Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Atmospheric moisture budget in the Arctic based on the ERA‐40 reanalysis

The atmospheric moisture budget in the Arctic in 1979–2001 was analysed on the basis of the ERA‐40 reanalysis. Zonal variations in the profiles of specific humidity mainly occur at altitudes below 5 km. The moisture transport peaks at altitudes lower than previously suggested; the median peak level of meridional moisture flux (MMF) across 70°N is in winter at 930 hPa pressure level and in other seasons at 970–990 hPa level. Mean precipitable water for the polar cap (70–90°N) ranges from 2.4 mm in winter to 12.3 mm in summer. Transient eddies (TE) are responsible for most of the water vapour transport across 70°N by providing from 81% of MMF in winter to 92% of MMF in summer. The contribution by stationary eddies (SE) ranges from 5 to 9%, whereas the contribution of mean meridional circulation (MMC) ranges from 1% in summer to 12% in winter. Relative inter‐annual variation in MMF components is highest for SE (standard deviation/mean = 133%), second highest for the MMC (61%) and smallest for TE (4%). The MMF across 70°N accounts for 59% of the annual precipitation. Averaged for the polar cap, the mean annual moisture flux convergence (192 mm) and net precipitation (179 mm) are close to each other, but local differences exceeding 200 mm occur at several places. Over the open ocean, the moisture flux convergence is considered more reliable. The Arctic Oscillation (AO) index correlates with MMF in spring and winter (correlation coefficient r = 0.75) and with net precipitation in spring (r = 0.61) and winter (r = 0.50). The AO and precipitable water correlate in Canada and Greenland in winter and spring (r = − 0.7) and in Europe in winter (r = 0.8). Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Estimating Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Tropically Weathered Sedimentary Rock Using Indirect Tests

Uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of intact rock is particularly important in rock mechanic studies, especially for those involving civil and mining projects. However, the determination of UCS using direct test is generally expensive, time consuming and almost impossible in preparation of samples for highly weathered sedimentary rocks. In view of this, indirect tests are comparatively cheap, simpler, faster and more convenient to perform either in laboratory or at site. This paper aims to develop an estimation procedure in determining the UCS values of such weak weathered rocks. Among the indirect tests present herein are point load index, Schmidt Rebound hammer, Brazilian tensile test and slake durability test. Unfortunately, it was found that the accuracy of each single test varies with weathering states. Hence, a recommended procedure using combined indirect tests in determining UCS of weak sedimentary rocks is presented herein.
Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS

Purpose of review: HIV-infected children are at increased risk of developing cancer. Many of the cancers in HIV-infected children are linked to immunosuppression and oncogenic co-infections. Worldwide most HIV-infected children live in sub-Saharan Africa, but cancer data for this population are scarce. In this article we review the current literature on the epidemiology and prevention of cancer in HIV-infected children. Recent findings: Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) reduces the risk of developing cancer in HIVinfected children. Cancer risk remains increased in children who start cART at older ages or more advanced immunosuppression as compared to children who start cART at younger age and with mild immunosuppression. Starting cART before severe immunosuppression develops is key to prevent cancer in HIV-infected children but most children in low-income countries start cART at severe immunosuppression levels. Vaccination against high risk variants of human papilloma virus may protect again HPV-associated cancer later in life. However, tailoring of HPV-vaccination guidelines for HIV-infected children and young women awaits answers to determine the best vaccination strategies. Summary: Better data on the short and long-term risk of developing cancer and the effects of preventive measures in HIV-infected children from regions with high burden of HIV/AIDS are urgently needed.
GA3 Application Alters Flowering Phenology of `Hass' Avocado

The objectives of the present research were to quantify 1) the contribution that vegetative shoots produced in the summer vs. fall and indeterminate vs. determinate inflorescences make to yield and 2) the effects of GA3 on flowering expression and inflorescence phenology of summer and fall shoots of 'Hass' avocado (Persea americana Mill.) under field conditions. Anthesis started earlier on fall than summer shoots of 10-year-old 'Hass' avocado trees; however, no difference in the date of full bloom was observed. Indeterminate inflorescences that underwent early anthesis set more fruit than those with delayed anthesis, conversely, determinate inflorescences with delayed anthesis set more fruit. Indeterminate inflorescences comprised 90% of total inflorescences and contributed 73% of total fruit yield, but individual determinate inflorescences were at least three times more productive than the indeterminate ones. Summer and fall shoots were sprayed with 0, 50,100, or 1000 mg-L -1 GA3 in November, December or January. GA3 stimulated apical growth of all shoots. If secondary axes of an inflorescence bud were differentiated at the time of GA3 application, the inflorescence developed in advance of inflorescences on branches not treated with GA3. In addition, GA3 caused precocious development of the vegetative shoot of indeterminate inflorescences relative to the flowers in the same inflorescence and relative to the vegetative shoot of indeterminate inflorescences from untreated branches. Stimulation of vegetative growth at the inflorescence apex by GA3 inhibited growth of axillary buds. GA3 at 50 mg-L -1 had no effect on the number of determinate or indeterminate inflorescences produced
Reliability Analysis of Driving Behaviour in Road Traffic System Considering Synchronization of Neural Activity

