prominent role in the expansion of the ex-gay movement in the ensuing decades, both as counselors and as counselees. This article highlights the tension that arose between the patriarchal gender norms and the role women counselors played in the ex-gay movement. When read “along the grain,” ex-gay texts demonstrate the production of a gendered hierarchy that not only valued “female femininity” over “female masculinity” but also reified patriarchal authority in the US. Female pastoral counselors, such as Leanne Payne and Elizabeth Moberly, advocated for the conservative gendered vision of the religious right. But as women, these counselors—and their books—could not transcend the patriarchal order of the religiously conservative ex-gay movement.

Optimization of cyclone separator for oil palm loose fruit collection using computational fluid dynamics and response surface methodology

Optimization of cyclone separator for oil palm loose fruit collection using computational fluid dynamics and response surface methodology

Notes on a Technē: Psellus’ Poem 6 W

AbstractThe second part of Psellus’ poem on grammar is a glossary compiled from rare words (270–490), where the lines are ordered and linked according to the Greek alphabet. The first part (1–269) is not – as it might be expected of a didactic poem – a systematic descriptive Greek grammar, but rather a loose collection of teacher’s comments lacking a definite logical structure. The didactic comments set in verse are organised to some extent by words (e.g. ἔγκλισις, μεσότης) that refer to several different grammatical phenomena functioning as cues and thus connecting the subsequent sections. At the time the novelty of this otherwise ordinary poem might have been that Greek grammar was set in political verse (versus politicus) in order to make it easy to memorise and the fact that it discusses Psellus’ views on koine.

EUS-guided through-the-needle microforceps biopsy for diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenitis mimicking pancreatic cystic lesion (with video).

A 40-year-old male presented with upper abdominal discomfort and ultrasound abdomen revealed a cystic lesion in the uncinate process. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed a thick-walled cystic lesion measuring 4.2 cm in the uncinate process [Figure 1]. Positron emission computed tomography revealed flouro-deoxyglucose avidity in the wall of this cystic lesion [Figure 2]. EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy from the cystic lesion done elsewhere was inconclusive on two separate occasions. EUS done at our center revealed a complex cystic lesion posterior to the head of the pancreas and closely abutting the inferior vena cava with normal uncinate process [Figure 3; arrows]. Contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS using Sonovue (Bracco, Milan, Italy) at low mechanical index of 0.12 revealed nonhomogenous enhancement of the cystic lesion with solid areas showing enhancement [arrows; Figure 4] and anechoic areas not enhancing. EUS-guided fine-needle biopsy form the solid as well as liquid areas was inconclusive and revealed necrosis only. Thereafter, tissue sampling was done from the solid area of the lesion under EUS guidance using through the needle forceps device (Moray Micro Forceps, US Endoscopy, United States) [Figure 5 and Video 1]. To improve the visualization of opening of forceps in the lesion, biopsy was performed using both B mode and harmonic EUS [Video 1]. The use of harmonic EUS led on to better visualization of the tip of Microforceps. Two passes were taken and crush smear was prepared with one specimen and the other specimen was sent in formalin vial. The cytopathological examination revealed lymphoid tissue with the presence of loose collection of epitheloid cells and necrosis [Figure 6]. No acid fast bacilli could be detected. The rapid nucleic acid amplification test (Xpert MTB/RIF; Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) performed on the aspirated specimen was negative. The Mantoux test was positive (induration of 16 mm), C-reactive protein was elevated (16 mg/L), and the patient was started on anti-tubercular therapy (ATT). The patient responded to ATT and the abdominal discomfort subsided after 1 month of initiating ATT. Serum CRP normalized at 2 months and ultrasound of the abdomen done three months after initiation of ATT revealed reduction in size of the lesion (2.3 cm).Figure 1: Contrast enhanced computed tomography: thick walled cystic lesion in the uncinate process of pancreasFigure 2: Positron emission computed tomography: flouro-deoxyglucose avidity in the wall of cystic lesionFigure 3: EUS: Complex cystic lesion (arrows) posterior to the head of pancreas and closely abutting the inferior vena cava with normal uncinate processFigure 4: Contrast-enhanced harmonic EUS: Nonhomogenous enhancement of the cystic lesion with solid areas showing enhancement (arrows) and anechoic areas not enhancingFigure 5: EUS-guided biopsy using through the needle forceps deviceFigure 6: Microphotograph of microbiopsy specimen: a loose collection of epithelioid cells (arrows) with necrosis in the background (H and E, ×40)To improve the diagnostic yield of EUS-guided tissue sampling, through-the-needle micro-forceps device has been introduced and studies have reported high diagnostic yield in pancreatic cystic lesions.[1,2] It can also be used for tissue diagnosis in difficult to diagnose lesions as in the index case. Declaration of patient consent The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. In the form, the patient has given his consent for his images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patient understands that his name and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal his identity, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest Surinder Singh Rana is an Editorial Board Member of the journal. This article was subject to the journal’s standard procedures, with peer review handled independently of this editor and his research group.

