Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An observationally constrained estimate of global dust aerosol optical depth

Abstract. The role of mineral dust in climate and ecosystems has been largely quantified using global climate and chemistry model simulations of dust emission, transport, and deposition. However, differences between these model simulations are substantial, with estimates of global dust aerosol optical depth (AOD) that vary by over a factor of 5. Here we develop an observationally based estimate of the global dust AOD, using multiple satellite platforms, in situ AOD observations and four state-of-the-science global models over 2004–2008. We estimate that the global dust AOD at 550 nm is 0.030 ± 0.005 (1σ), higher than the AeroCom model median (0.023) and substantially narrowing the uncertainty. The methodology used provides regional, seasonal dust AOD and the associated statistical uncertainty for key dust regions around the globe with which model dust schemes can be evaluated. Exploring the regional and seasonal differences in dust AOD between our observationally based estimate and the four models in this study, we find that emissions in Africa are often overrepresented at the expense of Asian and Middle Eastern emissions and that dust removal appears to be too rapid in most models.
The TOMCAT global chemical transport model v1.6: description of chemical mechanism and model evaluation

Abstract. This paper documents the tropospheric chemical mechanism scheme used in the TOMCAT 3-D chemical transport model. The current scheme includes a more detailed representation of hydrocarbon chemistry than previously included in the model, with the inclusion of the emission and oxidation of ethene, propene, butane, toluene and monoterpenes. The model is evaluated against a range of surface, balloon, aircraft and satellite measurements. The model is generally able to capture the main spatial and seasonal features of high and low concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and reactive nitrogen. However, model biases are found in some species, some of which are common to chemistry models and some that are specific to TOMCAT and warrant further investigation. The most notable of these biases are (1) a negative bias in Northern Hemisphere (NH) winter and spring CO and a positive bias in Southern Hemisphere (SH) CO throughout the year, (2) a positive bias in NH O3 in summer and a negative bias at high latitudes during SH winter and (3) a negative bias in NH winter C2 and C3 alkanes and alkenes. TOMCAT global mean tropospheric hydroxyl radical (OH) concentrations are higher than estimates inferred from observations of methyl chloroform but similar to, or lower than, multi-model mean concentrations reported in recent model intercomparison studies. TOMCAT shows peak OH concentrations in the tropical lower troposphere, unlike other models which show peak concentrations in the tropical upper troposphere. This is likely to affect the lifetime and transport of important trace gases and warrants further investigation.
Anthropogenic CO 2 in the ocean

The focus of this review article is on the anthropogenic CO 2 taken up by the ocean. There are several methods of identifying the anthropogenic CO 2 signal and quantifying its inventory in the ocean. The ? C* method is most frequently used to estimate the global distribution of anthropogenic CO 2 in the ocean. Results based on analysis of the dataset obtained from the comprehensive surveys of inorganic carbon distribution in the world oceans in the 1990s are given. These surveys were jointly conducted during the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS). This data set consists of 9618 hydrographic stations from a total of 95 cruises, which represents the most accurate and comprehensive view of the distribution of inorganic carbon in the global ocean available today. The increase of anthropogenic CO2 in the ocean during the past few decades is also evaluated using direct comparison of results from repeat surveys and using statistical method of Multi-parameter Linear Regression (MLR). The impact of increasing oceanic anthropogenic CO 2 on the calcium carbonate system in the ocean is reviewed briefly as well. Extensive studies of CaCO 3 dissolution as a result of increasing anthropogenic CO 2 in the ocean have revealed several distinct oceanic regions where the CaCO 3 undersaturation zone has expanded.
The Concept of Function.

EDRS Price MF -$O.65 HC-$3.29 Advanced Students, *Algebra, *Learning Theories, *Mathematical Ccncepts, *Relationship, Research, Secondary School Students *Functions Research reported deals with identifying stages in attaining a ccncept of functicn by students, elaven through fourteen years of age, of above average ability, taking the experimental mathematics program cf the Secondary School Mathematics Curriculum Improvement Study. In order to obtain a hierarchy of the learning stages, both a written test and an individual interview were used. All 201 subjects received the written test and 20 subjects were selected for individual testing cn a set of sixteen function tasks. Frcm the written test, five stages were identified: (1) ability to find images of a function, (2) ability to consistently identify instances of mappings in several different representations, (3) operational ability in finding images and domain is exhibited, (4) ability to ccnsistently identify non-instances of mappings in several different representations, (5) ability to find images under the ccmposition of two functions and solve related problems using functions in several different representations. The individual interview test results altered the previous findings to yield the final analysis of stages. These were: (1) concept identification (ability to discriminate instances and non-instances of functicn), (2) process (ability to work with varicus representations and names of functicn in finding images, preimages, domain, range, and sets of images) , (3) operations (ability to carry out operations on functions with an indication that the result of the operation is understood again to be a function. (JG)
Leipzig Ice Nucleation chamber Comparison ( LINC ) : intercomparison of four online ice nucleation counters