This paper aims to disclose the reliability of driving behaviour in road traffic system. For this purpose, the drivers’ electroencephalography (EEG) signals were collected with Emotiv, a portable device, and used for an experiment in actual driving environment. Through the analysis on the synchronization of 14-channel EGG signals, the author identified a proper threshold, and determined whether the brain network nodes are connected or not. On this basis, a brain network model was created for the drivers. The driving behaviour reliability of the drivers was discussed in detailed considering brain network parameters (clustering coefficient and global efficiency) and the power spectrum features of EEG signals. The research results show that, with the increase in driving time, the intercity drivers became increasingly fatigued and their brain network continued to densify, pushing up the network parameters like clustering coefficient and global efficiency. In this case, the neuronal activities became increasingly synchronized across the brain regions. In addition, the two brain network parameters of the drivers were less discrete and more accurate than the fatigue indicator of EEG power spectrum features. Therefore, the analysis of brain network parameters is a precise and feasible method for discussing driving behaviour reliability.
From Philosophy to Phenomenology: The Argument for a “Soft” Perennialism

This paper argues for a soft perennialism, distinct from the hard perennialism which suggests that spiritual and religious traditions are expressions of the same underlying spiritual realities. There are two reasons why it is necessary to think in terms of a soft perennial model: firstly, because of a number of important common themes or trends across spiritual traditions; and secondly (and most importantly) because when the process of expansion of being or awakening occurs outside the context of spiritual traditions, broadly the same themes and tendencies appear, suggesting that there is a common landscape of experience which precedes interpretation and conceptualization by spiritual traditions. This applies to the perception of an all-pervading spiritual energy or force which may—in some traditions—become conceptualized as an allegedly ultimate reality but is not necessarily seen in those terms. It is suggested that transpersonal psychology would benefit from loosening its association with spiritual traditions and focusing more on studying expansive states of being in a nontraditional, secular context.
Optimisation of the synthesis and modification of CdTe quantum dots for enhanced live cell imaging

We report the preparation and luminescence enhancement of thioglycolic acid (TGA) stabilised CdTe quantum dots (QDs) for use as live cell imaging tools in THP-1 macrophage cells. Short irradiating times utilising a high powered Hg lamp resulted in increases in luminescence efficiencies of up to ∼40% and permit significantly enhanced live imaging of the THP-1 cellular components. It was found that the TGA-stabilised QDs traverse the cell membrane, illuminating the cytoplasm and decorating the nuclear membrane. These studies highlight the potential use of photoetched CdTe QDs as probes for specific in vitro labelling.
Performance related pay, productivity and wages in Italy: a quantile regression approach

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of performance-related pay (PRP) on productivity and wages of Italian firms. Design/methodology/approach - – A unique data set for the Italian economy, obtained from the ISFOL Employer and Employee Surveys (2005, 2007, 2010), is used to estimate the relationship between PRP, labour productivity and wages, also controlling for an ample set of covariates. The authors performed standard quantile regressions (QRs) to investigate heterogeneity in associations of PRP with labour productivity and wages. In a second stage, the endogeneity of PRP was taken into account by using instrumental variable QR techniques. Findings - – The econometric estimates suggests that PRP are incentive schemes that substantially lead to efficiency enhancements and wage gains. These findings are confirmed for firms under union governance and suggest that well-designed policies, that circumvent the limited implementation of PRP practices, would guarantee productivity improvement and wage premiums for employees. Research limitations/implications - – The main limitation of the findings concerns PRP data, that do not offer statistical information on different types of schemes, at group or individual level. Originality/value - – This paper is the first to investigate, on a national scale for the Italian economy, the role of PRP on both productivity and wages, in order to shed light on the efficiency and distributive implications, whereas most of the studies of related literature are restricted to one of those aspects.
Lifestyle Factors Influencing Coronary Heart Disease

