Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Shallow groundwater condition for irrigation along dryland river basin, northwestern Nigeria

This study investigated shallow groundwater quality and yield for irrigation along Hadejia River Basin of Jigawa State in both the dry and rainy seasons of one year. Sites in the floodplain with a history of irrigation where the use of tube wells is dominant were selected covering a transect of about 135 km. Six transects, oriented perpendicular to the river channel were established within 1 km2 in each site. Three tube wells were sampled and positioned along each transect at regular intervals, making a total of 18 wells in each site. To ensure quality control and quality assurance, the sampling standard methods prescribed by APHA (2005) were followed carefully for the collection of groundwater samples. Pumping test, which was repeated four times at 15 min interval in both morning and evening hours was used to measure groundwater yield. Multivariate statistical tools such as analysis of variance, Pearson product moment correlation, and cluster analysis were used respectively, to test the research hypothesis and to classify sampling points into similar groups based on groundwater quality. Results showed that the suitability of the water is lower in the dry season than in the rainy season. Average yield of wells for evening hours recorded a higher yield of 3.3 l/s (56%) than yield in the morning hours of 2.6 l/s (44%). Although groundwater average yield was found to be within the standard (2.5 l/s) for irrigation, it is realized that any extraction of the resource more than the prevailing rate can induce a decline in groundwater yield. A decision support system is recommended among the strategies to improve groundwater resources management in the area. Key words: Shallow groundwater, condition, floodplain irrigation, River Basin.
The Effects of IMF Bz Periodic Oscillations on Thermospheric Meridional Winds

Previous studies mostly focused on ionosphere and thermosphere responses to strong southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz conditions. However, it is not clear how the ionosphere and thermosphere (IT) system responds to Alfvénic quasi‐periodic oscillating IMF Bz conditions. In this article, simulations by the Coupled Magnetosphere Ionosphere Thermosphere model have been used to investigate the effects of IMF Bz temporal variations with 10‐, 30‐, and 60‐min oscillation periods on the coupled IT system. The simulation results show that the cross polar cap potential and auroral peak electron energy flux are stronger when the IMF Bz oscillation frequency is lower. The relatively small periodic wind responses in the 10‐min IMF oscillation case indicates a low‐pass filter nature of the magnetosphere‐ionosphere‐thermosphere system. Two different thermospheric wind (Vn) responses are revealed. One is the almost simultaneous responses at all latitudes, and the other shows a typical traveling atmospheric disturbances signature with a time delay with respect to the latitude for all UTs. The simultaneous Vn responses at all latitudes appear in the daytime Northern Hemisphere, which are mainly caused by the ion drag force in association with penetration electric fields induced plasma density and ion drifts changes. The short‐period traveling atmospheric disturbances occurring in the nighttime of both hemispheres and the daytime of the Southern Hemisphere propagate from high to low latitudes showing latitudinal dependence. Both responses oscillate with the same frequencies as those of IMF Bz oscillations.
A Simplified Approach for Water Hammer Analysis

The objective of this paper is to provide a practical and simplified approach for the analysis of water hammer phenomenon, develop the pressure transient envelops produced due to water hammer, asses the need for protection, and determine the size of protection device. A typical water supply system consisting of a pump and long transmission pipeline delivering to a terminal reservoir is proposed. About 500 runs are simulated on Bentley Hammer software to cover wide variation of physical and hydraulic parameters. The results of simulation are used to develop a model for the pressure envelops along the pipeline profile and another model for sizing of the protection device needed to reduce the impact of water hammer.
Integrated approach of RUSLE, GIS and ESA Sentinel-2 satellite data for post-fire soil erosion assessment in Basilicata region (Southern Italy)

