Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
3D mapping of optical turbulence using an atmospheric numerical model - II. First results at Cerro Paranal

The first statistical results of simulations of optical turbulence over Cerro Paranal by an atmospheric non-hydrostatic model (Meso-Nh) are presented. Measurements from the whole PARSCA93 campaign are analyzed. Simulations are compared to optical measurements obtained by a Scidar and a DIMM working at the same time during 14 nights 13-26 May 1993 over Paranal (Chile). An orographic model with a horizontal resolution of 500 m is implemented in Meso-Nh to study its sensitivity to the orographic effects. The model is initialized with radiosoundings profiles provided by Antofagasta station (70.43 W, 23.43 S) and ECMWF analyses extracted from the nearest grid point (70.31 W, 23.62 S) to this meteorological station. A detailed quality study of radiosounding and analyses is presented. No radiosoundings were provided by Antofagasta station during 4 nights and numerical instabilies were generated by the model during the 13 and 26 May 1993 nights. So, only 8 nights were actually studied. Two statistical methods are presented: Method A has a high temporal resolution, Method B has a high vertical spatial resolution. Method A compares integrated values (seeing) provided by simulations and measurements, Method B compares the $C_{\rm N}^2 \ $ profiles. Different statistical estimators are computed for both the methods. We demonstrate that the model can reproduce well the spatial distribution of the optical turbulence in both the high and low atmospheric regions but the unreliability of Antofagasta radiosoundings hampers the statistical results of the numerical technique. To better test the performance of the model, a comparison between the numerical and the forecasting-by-persistence techniques is presented. With a poor statistical sample (only 8 nights), no conclusive statements can be made about the performances of the two techniques. The model ability to discriminate between the best ( e = 0.38) and the worst ( e = 1.38) nights of the campaign is promising for the future implementation of the numerical technique for flexible scheduling of telescopes.
Contract production as a method to reduce welfare loss caused by market uncertainty of seed potato

The aim of this study is to show whether contract production between seed and food potato producers lessens market uncertainty, reduce welfare losses for both parties and increase efficiency in the entire potato chain. These problems were approached from the point of view of the principal-agent theory combined with dif- ferent contract models. Results indicate that no contract model provided seed potato producers with average positive net profits, and profitability ratios for seed potato farms stayed below one. The results indicate that seed potato producers trading on a fixed-price and pre-emptive market could sell their seed potato for 13 per cent less than on a transaction market, but with equal net profits. The more consistent supply chain leads to less market uncertainty. If the food potato producer was not party to the contract, there was no marked decrease in market uncertainty. With contract production the needs of contract parties could be controlled, but it will be up to the objectives of the party offering the contract, which party in the potato chain most benefits from the contract production.
New Robust Energy Storage Devices for Deregulated AGC Problems

This paper presents a suitable mathematical model of Hydro-Thermal (H-T), Wind-Diesel (W-D) and Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) system under deregulated environment. The variable power consumption as well as intermittent load variation may cause large fluctuations on system frequency. To reduce the system oscillations Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) and Capacitive Energy Storage (CES), which will supply and absorb active, reactive powers quickly, can be applied. In addition, variation of system parameters, load and unpredictable power demands cause various uncertainties in the system. Energy storage devices so far designed without considering such uncertainties may lose control effect. To enhance the robustness of storage devices, this paper focuses on a new SMES and CES robust frequency controllers are designed for three area power system. The coprime factorization method is used to represent the unstructured uncertainties in a system modeling. The structure of SMES and CES controller are the practical first order lead/lag compensator. To tune the controller parameters, the optimization problem is formulated based on loop shaping technique. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) is applied to solve the problem to achieve the controller parameters and also to optimize the Integral Controllers of three area power system in deregulated environment.
The Rapidity Distributions and the Thermalization Induced Transverse Momentum Distributions in Au-Au Collisions at RHIC Energies

It is widely believed that the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) might be formed in the current heavy ion collisions. It is also widely recognized that the relativistic hydrodynamics is one of the best tools for describing the process of expansion and hadronization of QGP. In this paper, by taking into account the effects of thermalization, a hydrodynamic model including phase transition from QGP state to hadronic state is used to analyze the rapidity and transverse momentum distributions of identified charged particles produced in heavy ion collisions. A comparison is made between the theoretical results and experimental data. The theoretical model gives a good description of the corresponding measurements made in Au-Au collisions at RHIC energies.
The Gaia-ESO Survey: Inhibited extra mixing in two giants of the open cluster Trumpler 20?