This descriptive study examines the lifestyle factors influencing Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) patients in Teaching Hospital (TH) Jaffna. Jaffna has considerable incidence of CHD and there were high rates of admissions of acute and chronic CHD patients at TH Jaffna (Annual Hospital Statistics, 2014). Many cardiac treatments are available to prevent CHD in Jaffna but the incidences are still high. It is assumed that an active lifestyle may help to prevent these conditions. This study observed the lifestyle factors such as dietary habits, pattern of exercise, habit of smoking and alcohol intake. The study has been carried out at the cardiology unit and all medical units of the TH Jaffna from the 15th of November to the end of December 2014. 150 CHD patients were administered a questionnaires which were used to collect data. Convenience sampling technique was used to collect the sample. This study has shown that CHD patients at TH Jaffna were initially affected by lack of exercises (75%). Participants who followed an unhealthy dietary habit were 69% and participants who habitually smoked were 37% and alcoholics were 29%. This study revealed that most of the participants do not perform any exercise and follow unhealthy food habits. A significant number of participants are influenced by smoking and few of them are at risk of CHD by alcohol consumption.
3-D scattering of obliquely incident Rayleigh waves by a saturated alluvial valley in a layered half-space

In this paper, three-dimensional (3-D) scattering of obliquely incident Rayleigh waves by a saturated alluvial valley embedded in a layered half-space is studied in the frequency domain by using the indirect boundary element method. The total responses are assumed as the sum of the free-field responses and scattered-field responses. The free-field responses are calculated using the direct stiffness method and the scatter-field responses outside and inside of the valley are simulated by applying two sets of fictitious moving distributed loads and pore pressures on the interface of the valley. The amplitudes of the fictitious distributed loads and pore pressures are determined from the boundary conditions. The method is validated by comparing the results with the results published in the literature, and numerical results are obtained for a saturated valley embedded in a uniform saturated half-space and in a single elastic layer overlying elastic half-space. The effects of incident frequency, incident angle, porosity, drainage condition, and soil layers on the dynamic responses are discussed. It is found that 3-D scattering is different from the 2-D case. As the porosity decreased, the pore pressures around the valley became smaller but their oscillations became violent. The wave fields in a layered site are determined by the “dynamic interaction between valley and the layered half-space” and the dispersion characteristics of Rayleigh waves for the given layered-half-space.
Is there a close association between 'soils' and 'vegetation'? A case study from central western New South Wales

The assumption that 'soils' and 'vegetation' are closely associated was tested by describing soils and vegetation along a Travelling Stock Reserve west of Grenfell, New South Wales (lat 33° 55'S, long 147° 45'E). The transect was selected on the basis of (a) minimising the effects of non-soil factors (human interference, climate and relief) on vegetation and (b) the presence of various soil and vegetation types as indicated by previous mapping. 'Soils' were considered at three levels: soil landscapes (a broad mapping unit widely used in central western NSW), soil types (according to a range of classifications) and soil properties (depth, pH, etc.). 'Vegetation' was considered in three ways: vegetation type (in various classifications), density/floristic indices (density of woody species, abundance of native species, etc.) and presence/absence of individual species. Sites along the transect were grouped according to soil landscapes or soil types and compared to vegetation types or indices recorded at the sites. Various measures indicated low associations between vegetation types and soil landscapes or soil types. Except for infrequent occurrences of a soil type or landscape, any one soil type or landscape was commonly associated with a number of vegetation types and any one vegetation type was associated with a number of soil landscapes or soil types. However, significant associations between some vegetation indices, mainly density or numbers of woody species, and some soil landscapes and soil types were evident. Although many species were relatively ubiquitous, some groups of species that were restricted to one or two soil types were identified. Canonical Correspondence Analysis provided some suggestions as to which properties (e.g. texture) of these soils were associated with the presence of particular species.
Comparison between TanDEM-X- and ALS-based estimation of aboveground biomass and tree height in boreal forests

ABSTRACT Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data from TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurement (TanDEM-X) were used to estimate aboveground biomass (AGB) and tree height with linear regression models. These were compared to models based on airborne laser scanning (ALS) data at two Swedish boreal forest test sites, Krycklan (64°N19°E) and Remningstorp (58°N13°E). The predictions were validated using field data at the stand-level (0.5–26.1 ha) and at the plot-level (10 m radius). Additionally, the ALS metrics percentile 99 (p99) and vegetation ratio, commonly used to estimate AGB and tree height, were estimated in order to investigate the feasibility of replacing ALS data with TanDEM-X InSAR data. Both AGB and tree height could be estimated with about the same accuracy at the stand-level from both TanDEM-X- and ALS-based data. The AGB was estimated with 17.2% and 14.6% root mean square error (RMSE) and the tree height with 7.6% and 4.1% RMSE from TanDEM-X data at the stand-level at the two test sites Krycklan and Remningstorp. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the TanDEM-X height and the ALS height p99 were r = . 98 and r = . 95 at the two test sites. The TanDEM-X height contains information related to both tree height and forest density, which was validated from several estimation models.
Movements of reef fishes across marine reserve boundaries: effects of manipulating a density gradient