Abstract Fire effects consist not only in direct damage to the vegetation but also in the modification of both chemical and physical soil properties. Fire can affect the alteration of soil properties in different ways depending on fire severity and soil type. The most important consequences concern changes in soil responsiveness to the water action and the subsequent increase in sediment transport and erosion. Post fire soil loss can increase in the first year by several orders of magnitude compared to pre-fire erosion. In this study a distributed model based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) is used to estimate potential post-fire soil loss for four different fire events occurred in Basilicata region in 2017. Geographic Information System techniques and remote sensing data have been adopted to build a prediction model of post-fire soil erosion risk. Results show that this model is not only able to quantify post-fire soil loss but also to identify the complexity of the relationships between fire severity and all the factors that influence soil susceptibility to erosion.
The Effect of Teaching Using Multimedia Program on Academic Performance of Second Grade Students of Secondary Schools in Empirical Sciences Textbook and Its Comparison with Traditional Method

Background Multimedia programs as a powerful tool to be used to improve the quality of education. This study investigated the effect of education using multimedia programs on academic performance of students. Methods This research was semi-experimental and pre-test, post-test type with control group. In the present research, 40 students in second grade in 2013 - 2014 in Isfahan city were selected using multistage cluster sampling and random methods in two groups, such as control and experimental. Pre-test was performed for both experimental and control groups before the experiment. Students in the experimental group were trained for three units of empirical sciences lesson for 3 months using training multimedia program for an academic semester and control group were totally taught using the traditional method. At the end of the teaching period, educational performance test was administered simultaneously to the experimental and control groups. At the last phase, re-test was conducted on the studied groups in order to examine the rate of memorization of the taught contents using multimedia program after 3 months. The data collection tools were teacher made tests that its validity and reliability were confirmed. Both descriptive and inferential statistics (mean, standard deviation, and T-test) were analyzed with statistical package for social sciences (SPSS19) software. Results The results showed an increase as compared to the pre-test (18.18) and post-test scores (16.35) of the two groups; the experimental group obtained significantly higher achievement test than the control group. Also, the retention test scores of the students in the experimental group showed significant difference (P < 0.001) than the control group. Conclusions Multimedia as a new tool in teaching has new skills for change in education and improve teaching and learning and it can promote with appropriate and correct application the quality of education in educational systems.
Assessment of Water Storage Change in China's Lakes and Reservoirs over the Last Three Decades

Lakes and reservoirs are essential elements of the hydrological and biochemical cycles, considered sentinels of global climate change. However, comprehensive quantifications of their water storage changes (∆V) at a large spatiotemporal scale are still rare. Here, we integrated a global surface water dataset and SRTM digital elevation models, both available from Google Earth Engine platform at a spatial resolution of 30 m, to evaluate ∆V for a total of 760 lakes and reservoirs across China at an annual timescale since 1984. The results indicated that (1) the aggregated water storage went through a slight increase of 41.5 Gt (1.7 Gt/yr) during 1985–2005, a significant decrease of 100 Gt (-20.6 Gt/yr) during 2005–2009, and then increased by 136.3 Gt (21.3 Gt/yr) during 2009–2015. (2) The increasing trend was largely attributed to lakes and reservoirs in the Tibetan Plateau Lake Zone, and the decreasing trend was mainly due to the North and Northwest Lake Zone, with little variations observed for the Northeast and Southwest Lake Zones. (3) Qinghai lake was associated with the largest increase (18.3 Gt) and Poyang lake presented the largest decline (-9.2 Gt). The results can help advance our understanding of the impact of climate change and improve future projection.
Reconnaissance composition of river sand from northern South Island, New Zealand: a modern analogue for southern Taranaki Basin

ABSTRACT The composition of 20 modern sand samples (18 streams, one beach, and one lakeshore) collected from the northern South Island provide a dataset for assessing detrital signatures of Paleozoic-Mesozoic basement terranes that may have served as sediment sources for reservoir sandstones in the Taranaki Basin. Non-plutonic terranes produce lithic-rich sand dominated by metamorphic fragments. Samples derived from erosion of the Rakaia and Caples terranes are more quartz-rich than the other non-plutonic terrane samples. Sand from the Dun Mountain-Maitai and Brook Street terranes has the lowest quartz content and is further distinguished by detrital serpentine. Pervasive pumpellyite-bearing metamorphic lithic fragments characterise the Caples, Dun Mountain-Maitai and Brook Street terranes. Feldspar is rare in Eastern province terrane sand. Sand from the Median Batholith tends to have less quartz than sand from the Karamea Batholith and a higher percentage of plagioclase, while sand from the Karamea Batholith has a higher proportion of potassium feldspar. Petrographic analyses were compared with published reports describing the composition of offshore sandstone reservoirs to evaluate their likely provenance.
Solar‐Related Variations of the Cloud Top Circulation Above Aphrodite Terra From VMC/Venus Express Wind Fields