We report the discovery of two Li-rich giants, with A(Li) ~ 1.50, in an analysis of a sample of 40 giants of the open cluster Trumpler 20 (with turnoff mass ~1.8 M⊙). The cluster was observed in the context of the Gaia-ESO Survey. Methods. The atmospheric parameters and Li abundances were derived using high-resolution UVES spectra. The Li abundances were corrected for nonlocal thermodynamical equilibrium (non-LTE) effects. Results. Only upper limits of the Li abundance could be determined for the majority of the sample. Two giants with detected Li turned out to be Li rich: star MG 340 has A(Li)non-LTE = 1.54 ± 0.21 dex and star MG 591 has A(Li)non-LTE = 1.60 ± 0.21 dex. Star MG 340 is on average ~0.30 dex more rich in Li than stars of similar temperature, while for star MG 591 this difference is on average ~0.80 dex. Carbon and nitrogen abundances indicate that all stars in the sample have completed the first dredge-up. Conclusions. The Li abundances in this unique sample of 40 giants in one open cluster clearly show that extra mixing is the norm in this mass range. Giants with Li abundances in agreement with the predictions of standard models are the exception. To explain the two Li-rich giants, we suggest that all events of extra mixing have been inhibited. This includes rotation-induced mixing during the main sequence and the extra mixing at the red giant branch luminosity bump. Such inhibition has been suggested in the literature to occur because of fossil magnetic fields in red giants that are descendants of main-sequence Ap-type stars. (Less)
SURFACE RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS OF LHC DIPOLE BEAM SCREEN SAMPLES

An estimate of the resistive losses in the LHC dipole beam screen is given from cold surface resistance measurements using the shielded pair technique. Several beam screen samples have been evaluated, with different copper coating methods, including a sample with ribbed surface envisaged to reduce electron cloud losses thanks to its low reflectivity. Experimental data, derived by a proper analysis of the measured Q-factors and including error estimates are compared with theoretical predictions of the anomalous skin effect.
Distribution of wild boar (Sus scrofa) damage and harvest loss in crop fields

The last decades the populations of wild boar (Sus scrofa) has increased rapidly over the species’ entire European range, including Sweden. This is followed by increasing human-wildlife conflicts as a result of the wild boar foraging behavior, causing damage to agricultural crop fields due to trampling and feeding. To be able to minimize damage we need more knowledge of where in the fields the risk of damage is high and what features in the landscape that affect this risk. I analyzed damage distribution in relation to the distance to six different landscape features; forest, road, ditch, building, game field and bait station, in the study area, the Island Morko in eastern central Sweden. A binary logistic regression analysis showed that damage increased with proximity to forest, road, ditch and bait station, strongest affected by the distance to forest and bait station. The damage also showed to be more severe closer to the forest edge. I also calculated the cost of wild boar damage, during the harvest season of 2010, based on the field survey. The apparent income loss due to damaged and reduced harvest in wheat, oats and barley fields was this year about 120 000 SEK. This sum indicates a significant problem and point at the need for measures to minimize damage. My results suggest, for example, that sensitive crops like wheat should be cultivated on fields with less edge towards the forest, and that bait stations should be placed as far away from fields as possible.
Integrating Learning Management System with Facebook Function: The Effect on Perception towards Online Project Based Collaborative Learning

This study evaluates the effect on Perception towards Online Project Based Collaborative Learning (OPBCL). OPBCL was developed by integrating Moodle forum with Facebook function and using project based learning approach. A quasi-experiment was conducted with two classes of polytechnic students for three weeks which involved 54 students. Data were obtained using Perception of Online Collaborative Learning Questionnaire (POCLQ). The study was conducted to evaluate students’ perceptions toward CIDOS and OPBCL platform based on Learning Environment (LE), Learning Design (LD), Learning Interaction (LI) and Soft Skills (SS) construct. All collected data were analysed using SPSS 19.0 software. Overall, the findings revealed that perception score in OPBCL platform is higher than CIDOS platform. Evaluation based on constructs showed that except for LD construct, other constructs have shown that score in OPBCL platform is higher than CIDOS platform. OPBCL has shown to be a better online learning platform that can promote students’ interaction in project based learning approach.
The effect of waste loading on the structure and leach resistance of borosilicate glass for Savannah River Site Sb2 waste immobilization