James Crawford and the Law of State Immunity

Abstract In James Crawford’s later career as a public international lawyer, he was synonymous with the great topics of inter-state relations—the creation of states, state responsibility, and so forth—and with the work of the International Court of Justice. But he retained throughout his professional life an abiding interest in foreign relations law, being that loose collection of issues that characterises the interface between public international and municipal law. Nowhere is this better reflected than in his contribution to the law of state immunity—and, in particular, his preparation as Commissioner of the ground-breaking 1984 Australian Law Reform Commission Report No 24 on Foreign State Immunity (‘ALRC 24’), which led in due course to the Foreign States Immunities Act 1985 (Cth) (‘FSIA’) being passed by the Federal Parliament almost unchanged from Commission’s suggested text. This paper aims to assess the legacy of ALRC 24 alongside other writings on state immunity that Crawford published prior to and in conjunction with the report—in particular his significant articles in the Australian Year Book of International Law, the American Journal of International Law and the British Yearbook of International Law. This corpus of materials shows Crawford in two underexplored guises—as municipal lawyer and legislative draftsman. And they also show his instincts as one of the great liberalisers of public international law, committed to ensuring that the parameters of the restrictive theory of state immunity, then novel to the common law, were accurately reflected in legislative language.

The Climbing Swamp Fern, Stenochlaena palustris (Burm. F.) Bedd. (Blechnaceae) - A Noxious Weed in Oil Palm Estates and Its Management

The climbing swamp fern or Stenochlaena palustris, is a fern that has a creeping stem/rhizome which often grows into a vigorous sheet colony over large areas and climbs robustly on palm trunks as an epiphyte. The young shoots or new fronds of this fern are consumed as vegetables by humans. The fern has other usages in local medicine, basket making and a beneficial role in pest management. In a field with thick tall sheet growth of S. palustris, the harvesting, evacuation of fresh fruit bunch (FFB), loose fruit collection and many field operations will be difficult to be carried out efficiently. The luxurious epiphytic growth on palm trunk up into the canopy prevents the sighting and cutting of FFB during harvesting and thus many ripe FFB are left unharvested, which subsequently become over-ripe/ rotten. In both situations, oil palm yield in severely infested fields is badly impacted. In line with the integrated weed management approach, prevention of the establishment of S. palustris is important by early control of isolated colonies or small patches of this noxious weed in the replanting fields, drain sides and on trunk chips. In the control of this serious noxious weed, various measures applied singly or in combination are necessary in line with integrated weed management approach. Over the years, chemical control has been widely practiced in rubber and oil palm plantations. The herbicides including 2,4,5-T, paraquat, DSMA (disodium methyl arsonate), MSMA (monosodium methanearsonate), diuron, sodium chlorate, 2,4-D sodium, 2,4-D amine, imazapyr, glyphosate, glufosinate-ammonium, metsulfuron-methyl, saflufenacil and sulfentrazone (and mixtures) are briefly discussed and reviewed. To mitigate the removal of paraquat, several alternatives have been identified and reported by several researchers. The writer’s recommendations to control S. palustris for mature plantings are: i) sodium chlorate + metsulfuron-methyl at 5.5 kg + 75 g per hectare (or 220 g + 3 g per 18 L water), ii) glyphosate + metsulfuron-methyl at 1.5 L + 75 g per hectare (or 60 ml + 3 g per 18 L water), iii) glufosinate-ammonium at 3.3 L per hectare (or 132 ml per 18 L water). For control of S. palustris in inter-row areas of immature plantings, treatments i) and iii) are recommended. This is to avoid unacceptable phytotoxicity to spear and new fronds of immature palms due to spray drift of glyphosate. For long-term control of S. palustris in pure stand and in inter-row areas, spraying of metsulfuron-methyl at 150 g product per hectare (or 20% product in 6 g per 18 L water) is recommended. For spraying of epiphytic S. palustris and other mixed species of epiphytes, glyphosate + metsulfuron-methyl at 1.5 L + 75 g per hectare (or 60 ml + 3 g per 18 L water) is recommended and the optimum spraying time is after frond pruning operation. Keywords: Stenochlaena palustris, noxious weed, climbing epiphytic weed, oil palm plantations, management, herbicides.

