Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time to Frequency Domain Mapping of the Voice Source: The Influence of Open Quotient and Glottal Skew on the Low End of the Source Spectrum

This paper explores the mapping of time and frequency domain aspects of the voice source, focussing on the low end of the source spectrum. It refines and extends an earlier study, where the LF model was used to explore the correspondences between the open quotient ( O q ), glottal skew ( R k ) and harmonic levels of the source spectrum, including the H 1-H 2 measure, widely assumed to reflect differences in O q . Here we use a different model (the F-model) as it better reflects the effective open quotient and glottal skew in certain conditions. As in the earlier study, a series of glottal pulses were generated, keeping peak glottal flow constant, while systematically varying O q and R k . Results suggest that the effects of R k on the low harmonics is considerably less than estimated in the earlier study, and its main impact is on the level of H 2 (and consequently H 1-H 2) when O q is relatively high. The conclusion remains that the H 1-H 2 is not simply a direct reflection of O q . However, for O q values of up to about 0.6, it maps closely to H 1-H 2: beyond this point, H 1-H 2 reflects a more complex interaction of open quotient and glottal skew.
Risk Level Classification of Coronary Artery Heart Disease in Diabetic Patients using Neuro Fuzzy Classifier

This paper presents a recurrent fuzzy neural network for risk level classification of coronary artery heart disease (CAHD) in diabetic patients. The recurrent structure has been formed as an external loops and internal feedback by feeding the rule firing strength of each rule to others rules and itself. The consequent part of fuzzy logic system is composed of a Takagi– Sugeno–Kang (TSK) type. The proposed classifier has a functional link neural network (FLNN) to the consequent part of fuzzy rules for promoting the mapping ability. The proposed classifier learning starts with an empty rule base and all of the rules are generated through a simultaneous structure and parameter learning. The performance metrics true positive, true negative, false positive, false negative, sensitivity, specificity, classification accuracy are taken and the proposed method obtains enhanced performance results.
Representation of the rain shadow effect in Patagonia using an orographic‐derived regional climate model

This study focuses on Patagonia, where Foehn events observed in the lee of the Andes mountains are not yet well simulated by state‐of‐the‐art climate models. It has been agreed that one source of this shortcoming is related to the poor relief representation in models. To resolve this need, a common method used is to enhance the spatial resolution of the model to retrieve a more complex surface elevation, at the expense of calculation time or surface area covered. This paper tackles the problem from a different angle by addressing the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) generalization, that is, the altitudes generalization from a high‐resolution DEM to a coarser resolution grid model. Most current climate models use DEM generalization methods that smooth the relief, a key controlling factor in Foehn events modelling. The aim of this study is to compare three original methods of DEM generalization (percentile 90 [P90], envelope maximum [EM], and thalweg and crests [TC]) and to evaluate their impact on simulated precipitation and temperature fields on the eastern part of Patagonia, where warm and dry air masses are expected. Thanks to MAR, a Regional Climate Model, we validate the models at 10 and 5 km resolutions against the Climate Research Unit and perform three sensitivity experiments involving a change in the DEM generalization. Our results show that (a) a finer spatial resolution can slightly improve the temperature biases, however, it cannot resolve the precipitation biases and (b) a more appropriate use of DEM generalization induces a significant decrease in precipitation for the P90 and EM methods and an increase in mean temperature for all three methods in the study area. This study serves as a recommendation for a better use of DEM generalization in climate models performing in Patagonia, but also regions sharing the same orographic features as the Patagonian relief.
Which Perennial Crop Farm Approach Generates More Profitability? A Case Study in Dak Lak province, Vietnam

Dak Lak Province, Vietnam has been identified as the optimal growing area region of cash crops. However, in recent years, perennial crops have faced some challenges need to have a new approach to maintain production sustainability. This study primarily provides a comparative analysis of the economic performance of crop cultivation by two approaches, mono-crop approaches including mono-coffee farms (MCFs) and mono-pepper farms (MPFs); intercropped approaches comprising intercropped coffee farms (ICFs) and intercropped pepper farms (IPFs). Additionally, this paper identifies the main factors affecting the farmer’s adoption decision on different intercropped farm types. Based on an investigation of 120 selected farms, focus group discussions (FGDs) and participant assessments, from January to April 2019, the information about farming operations, costs and profits also were collected. The findings indicated that intercropped farms (include ICFs and IPFs) had a higher reduction of variable costs than mono-crop farms (MCFs and MPFs). Likewise, between two intercropped farm types, ICFs that wasted fewer input costs seem to be more appropriate for the poor and small saving households than that of IPFs. Moreover, ICFs and IPFs generate more profitability, increase by 62 % and 25.7 % as compared with MCFs and MPFs, respectively. Going forward, the study revealed factors influencing farmers’ decision-making on applying different approaches for intercropped farms. These comprise farm profiles (pest and disease status; the age of the tree), farmers’ characteristics (training) and economic factors (profits and other income). The findings devote information to intercropped farms in terms of enhancing economic benefits should be promoted for the coming years. Looking beyond, this empirical evidence is likely a useful contribution to farming management. What’s more, the factors highlighted here demonstrate the need for continued improvement in such farming strategies.
The Relevance of Manning’s Roughness Coefficient in Determining Hydraulic Performance of Subsurface Drainage Module