A High Level Waste (HLW) surrogate with chemical composition corresponding to the Savannah River Site Sludge Batch 2 (SB2) composition was vitrified using a commercially available lithium-sodium-borosilicate frit 320 in a laboratory resistive furnace and inductive cold crucible melter (ICCM). The waste loading in these tests ranged between 45 and 65 wt. %. The vitrified products were composed of a major vitreous matrix and a minor crystalline phase with the magnetite-type spinel structure. The content of the spinel phase in the products increased from 3-6 vol.% at 45 wt. % waste loading to 18-20 vol.% at 60 wt. % waste loading due to an increase of iron oxide content in the glasses. Moreover, traces of sulfate/chloride-bearing 'yellow' phase were observed on the surface of glass with 55 wt. % waste loading melted in the resistive furnace at a temperature of 1200 deg. C whereas no 'yellow' phase was found in the product produced in the cold crucible. The 'yellow' phase was present in the products with 60 wt. % waste loading melted in the resistive furnace at temperatures of 1200 and 1250 deg. C but its content significantly decreased after melting at 1300 deg. C and it disappeared after melting at 1350 deg. C duemore » to thermal decomposition of sodium sulfate. The product with the same waste loading but melted in the cold crucible did not contain the 'yellow' phase. Uranium in all the products entered the vitreous phase and variation in waste loading resulted in a minor effect on uranium speciation. Leachability data determined using the Product Consistency Test (PCT) procedure demonstrated similar normalized release and leach rate values of B, Li, Na, and Si for the products with 45 to 50 wt. % waste loading. At waste loadings equal to or greater than about 55 wt % there was an apparent decrease in durability. This is likely due to destruction of the glass network and formation of a nepheline phase in the glass. (authors)« less
Preparation and Properties of PTFE-PMMA Core-Shell Nanoparticles and Nanocomposites

The preparation of polytetrafluoroethylene-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PTFE-PMMA) core-shell particles was described, featuring controlled size and narrow size distribution over a wide compositional range, through a seeded emulsion polymerization starting from a PTFE seed of 26 nanometers. Over the entire MMA/PTFE range, the particle size increases as the MMA/PTFE ratio increases. A very precise control over the particle size can be exerted by properly adjusting the ratio between the monomer and the PTFE seed. Particles in the 80–240 nm range can be prepared with uniformity indexes suited to build 2D and 3D colloidal crystals. These core-shell particles were employed to prepare nanocomposites with different compositions, through an annealing procedure at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the shell forming polymer. A perfect dispersion of the PTFE particles within the PMMA matrix was obtained and optically transparent nanocomposites were prepared containing a very high PTFE amount.
Secondary Metabolites Approach to Study the Bio-Efficacy of Trichoderma asperellum Isolates in India

The worldwide 1.5 million fungal species were identified and among them around 10% have been discovered and described. Out of 10%, only1% fungal species has been examined for secondary metabolites based on characterization (Weber et al., 2007). The Trichoderma species has various features that could helpful for researcher’s community. Amidst these diverse characteristics, which involved in production of abundant secondary metabolite compounds and some compounds are known function and rest of compounds often have vague or unidentified its functions in the organism and which are significant importance to humankind in a different field such as agricultural applications, industrial and medical. The fungus produced certain volatile compounds and these volatile International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 5 (2017) pp. 1105-1123 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Determination of estrogenic substances in the water of muko river using in vitro assays, and the degradation of natural estrogens by aquatic bacteria

In order to determine the level of estrogenic substances in river water and to evaluate the degradation of estrogen by aquatic bacteria, three in vitro assays, E-Screen, Ishikawa cell-alkaline phosphatase (Ishikawa cell-ALP) assay and yeast estrogen screen (YES) assay were used. Water samples were collected throughout one year at upstream, midstream and downstream locations on the Muko River, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Estrogenic substances in the water were extracted by solid phase extraction using Sep-pak C18 cartridges. The levels of estrogenic substances in river water changed daily, weekly and monthly. The highest 17β-estradiol equivalent (E2 equivalent) was obtained as 32.9 ng/l at the midstream in July of 2002. Although some differences in E2 equivalent were observed in some water samples between the E-Screen and Ishikawa cell-ALP assays, the levels measured by these assays were generally similar and ranged from not detected (ND) to 32.9 ng/l. E2 equivalent levels assayed by YES were low or below the detection limit. Degradability of estrogen by aquatic bacteria was investigated in the summer and winter. E2 and estrone (E1) were degraded completely within five days in the summer, and within seven days in winter. Bacterial degradation of a synthetic estrogen, 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2), was much lower compared to that of E2 or E1.
“Responsible drinkers create all the atmosphere of a mortuary”: Policy implementation of responsible drinking in Scotland

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the reaction of customer facing staff and their attitude to the introduction of high profile corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes; in particular their level of awareness and willingness to implement them. Design/methodology/approach – Conducted using a series of site visits and interviews with managers working within the licensed trade, this was followed up with structured interviews of “front line” staff. Findings – Despite high levels of awareness of both the social problems relating to alcohol consumption and the legislative changes, engagement with operational CSR was limited and often disinterested. Legal and societal expectations regarding drunkenness are of little concern. Research limitations/implications – This paper is concerned with nascent legislation, the full impact and success of which has not yet emerged. Reviewing this study in five years would add to the strength of the results. Limited to Scotland due to its devolved licensin.
Mother-child Planning: Microgenetic Changes in Maternal Instruction Behaviors as a Function of Task Goals