Befundbuch 3.0. Befundansprache und Befundverortung durch semantische Technologien

AbstractBuilding archaeological findings are the primary sources of historic building research and an important basis for object-oriented interpretation in architectural history. In order to preserve the spatial, temporal and other content-related cross-references and contexts that are particularly valuable for analysis, a loose collection of diverse presentation formats such as descriptive texts, findings sheets, plan drawings and 3D representations has become established. However, this diversity is also a reason for the lack of accessibility and sustainable connectivity of this useful information. Linked Open Data technologies of the Semantic Web offer the possibility of making the findings available in a human- and machine-readable form, together with their diverse references. This requires consistent ›semantic modelling‹ of the material evidence in ontological form, oriented on specialist scientific needs.

Preface to Special Issue on Ethiopia: Beyond Ethnic Federalism and the Statehood Solution

This preface provides a brief introduction to this special issue on contemporary Ethiopia. It highlights the role played by land, ethnicity, federalism, and political ideology in the constitutional development and politics of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian state with its ethnic federation of different ethno-linguistic regions is contextualized. The preface concludes by proposing the thesis that the current constitution of Ethiopia does not contribute to the continuation of Ethiopia as an integrated nation-state; rather it contributes to a loose collection of semi-autonomous warring ethnic regions.

Sherwin Carlquist (1930-2021) - A Botanical Luminary

Sherwin Carlquist (1930–2021) was an internationally respected and distinguished botanist who held faculty positions in botany at California Botanic Garden, Claremont Graduate University and Pomona College between 1956 and 1992. His legacy includes major scholarly contributions to plant systematics, plant anatomy, especially wood anatomy, island biogeography, evolutionary and ecological reasoning, and a prolific publication record. A loose collection of paragraphs by those who interacted with him addresses Carlquist's tremendous botanical output, teaching, mentorship, scientific scholarship, and his roles as a colleague and friend.

Thucydide sur les ktiseis en sicile et sur d’autres antiquités


 
 
 
 Thucydides’ so-called « Sicilian archaiologia », which opens his account of the Athe- nian expedition to Sicily of 415–413 BC, does not contain information indispensable for that account. It rather serves as a signal marking a decisive turn of the story. It is not a loose collection of pieces of information on the remote past of Sicily, derived from Antiochos’ Σικελικά or from Hellanikos’ Ἱέρειαι τῆς Ἥρας αἱ ἐν Ἄργει or from other sources. Neither is it an exhaustive, self-sufficient discourse. It is a brilliantly written sketch by which Thucydides wanted to show his ability of getting precise knowledge about particular facts of the ancient past: a literary ἀγώνισμα on the field of antiquarian research. While tacitly relying on Hellanikos’ Ἱέρειαι for the dating of the main Sicilian ktiseis, he tried to establish a more precise chronology at least for a few ktiseis and to give details on the νόμιμα of at least some Sicilian poleis. A similar interest in antiquarian research can be observed in some other places of Thucydides’ work, for instance in his sketch of the topography of old Athens, in his reconstruction of the festival that used to be celebrated at Delos in remote times, or in his remarks on the beginnings of Sparta’s politeia. His treatment of the last topic is particularly significant: he takes a stand that is different both from the stand of Herodotus and from that of Hellanikos, without mentioning the differences.
 
 
 

Wer spricht? Die Redeeinleitungen im Thomasevangelium

AbstractThe Gospel of Thomas (GThom) is a collection of sayings, most of which come with the stereotypical introduction ‘Jesus said: …’ The GThom thus looks like a loose collection of disparate material. However, several sayings in the collection are introduced by ‘He said: …’, thus omitting explicit reference to Jesus as the speaker. This points to greater (narrative) coherence: when the speaker's name is missing in a logion, the logion depends on the surrounding context and ceases to be a self-contained unit. This article views the GThom as a sayings collection on the way to becoming a literary composition titled ‘The Gospel according to Thomas’.

Digital quantification of p16-positive foci in fibrotic interstitial lung disease is associated with a phenotype of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis with reduced survival

BackgroundIdiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is associated with increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors such as p16 and p21, and subsequent induction of cell cycle arrest, cellular senescence, and pro-fibrotic gene expression. We sought to link p16-expression with a diagnosis of IPF or other fibrotic interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), radiographic pattern, senescent foci-specific gene expression, antifibrotic therapy response, and lung transplant (LTx)-free survival.MethodsEighty-six cases of fibrosing ILD were identified with surgical lung biopsy. Immunohistochemistry for p16 was performed on sections with the most active fibrosis. p16-positive foci (loose collection of p16-positive fibroblasts with overlying p16-positive epithelium) were identified on digital slides and quantified. Cases were scored as p16-low (≤ 2.1 foci per 100 mm2) or p16-high (> 2.1 foci per 100 mm2). Twenty-four areas including senescent foci, fibrotic and normal areas were characterized using in situ RNA expression analysis with digital spatial profiling (DSP) in selected cases.ResultsThe presence of p16-positive foci was specific for the diagnosis of IPF, where 50% of cases expressed any level of p16 and 26% were p16-high. There was no relationship between radiographic pattern and p16 expression. However, there was increased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, collagens and matrix remodeling genes within p16-positive foci, and cases with high p16 expression had shorter LTx-free survival. On the other hand, antifibrotic therapy was significantly protective. DSP demonstrated that fibroblastic foci exhibit transcriptional features clearly distinct from that of normal-looking and even fibrotic areas.ConclusionsWe demonstrated the potential clinical applicability of a standardized quantification of p16-positive fibroblastic foci. This method identifies an IPF phenotype associated with foci-specific upregulation of senescence-associated and matrix remodeling gene expression. While these patients have reduced LTx-free survival, good response to antifibrotic therapies was observed in those who were treated.

Postural analysis in design evaluation of oil palm loose fruits collector machine

The level of maturity and the harvesting process for oil palm bunches allows some fruit to be detached from the bunch. Fruit that is separated from the bunch is called loose fruit. The loose fruit must be collected to reduce post-harvest losses. The ERBRON-C machine has been designed to facilitate the process of picking loose fruit, but further study is needed regarding its working system as an interaction between the machine and its operator. This study aimed to determine the level of risk of working posture in loose fruit collection using ERBRON-C. This research was conducted by collecting anthropometric data, recording the subject’s posture, evaluating posture using the REBA method. The results of the posture evaluation showed REBA scores ranged from 2 to 5 which refers to a low to moderate risk level.

The Hypomnemata of Hegesippus

AbstractThis article deals with the lost work of the early Christian writer Hegesippus, whose Hypomnemata is only known through quotations in Eusebius. Faulty preconceptions regarding the dating and provenance of Hegesippus’ work are criticised, and it is argued that the Hypomnemata is a loose collection of bishop traditions from the late 170s or 180s. The purpose of the work is to connect orthodoxy with correct episcopal succession.

ADVANCEMENT IN OIL PALM PLANTING MATERIALS IN THE FUTURE

The development of shorter planting materials based on MPOB Nigerian population 12 and E.oleifera x E.guineensis inter-specific hybrids is highlighted in this paper. The progeny test results of Nigerian Population 12 with selected Deli duras showed that the DxP oil yield ranges from 8.1-8.5 tonnes per hectare per year. The height increment of DxP is 33-39 cm per year. In comparison, the height increment of Deli x AVROS is about 60 cm per annum. In Colombia where DxP commercial plantations are devastated by bud rot disease, Cinepalma demonstrated that application of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) increased the oil yield of inter-specific hybrids which are tolerant to the disease. It was demonstrated in commercial plantations that applying NAA can produce more than 40 tonnes fresh fruit bunch (FFB) per hectare per year, with an extraction rate of about 27 per cent giving >10 tonnes oleic oil per hectare. The tissue culture labs in Kuala Lumpur-Kepong (KLK) and Asian Agri are also cloning their elite Deli duras and pisiferas to create semi- and bi- seeds. Applied Agricultural Resources (AAR) is the largest semi-clonal seed producer in Malaysia, and produces about 8 million per year and sells the seeds at a premium. A number of plantation companies in Malaysia and Indonesia have initiated programmes to produce Ganoderma tolerant planting material. Companies have adopted an integrated disease management (IDM) approach, covering land preparation, planting tolerant varieties, use bioagents, early detection, and removal of infected materials. Asian Agri AA TOPAZ GT variety, partially tolerant to Ganoderma, has an average oil yield potential of 9.2 tonnes crude palm oil (CPO) per hectare per year. Digitalisation refers to the process of integrating advanced digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, robotics, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), sensors, and communication networks, all connected through Internet of Things (IoT) into farm production system. A major breakthrough was achieved by the oil palm Genome Programme at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), where the identification of the gene controlling Shell has made it possible to identify and differentiate dura, tenera and pisifera at the nursery stage. This led to the first molecular diagnostic assay known as SureSawitTMSHELL, which the breeders can use to identify and isolate dura, tenera and pisifera seedlings from TxT and TxP breeding crosses. The kit can be used for identification of dura and pisifera contaminants in the nursery and more recently at the seed production facility. The planter has an important role to help realise the full potential of planting materials. The planter’s role starts from receipt of germinated seeds to field planting. The planter is assigned to monitor ripeness standard, harvesting, loose fruit collection and managing of workers, all of which are major tasks to ensure productivity. Climate change is real and we have to confront drought and floods more frequently. In order to minimise the impact of drought, it is advisable to plant planting materials with high bunch number. MPOB has collected oil palm germplasm in the dry areas of Nigeria. This germplasm has attributes such as high bunch number, low bunch weight and high chlorophyll content in the leaves. These traits are useful to develop drought tolerant planting materials.