Winds derived by a digital tracking technique from ultraviolet (365 nm) images captured by the Venus Monitoring Camera (VMC) onboard the Venus Express spacecraft from 2006 to 2013 were used to study the atmospheric circulation at cloud top level (70 ± 2 km). This data set allows variations of the wind speed with both latitude and longitude to be studied and establishes their correlation with surface topography as well as local time dependence. Both zonal and meridional wind components show some correlation with topography. The minimum zonal wind speed was found at noon above Ovda Regio (10°S, 93°E), the highest region of Aphrodite Terra, one of the largest highlands in the equatorial region. The area of slow zonal wind extends to at least 30°S and shifts in the direction of superrotation in the afternoon and with increasing latitude (poleward). The observed deceleration of cloud top wind was recently attributed to the interaction of the gravity (mountain) waves generated by Aphrodite Terra with the atmospheric circulation. The present study was performed for different local time over the mountainous longitudes. The deceleration pattern in the zonal wind field is mainly conserved within a few hours around noon. Systematic longitude shift is observed in the afternoon in the direction of the evening terminator. Another area of perturbation of both zonal and meridional wind components is observed in the equatorial region around LT = 13–14 hr and may be explained by the solar tide.
LATRINE USE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG RURAL COMMUNITY IN INDONESIA

Indonesia is the second-most-populated country still practicing open defecation. The low utilization of latrines is a big problem that can affect human health and the environment. Several sub-districts in Tanggamus Regency have the lowest reported use of a latrine. This study aimed to determine associated factors of latrine usage in Tanggamus Regency in 2017. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 399 households in Tanggamus Regency, Lampung. Sampling was proportional to the total number of household in 20 sub-districts. Respondents were interviewed by a structured questionnaire . Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18.0. The study observed that a majority (55.6%) of the respondents used a latrine; furthermore, more than half of all respondents indicated good knowledge (55.9%), positive attitude (57.4%), good economic status (56.1%), access to a proper latrine (57.6%), good support from health office (55.4%), and availability of clean water (53.4%). Multivariate analysis showed that attitude was the most dominant factor related to the utilization of latrine (P<0.05 and adj OR=3.2). Encouraging communities to translate their positive attitudes into the behavior was very important. Policies, community leaders, and heads of households should all be influenced to change community attitudes to drive consistent latrine use.
Deformation conditions during syn-convergent extension along the Cordillera Blanca shear zone, Peru

Strain localization across the brittle-ductile transition is a fundamental process in accommodating tectonic movement in the mid-crust. The tectonically active Cordillera Blanca shear zone (CBSZ), a ∼200-km-long normal-sense shear zone situated within the footwall of a discrete syn-convergent extensional fault in the Peruvian Andes, is an excellent field laboratory to explore this transition. Field and microscopic observations indicate consistent top-down-to-the-southwest sense of shear and a sequence of tectonites ranging from undeformed granodiorite through mylonite and ultimately fault breccia along the detachment.Using microstructural analysis, two-feldspar and Ti-in-quartz (TitaniQ) thermometry, recrystallized quartz paleopiezometry, and analysis of quartz crystallographic preferred orientations, we evaluate the deformation conditions and mechanisms in quartz and feldspar across the CBSZ. Deformation temperatures derived from asymmetric strain-induced myrmekite in a subset of tectonite samples are 410 ± 30 to 470 ± 36 °C, consistent with TitaniQ temperatures of 450 ± 60 to 490 ± 33 °C and temperatures >400 °C estimated from microstructural criteria. Brittle fabrics overprint ductile fabrics within ∼150 m of the detachment that indicate that deformation continued to lower-temperature (∼280–400 °C) and/or higher-strain-rate conditions prior to the onset of pervasive brittle deformation. Initial deformation occurred via high-temperature fracturing and dissolution-precipitation in feldspar. Continued subsolidus deformation resulted in either layering of mylonites into monophase quartz and fine-grained polyphase domains oriented subparallel to macroscopic foliation or the interconnection of recrystallized quartz networks oriented obliquely to macroscopic foliation. The transition to quartz-controlled rheology occurred at temperatures near ∼500 °C and at a differential stress of ∼16.5 MPa. Deformation within the CBSZ occurred predominantly above ∼400 °C and at stresses up to ∼71.4 MPa prior to the onset of brittle deformation.
The Use of Causal Diagrams to Foster Systems Thinking in Geography Education: Results of an Intervention Study