Urbanization process is enormously affecting on the natural hydrology. It has resulted in addition of impervious area hence increasing peak flow and runoff volume. As urbanization increases, the current conventional drainage is constantly full of surface runoff hence resulting in frequent flooding. River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre developed the Bio-ecological Drainage System (BIOECODS) in 2001 to reduce flooding problem by regulating the amount of stormwater runoff and preserve stormwater runoff quality. BIOECODS consist of constructed grass swales, subsurface drainage modules, dry pond, wet pond and detention pond. This study focuses on the performance of subsurface drainage modules only. Subsurface drainage modules are main component in BIOECODS technology.
Success and Failure of Microbusiness Owners in Africa: A Psychological Approach

Psychological Success Factors of Entrepreneurship in Africa: A Selective Literature Review by Michael Frese and Machlien de Kruif The Psychological Strategy Process and Socio-Demographic Variables as Predictors of Success in Micro and Small-scale Business Owners in Zambia by Madelief Keyser, Mechlien de Kruif, and Michael Frese Socio-Demographic Factors, Entrepreneurial Orientation, Personal Initiative, and Environmental Problems in Uganda by Sabine Koop, Tamara de Reu, and Michael Frese Problems and Coping, Strategies, and Initiative in Microbusiness Owners in South Africa by Gwenda van Steekelenburg, Maartje Lauw, Michael Frese, and Kobus Visser Micro-Enterprises in Zimbabwe: On the Function of Socio-Demographic Factors, Psychological Strategies, Personal Initiative, and Goal Setting for Entrepreneurial Success by Michael Frese, Stefanie Krauss, and Christian Friedrich Development and Growth of Small-Scale Entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe: A Practical View by Christian Friedrich Formalization--The Major Criterion of Success in Developing Countries by David Harrison For the Specialist: Methodological Issues of the Studies in Zambia, Uganda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe by Michael Frese Executive Summary, Conclusions, and Policy Implications by Michael Frese Index
The response to pulse-like perturbations in atmospheric carbon and carbon isotopes

Abstract. Measurements of carbon isotope variations in climate archives and isotope-enabled climate modelling foster the understanding of the carbon cycle. Perturbations in atmospheric CO2, and in its isotopic ratios (δ13C, ∆14C) are removed on different time scales and by partly different processes. We investigate these differences on timescales of up to 100,000 years in idealized pulse release experiments with the Bern3D-LPX Earth system model of intermediate complexity and by analytical solutions from a box model. Isotopic perturbations are initially removed much faster from the atmosphere than perturbations in CO2 as explained by aquatic carbonate chemistry. On longer time scales, the CO2 perturbation is removed by carbonate compensation and silicate rock weathering. In contrast, the δ13C perturbation is removed by the relentless flux of organic and calcium carbonate particles buried in sediments. The associated removal rate is significantly modified by spatial δ13C gradients within the ocean influencing the isotopic perturbation of the burial flux. Space-time variations in ocean δ13C perturbations are captured by three Principal Components and Empirical Orthogonal Functions. Analytical impulse response functions for atmospheric CO2 and δ13CO2 are provided. Our results show that changes in terrestrial carbon storage are unlikely the sole cause for the abrupt, centennial CO2 and δ13C variations recorded in ice during Heinrich Stadials HS1 and HS4 of the last glacial period. Ocean processes likely played a significant role. The δ113 offset between the penultimate and last glacial maximum reconstructed for the ocean and atmosphere is most likely caused by imbalances between weathering, volcanism and burial fluxes.
Estimation of Field‐Scale Variability in Soil Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity From Rainfall‐Runoff experiments

Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) is among the important soil properties that influence the partitioning of rainfall into surface and subsurface waters. Point estimates of Ks are difficult to determine and exhibit large spatial variability in fields. Often, data from field‐scale rainfall‐runoff experiments are utilized to assess the properties of the Ks random field that are required in the use of field‐scale infiltration models. Standard methods of calibration are confounded by nonuniqueness and identifiability problems associated with experimental data. In this study, a new method that employed a field‐averaged infiltration model and Monte Carlo simulations was used to obtain the possible range of distributions of Ks that would describe experimental observations over a field for a rainfall event. A Shannon information‐theoretic approach was subsequently adopted to consolidate the ranges of Ks distributions over multiple rainfall events to yield the best range of Ks distributions. The method was applied to data from several rainfall‐runoff events observed under natural conditions over an experimental field characterized by a silty loam soil and a small surface slope. Results suggest the existence of numerous parameter combinations that could satisfy the experimental observations over a single rainfall event, and high variability of these combinations among different events, thereby providing insights regarding the identifiable space of Ks distributions from individual rainfall experiments. Validation results showed that the method provides a realistic estimate of our ability to quantify the spatial variability of Ks in natural fields from rainfall‐runoff experiments.
Microwave Assisted Extraction-An Innovative and Promising Extraction Tool for Medicinal Plant Research

In recent years, the use of microwave for extraction of constituents from plant material has shown tremendous research interest and potential. Conventional techniques for the extraction of active constituents are time and solvent consuming, thermally unsafe and the analysis of numerous constituents in plant material is limited by the extraction step. This review highlights the importance of extraction step in setting up respectable standards for herbal medicine worldwide. High and fast extraction performance ability with less solvent consumption and protection offered to thermolabile constituents are some of the attractive features of this new promising microwave assisted extraction (MAE) technique. A brief theoretical background of microwave heating and the basic principles of using microwave energy for extraction have been presented for better understanding. Discussions on the main parameters influencing the extraction efficiency (namely solvent nature and volume, extraction time, microwave power, matrix characteristics and temperature) and different statistical optimization strategies are also highlighted. Finally the potential applications of this new method with comparison of its performance to that of classical techniques are also elucidated.
Relationships between the anisotropy parameters for transversely isotropic mudrocks

Studying the empirical relations between seismic anisotropy parameters is important for the simplification and practical applications of seismic anisotropy. The elastic properties of mudrocks are often described by transverse isotropy. Knowing the elastic properties in the vertical and horizontal directions, a sole oblique anisotropy parameter determines the pattern of variation of the elastic properties of a transversely isotropic (TI) medium in all of the other directions. The oblique seismic anisotropy parameter [Formula: see text], which determines seismic reflection moveout behavior, is important in anisotropic seismic data processing and interpretation. Compared to the other anisotropy parameters, the oblique anisotropy parameter is more sensitive to the measurement error. Although, theoretically, only one oblique velocity is needed to determine the oblique anisotropy parameter, the uncertainty can be greatly reduced if multiple oblique velocities in different directions are measured. If a mudrock is not a perfect TI medium but it is expediently treated as one, then multiple oblique velocity measurements in different directions should lead to a more representative approximation of [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] because the directional bias can be reduced. Based on a data quality analysis of the laboratory seismic anisotropy measurement data from the literature, we found that there are strong correlations between the oblique anisotropy parameter and the principal anisotropy parameters when data points of more uncertainty are excluded. Examples of potential applications of these empirical relations are discussed.
Implication of Catchment Morphometric on Small River Discharge of Upper Citarik River, West Java

Upper Citarik River is the Inter Mountainous Valley of Volcanic Denudational Landform in the eastern part of Bandung basin, West-Java. The research area compounds of several degraded small catchments with very low water flow in dry season. This research aims to understand the implications of morphometric characteristics (Slope, Cr, Dd, Hi) on average river flow discharge of small sub-catchments of Upper Citarik River. Discharge data collected based on measurements, while catchments morphometric identified and analyzed based on topographic map using GIS techniques. Correlation graphs were used to understand the relationship among the morphometric parameter and the average river flow discharges. The result were as follow the steeper the slope, the more elongated the shape of catchment, the more distant was the river density, meaning the more younger the erosion cycle of the landform. The younger the erosion cycle of the landform, the smaller was the average river discharge per areal unit of catchments.
Socio economic characteristics of artisanal fishermen in inland waters of Kebbi state, North-West Nigeria