Marine reserves should display net export of biomass if they are to be of use in fisheries management. We assessed experimentally the export of fish biomass ('spillover') from 2 marine reserves on the Great Barrier Reef. Using the mark-recapture technique with traps, and hook-and- line fishing, movements of serranids, lutjanids and lethrinids were monitored at 2 experimental and 2 control sites. Experimental sites were bisected by reserve boundaries into 'zones' open and closed to fishing. Control sites were protected from fishing, with an arbitrary boundary creating 2 equal zones. Between 1997 and 1999, 1374 individuals were externally tagged, and during 1999 densities were manipulated twice. Underwater visual census (UVC) surveys revealed pre-manipulation den- sity gradients between zones that were weak at real boundaries, and stronger at the arbitrary control boundaries. Movements were highly localized, with over 60% of recaptures being made within the 50 × 30 m block of initial capture. The mean distances moved differed between the 3 species with the highest recapture rates: Plectropomus leopardus (Serranidae) moved distances >100 m, Lutjanus car- ponotatus (Lutjanidae) occasionally moved over 50 m, while Cephalopholis cyanostigma (Serranidae) was predominantly caught within the block of initial capture. Movements across real or control boundaries were rare. Twice in 1999, fish densities in zones open to fishing at the experimental sites were reduced by spearfishing (by 61 to 64% and 57 to 83%, respectively). UVC revealed density gra- dients at the experimental boundaries and no changes at non-manipulated control sites. There was no evidence of experimentally induced directional movements, using traps or hook-and-line sampling; however, 3 species (C. cyanostigma, L. carponotatus, L. quinquelineatus) did show a propensity for increased movements. Detection of spillover requires powerful sampling designs incorporating strong density gradients across large numbers of reserve boundaries.
Synthesis, Biological, and Quantum Chemical Studies of Zn(II) and Ni(II) Mixed-Ligand Complexes Derived from N,N-Disubstituted Dithiocarbamate and Benzoic Acid

Some mixed-ligand complexes of Zn(II) and Ni(II) derived from the sodium salt of N-alkyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate and benzoic acid have been prepared. The complexes are represented as ZnMDBz, ZnEDBz, NiMDBz, and NiEDBz (MD: N-methyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate, ED: N-ethyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate, and Bz: benzoate); and their coordination behavior was characterized on the basis of elemental analyses, IR, electronic spectra, magnetic and conductivity measurements, and quantum chemical calculations. The magnetic moment measurement and electronic spectra were in agreement with the four proposed coordinate geometries for nickel and zinc complexes and were corroborated by the theoretical quantum chemical calculations. The quantum chemically derived thermodynamics parameters revealed that the formation of N-methyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate complexes is more thermodynamically favourable than that of the N-ethyl-N-phenyl dithiocarbamate complexes. The bioefficacy of the mixed-ligand complexes examined against different microbes showed moderate to high activity against the test microbes. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant studies of the metal complexes showed that the ethyl substituted dithiocarbamate complexes exhibited better anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties than the methyl substituted dithiocarbamate complexes.
ANALYSIS OF RESPONSES OF FIELD PEAS TO IRRIGATION AND SOWING DATE 2. MODELS OF GROWTH AND WATER USE

Four simple models were used to help explain how 3 sowing times and 6 irrigation treatments caused growth and water use to vary in a field pea experiment, and to analyse the transpiration efficiency and response of drought to peas. A water use model which estimates transpiration and soil evaporation separately described the evapotranspiration of the crops as measured by the water balance method. However, evapotranspiration rates were similar for all treatments because regular rainfall occurred. Differences among treatments in ground cover, the main crop factor usually affected by water deficit, were small. Analyses with a growth model showed that the treatments caused yield variations mainly by affecting the duration of growth, and therefore the amounts of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) intercepted by the crops. Water deficit reduced yields by curtailing the seed-fill period; this resulted in reduced harvest indices. Yields varied among sowing times mainly because of different opportunities to intercept PAR. There were also less significant effects of changed PAR utilisation efficiencies and harvest indices. Transpiration efficiency was reasonably stable if the daytime vapour pressure deficit was taken into account. This means that yield cannot be increased without using more water in transpiration; the conditions required to achieve maximum yields are the same as for maximum water use. A drought response model accurately described the seed yield response to water deficit, relative to the potential yields in fully irrigated conditions. We conclude that this model is the most useful because it allows irrigation to be subjected to accurate cost-benefit analysis. Analysis of the experimental results using the four models helped explain how the treatments caused variations in crop performance and provided insights into how crop growth and water use interacted with the environment. Therefore it was possible to draw conclusions which should apply in other circumstances.