Abstract Increasing interconnectedness of people and goods enhances the complexity of geographical problems. For students to understand geography, systems thinking—and in this context, the use of causal diagrams—is a promising approach. A quasi-experimental design is used in which the systems thinking ability of students working with causal diagrams is compared to a control group where students did not work with causal diagrams. Pre- and posttests were taken by 448 students in the experimental group and 168 students in the control group. The results indicate that students in the experimental group outperform students in the control group.
THE EFFECT OF TEACHING GRAMMAR THROUGH THE TASK-SUPPORTED STRUCTURAL MODEL ON EFL LEARNERS' GRAMMATICAL ACHIEVEMENT (GÖREV-DESTEKLİ YAPISAL MODEL KULLANILARAK GERÇEKLEŞTİRİLEN DİLBİLGİSİ ÖĞRETİMİNİN EFL ÖĞRENCİLERİNİN DİLBİLGİSİ BAŞARILARI ÜZERİNDEKİ ETKİSİ)

syllabus and its main organizational unit has always been a central concern in the field of English language teaching. The present study was an attempt to investigate the effectiveness of the task- supported structural syllabus (TSSS) on the learners' grammatical achievement. This syllabus type claims to have overcome the sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic drawbacks of the structural syllabus by incorporating tasks into its framework. To this end, two groups of elementary EFL students participated in this study. The participants in the first group received their instruction on four target grammatical forms through the presentation-practice-production (PPP) model and the participants in the other group were taught the same grammatical forms through the task-supported structural (TSS) model. The results obtained indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the post-test scores of both groups.
Species Composition and Carbon Stock of Tree Cover at a Postdisturbance Area in Tatra National Park, Western Carpathians

Our study focused on a postdisturbance area that arose after the large-scale windstorm on 19 November 2004 in Tatra National Park, northern Slovakia. The wind destroyed forest stands dominated by Norway spruce at elevations from 700 to 1400 m above sea level. The windstorm dramatically changed the forest stands in the national park, motivating our research teams to study postdisturbance tree cover dynamics. We quantified tree species composition (diversity) and carbon pool in whole-tree biomass of young forest stands after the disturbance, in 2007, 2010, and 2016. The number of tree species was significantly greater at lower (below 900 m; foothill sites) than higher elevations (above 900 m; mountain sites). The number of species increased between 2007 and 2010, and after 2010 almost stabilized. In 2007, estimates showed an average of 1.9 tons of carbon per hectare in the lower sites and only 0.4 tons in higher sites. Between 2007 and 2016, carbon stocks in whole-tree biomass grew to 11.5 t ha-1 in lower sites and 5.3 t ha-1 in higher ones, with an average for the entire area of about 8 t ha-1. Estimates showed that the carbon stock in whole-tree biomass before the calamity (in 1996) was 101 t ha-1. After the wind disturbance, higher biomass stock was found among conifers (especially Norway spruce) at lower elevations and among broadleaves (mostly birch) at higher elevations. We found that tree species composition after the wind disturbance was more diverse than that before forest destruction. The current tree species composition seems to be a positive consequence of disturbance, especially given the species composition's resistance to harmful agents, including wind and bark beetles.
Solar resource assessment at high latitude regions