This study examined microgenetic changes in mother-child behaviors while they collaborated on a cognitive task that involved planning shopping routes around a table model of a grocery store across 4 trials. Sixtyeight mother-child dyads were randomly assigned to two conditions in which the goals of the task differed. In the experimental condition (n = 32) mothers were encouraged to help their child prepare for a solitary posttest and the dyad was informed they would be timed. In the control condition (n = 36), dyads were simply asked to work together. Research suggests that maternal instruction is most effective when matched to the child’s learning needs. While working with children on a collaborative planning task, it was expected that mothers would change their level or style of instruction as they became more aware of the child’s skill at the task. Specifically, mothers were expected to decrease their level of support behaviors and control across trials. For children, it was expected that they would become more engaged and more responsible for task completion across trials. Results suggested that as mothers and children became familiar with the task, mothers decreased their use of instructional behaviors. Also, that mothers in the experimental condition used more controlling behaviors across trials. Patterns of association emerged between mother’s control behaviors and child uncooperative behaviors, as did mother’s support behaviors and child engagement behaviors. These results suggest that mother-child behaviors may exhibit change due to factors other than the goals of the task itself, such as intersubjectivity (a shared understanding of the task at hand) and shared responsibility, which in turn may be influenced by shared social history (the extensive prior experience that the partners have had with one another in a socialhistorical context).
Recruitment and survival of Northeast Pacific Ocean fish stocks: temporal trends, covariation, and regime shifts

Two measures of productivity for fish stocks (recruitment and stock-recruit residuals) within two large ma- rine ecosystems (Gulf of Alaska and eastern Bering Sea - Aleutian Islands) showed significant positive covariation within several groups of species and significant negative covariation between certain others. For example, stock-recruit residuals of gadids (Gadidae) in the Bering Sea were inversely related to those of shelf flatfishes (Pleuronectidae), sug- gesting that environmental forcing affects these groups in opposite ways. Salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), and groundfish stocks each showed strong patterns of covariation within these taxonomic groups and within ecosystems, and both salmon and groundfish stocks showed positive covariation between the two ecosystems. However, we found little evidence of covariation between salmon and herring stocks or between these stocks and demersal stocks. Recruitment and stock-recruit residuals in individual stocks did not show a consistent response to known climatic regime shifts. However, combined indices of productivity across stocks showed decadal-scale variability (regime-like patterns), suggesting that both pelagic productivity (mostly salmon) and demersal productivity increased in response to the well-documented 1976-1977 climatic regime shift, whereas the 1988-1989 regime shift produced in- consistent or short-lived responses.
The Effect of Parental Work History and Public Assistance Use on the Transition to Adulthood

Though available data suggest a relationship between poverty and emerg- ing adulthood, fewer studies have been conducted to assess whether parental work or public assistance mediates these outcomes. Using the National Survey of Families and Households, this study examines the effect of work- reliant versus welfare-reliant households on youth outcomes (i.e., welfare use, education, idleness, and income) during the transition to adulthood. Examining parents from Wave 1 and older youth from Wave 2, researchers linked childhood poverty, parents' work history, family income from work, years on public assistance, and family income from public assistance with youth outcomes. Consistent with previous research, links exist between poverty in childhood and transition outcomes; however, these outcomes are not mediated by parental work history or extent of welfare reliance during childhood. Multivariate analyses indicate that growing up in a heavily work-oriented environment or a heavily welfare-reliant environment made little difference in the youth's ability to successfully transition to adulthood. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for welfare policy. There is substantial evidence that growing up in poverty chal- lenges children's optimal development. Children who grow up in low-income families are often in poorer health, less prepared aca- demically, and have less successful transitions to adulthood than their more advantaged peers (Duncan & Brooks-Gunn, 2000).
MHD wave breaking in the outer plasmasphere

Empirical models of the average magnetospheric magnetic field, plasma density, and temperature distributions are used to construct a model of the distribution of MHD wave mode speeds within the magnetosphere. Although the MHD wave speeds in general have a smaller dynamic range than the magnetic field intensity or the plasma properties, considerable structure and variability is found which will lead to interesting “optical” effects on the propagation of low frequency waves. A persistent feature of the derived optical structure, which is qualitatively insensitive to known variability of the field or plasma, is a pronounced minimum of the wave speeds in the outer plasmasphere, i.e., a magnetospheric “shoal. ” This feature does not map along magnetic field lines, but is confined to the equatorial region, leading to a positive radial gradient of wave speeds near synchronous orbit. The breaking of earthward propagating disturbances in this region may play an essential role in the formation of the substorm injection boundary and in the creation of equatorially trapped warm ion distributions.