The variety of beliefs about the causes of safety among safety practitioners

The variety of beliefs about the causes of safety among safety practitioners

Editorial

The Pentecostal movement has since its inception been a dynamic movement in which the theology, practice, and expressions of faith have shifted. This is primarily, but not solely, due to four central factors. First, it is a movement and not a centralized organization, meaning that there is no central authority that governs how it develops, when and how new congregations or churches are formed, and how these evolve. As a movement, it is a loose collection of churches and groups, some of which do not specifically self-identify as Pentecostal, but are categorized by academics as Pentecostal due to their theology and/or practices. The article by Podolecka and Cheyeka explores this reality in Zambia where some churches consider themselves Pentecostal while other Pentecostals do not recognize these churches as part of the movement. In a different vein, Aidoo examines the phenomena of cursing prayers in which pastors criticize each other and claim other pastors as not being Christians in their prayers. Second, there is no centralized canonical theology determined by a particular body or group with authority to establish and enforce rules or regulations, meaning that the groups and churches in the movement are free to development their own theologies. The article by Resane explores this idea as he examines the impact of the Shepherding Movement within Pentecostalism and how a group of five men in the USA established a model for how churches should be run, but the movement was problematic and fell apart in the 1990s.

My Brother’s New Clothes

A personal narrative about the dressed body of the Other, in a play with the multiple meanings of the terms and concepts involved in the manufacture of the “marielito” as assigned identity whose attributes are intricately linked to the way in which that othered body is outfitted, shrouded and clothed, both figuratively and metaphorically. In a hypothetical, one-sided dialog with the “marielito” figure of her childhood imaginary, the author stitches together a loose collection of imprints from early 1980s Miami, present-day reflections and retrospective impressions from her young adulthood—church clothing drives and donations, garment factory floors, news media images, styles, accessories, garments, branding, films, fear, moralism, family conflict—intertwining and interweaving these fragments to create the identitary patchwork of otherness that reveals the social underpinnings of stigmatization.

Call to service: The Register of Australian Accountants for National Service 1940–1944

PurposeThe paper explores the creation in Australia of the Register of Accountants for National Service. Established at the outset of the Second World War, the Register operated for four years from June 1940 providing voluntary, non-remunerated, part-time and after-hours services to a highly stressed and seriously stretched federal government bureaucracy by members of the main Australian professional accounting bodies. Departments of the Navy, Army, Air Force, Supply and Development and Munitions were the largest consumers of the services offered.Design/methodology/approachThe study of the Register relies mainly on an extensive archive of war-time documentation from the Federal Government and various accounting professional institutes which has survived, predominantly in the National Archives of Australia. The resource is particularly rich in material covering the complex negotiation processes that brought the Register into operation together with documentation recording and reporting the work of the Register. The themes of professionalization, institutional legitimacy, volunteerism and patriotism are all invoked to explain the presence of the Register in the machinery of government that was assembled to deliver the ultimately successful war effort. Created by the principal professional accounting institutes, the Register attests to the commitment of their members to the war effort and, thereby, the importance of the profession to Australian society.FindingsThe perilous situation of Australia at a time of war provided a compelling incentive for the accounting profession to organise itself in an efficient and highly effective manner to assist with the war effort. The disparate and somewhat fractured accounting profession at the time was able to work together in a structured, cohesive and disciplined manner to provide voluntary services when called upon. To deliver the voluntary services promised, a purpose-built set of institutional arrangements was put in place. An extensive inventory of the potential services that could be provided by members of the main professional accounting bodies was conducted to facilitate the smooth matching of government needs with services available.Research limitations/implicationsDiscussion focusses only on Australia where the Register was unique. No other examples have been discovered where a profession has self-mobilised to serve a nation in a time of war. A further limitation is that the activities reported are restricted to self-reporting by the Register and a small loose collection of documents prepared by the Department of the Navy.Originality/valueThe uniqueness of the Register is the core of the originality and value of this study. How and why it came into being and the method by which it completed the “task” assigned to it stand as testament to a profession strategically placed to contribute in a substantive manner to the war effort at minimal cost to the nation.