Estimating/retrieving solar radiation through satellite-based remote sensing provides larger spatial coverage compared to other methods. Accurate estimates of incoming solar radiation is important when planning new solar energy installations. In addition, these estimates are also used in climate studies. Geostationary satellites are ideal for estimating solar radiation but cannot be used for high latitudes because of an unfavourable viewing angle; however, polar-orbiting satellites provide an alternative. CLoud, Albedo RAdiation edition 2 (CLARA-A2) is the latest retrieval product of cloud properties, surface albedo and surface solar radiation by Satellite Application Facility on Climate Monitoring (CM-SAF) based on Advance Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) observations from polar orbiting satellites. This data set covers the whole earth and provides daily and monthly averages. In this study, we have evaluated the CLARA-A2 data set and the previous version CLARA-A1 to in-situ high-quality observations from specific locations in Scandinavia, with a focus on solar radiation at high latitudes. The results show that both datasets perform within the target accuracies of CM-SAF, although the new data points, which were previously not available in CLARA-A1 due to snow-cover and cloud differentiation, have high deviations. Nevertheless, yearly average energy estimates are more accurate in CLARA-A2 because of these new points. For Swedish locations, mean absolute deviation (MAD) of 8.1Wm and 8.7Wm for CLARA-A1 and A2 respectively were calculated for updated values. Similarly, for Norwegian locations MAD of 8Wm and 8.9Wm were calculated for CLARA-A1 and A2. Overall, for all locations MAD lies at 8.1Wm and 8.8Wm for CLARA-A1 and A2, respectively. CLARA A2 has more temporal data points than CLARA A1, however, the MAD of the new data points that were not available in CLARA-A1 are 15.2Wm and 17.7Wm for Swedish and Norwegian sites, respectively.
Stretch activation in muscle : a Ca²+ independent mechanism?.

The aim of this thesis has been the understanding at the molecular level of stretch activation in muscles. Stretch activation is a feature common to all types of muscle. Such a mechanism is particularly important in cardiac muscles in vertebrates and in indirect flight muscles in insects. Here, the three-dimensional structure of Lethocerus troponin C isoform (FI), recently discovered to be crucial in regulating stretch-activated contraction, is presented. The interactions between FI and the other subunits of the Lethocerus troponin trimer are also analyzed. Finally a model for stretch activation in muscle, based on the experimental data produced during this thesis, is proposed.
Ecosystem responses to abrupt climatic and environmental change in southern Siberia during the Late Quaternary

The Late Quaternary documents climatic changes over a number of timescales. These are well studied in many regions, including Northern Europe, but much less so in some critical areas. One such region is continental southern Siberia, which is highly sensitive to modern climate changes. Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions are essential to provide context for these changes, and to examine regional sensitivity to climate forcing, however studies in Siberia are limited and good records of the last 30 ka BP, an important period for studying climatic changes, are rare. This thesis reconstructs the palaeoenvironment of Lake Baunt (55°11’15” N, 113°01’45” E), a site situated at the southern limits of Siberian permafrost, over the Late Quaternary (~30-6 ka BP). The reconstruction is based on a high-resolution diatom study from a record with excellent preservation, combined with organic geochemistry, and  18Odiatom/ 13Cdiatom, for the LGIT and Early Holocene, and supporting data, integrated through Bayesian age modelling. Baunt records the LGM, Heinrich events 1 and 2, the Lateglacial Interstadial, Younger Dryas, and Holocene fluctuations, shown through changes in ecosystem productivity, carbon cycling and hydrology. This highlights Baunt’s sensitivity to extrinsic climate forcing. Internal forcing’s have also been important factors, with local glacier melt influencing the record. Comparisons to regional and key Northern Hemisphere sites, along with climate models, has added to the understanding of the expression of these events in Southern Siberia. In particular, this work has shown that there is a complex response to Heinrich events, and also confirms suggestions of a link between AMOC and Siberian climate in the Early Holocene. This work highlights the sensitivity of southern Siberia to past climatic forcing and shows the need for more work in both this lake, and other sites within the region, to further understanding of how palaeoclimatic change influences regions remote from oceanic influences.