This study aims to unveil the present socio-economic status of fishermen in Kebbi state northwest Nigeria. Three fishing communities were randomly selected and information about fishing gears, fish landing’s diversity and the social status of the fishermen, such as education level, religion, age, occupation, house condition, sanitary condition, and other facilities were collected using a set of structured questionnaire from 289 fishermen in March 2017. In this study, the socio-demographic results revealed that all the fishermen were 100% Muslim by faith. Though, 31.8% were youth between 31 and 40 years old however, only 41.9% had their formal education. On the other hand, most of the fishermen (97.9%) engaged in fishing as their main occupation, with 49.5% categorized as low income earners of the fisher’s community. Looking at the educational level and the standard of living of the fishermen, there is a need for the government and the non-government organizations to place some efforts in other to help in improving the facilities and amenities available within the fishermen community of the Kebbi state.
Experimental Constraints on Intensive Crystallization Parameters and Fractionation in A‐Type Granites: A Case Study on the Qitianling Pluton, South China

Phase equilibrium experiments are essential for robustly and accurately constraining the intensive parameters of magma systems and their fractionation history, which is particularly true for A‐type granites crystallized from H2O‐rich melts and at reducing conditions. Here, we constrain the crystallization conditions of the ferroan (A‐type), Sn‐mineralized Qitianling granite of South China, which formed during a major event of crustal formation and reorganization in the Mesozoic. To characterize the magma system conditions and fractionation, we have carried out a series of experiments on three representative, amphibole‐bearing samples. The experiments were performed at 100–700 MPa (mainly at 200 and 300 MPa), at an fO2 of ~NNO−1.3 (1.3 log unit below the Ni‐NiO buffer) or ~NNO+2.4, at 660 to 900 °C, and at variable H2Omelt (~3–9 wt %). They show that the Qitianling magmas last crystallized at ≥300–350 MPa, at a H2Omelt ≥ 6.5–8.0 wt %, and that magmatic fO2 was ~NNO−1.3 ± 0.5 at above‐solidus conditions. Amphibole texture in the rocks suggests an early crystallization of this mineral, hence that water‐rich (≥4 wt % H2O in melt) conditions prevailed early during the magmatic evolution, prior to amphibole crystallization. At all investigated conditions, amphibole crystallization requires at least 5–6 wt % dissolved H2O, being even absent in the more potassic composition. We interpret this as resulting from the elevated K2O content of the investigated compositions that inhibits amphibole crystallization in metaluminous granitic systems. The experimental liquid line of descent obtained at 200–300 MPa mimics the geochemical trend expressed by the pluton suggesting that fractionation occurred in the upper crustal reservoir.
Response and driving factors of soil microbial diversity related to global nitrogen addition

It is increasingly evident that soil microorganisms play a substantial role in ecosystem processes, which occupy a large part of genetic diversity in terrestrial ecosystems. During the past decades, nitrogen (N) addition induced by human has been regarded as the main driver of global changes to soil microecological processes. Although growing studies demonstrated the loss of biodiversity due to N addition in regional scale, the role of global N addition on soil microbial diversity is lacking. Here, we sought to illuminate the impacts and driving factors of soil microbial diversity in relation to global N addition using a meta‐analysis from 1,078 paired observations in 212 studies. We found a negative influence of global N addition on soil microbial diversity, and the reduction of soil microbial diversity was determined by land use types, N fertility types, methods, N addition rates, and duration. In fact, there was a linear decrease of soil microbial diversity along the latitudinal gradient, and N addition‐induced acidification was the predominant contributor to the reduction of soil microbial diversity. Both of soil properties (pH, soil organic carbon, soil total N, and soil microbial biomass C) and climatic factors (mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation) determined soil microbial diversity under global N addition. It was noted that soil fungal diversity was more adaptable to acidic environments, whereas soil bacterial diversity was more adaptable to neutral environment. Most importantly, soil fungal diversity was more sensitive than soil bacterial diversity under global N addition. Our meta‐analysis provides a new insight in understanding the key role of global N addition in shaping soil microbial diversity. Thereby, we recommend that future research should be focused on the soil microbial processes using manipulative controlled experiments, which identify the available measures to reduce the loss of soil microbial diversity globally.
Necrotizing Pneumonia and Pulmonary Gangrene: Difficulty in Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment

Necrotizing pneumonia and pulmonary gangrene are sequelae of severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and represent distinct entities along the spectrum of pulmonary infections. Early recognition and treatment of these complications are critical because patients often require intensive care unit (ICU) monitoring, mechanical ventilation, aggressive drainage of infected fluid, and possible surgical intervention. Delay in treatment may result in overwhelming sepsis, multiorgan system failure, and even death. We illustrate the life-threatening nature of these diseases with a case presentation and review of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic features, and medical and surgical management of necrotizing pneumonia and pulmonary gangrene.