Ice crystal formation in atmospheric clouds has a strong effect on precipitation, cloud lifetime, cloud radiative properties, and thus the global energy budget. Primary ice formation above 235 K is initiated by nucleation on seed aerosol particles called ice-nucleating particles (INPs). Instruments that measure the ice-nucleating potential of aerosol particles in the atmosphere need to be able to accurately quantify ambient INP concentrations. In the last decade several instruments have been developed to investigate the icenucleating properties of aerosol particles and to measure ambient INP concentrations. Therefore, there is a need for intercomparisons to ensure instrument differences are not interpreted as scientific findings. In this study, we intercompare the results from parallel measurements using four online ice nucleation chambers. Seven different aerosol types are tested including untreated and acid-treated mineral dusts (microcline, which is a K-feldspar, and kaolinite), as well as birch pollen washing waters. Experiments exploring heterogeneous ice nucleation above and below water saturation are performed to cover the whole range of atmospherically relevant thermodynamic conditions that can be investigated with the intercompared chambers. The Leipzig Aerosol Cloud Interaction Simulator (LACIS) and the Portable Immersion Mode Cooling chAmber coupled to the Portable Ice Nucleation Chamber (PIMCA-PINC) performed measurements in the immersion freezing mode. Additionally, two continuous-flow diffusion chambers (CFDCs) PINC and the Spectrometer for Ice Nuclei (SPIN) are used to perform measurements below and just above water saturation, nominally presenting deposition nucleation and condensation freezing. The results of LACIS and PIMCA-PINC agree well over the whole range of measured frozen fractions (FFs) and temperature. In general PINC and SPIN compare well and the observed differences are explained by the ice crystal growth and different residence times in the chamber. To study the mechanisms responsible for the ice nucleation in the four instruments, the FF (from LACIS and PIMCA-PINC) and the activated fraction, AF (from PINC and SPIN), are compared. Measured FFs are on the order of a factor of 3 higher than AFs, but are not consistent for all aerosol types and temperatures investigated. It is shown that measurements from CFDCs cannot be assumed to produce the same results as those instruments exclusively measuring immersion freezing. Instead, the need to apply a scaling factor to CFDCs operating above water saturation has to be considered to allow comparison with immersion freezing devices. Our results provide further awareness of factors such as the importance of dispersion methods and the quality of particle size selection for intercomparing online INP counters.
A Study on User’s Intention of Using Mobile Payments

This research explores how users are influenced to adopt the Mobile payment. The research employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to examine factors affecting the user’s attitude toward this emerging mobile technology and payment service. This study presents an extended technology acceptance model that integrates innovation diffusion theory to investigate what determine user mobile commerce acceptance, in which we explore the relationships among those following factors, namely, perceived ease of use, security, attitude toward using M-payment service and behavior intention to use M-payment
Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae: chemical control, resistance mechanisms and possible alternatives

Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes the bacterial canker of both green (Actinidia deliciosa) and yellow (Actinidia chinensis) fleshed kiwifruit. Since the emergence of an economically devastating Psa outbreak in Japan in the 1980s, the disease took a contagious turn causing severe economic loss to kiwifruit industries in Italy, South Korea, Spain, New Zealand and other countries. Research shows that the pathogenic strains isolated from different infected orchards vary in their virulence characteristics and have distinct genes coding for the production of different toxins. The global Psa outbreak has activated research around the world on developing efficient strategies to contain the pandemic and minimize loss to the kiwifruit industry. Chemical and biological control options, orchard management and breeding programmes are being employed in this global effort. Synergy between different disease control strategies has been recognized as important. Phytotoxicity, resistance development and regulatory measures in certain countries restrict the use of copper compounds and antibiotics, which are otherwise the mainstay chemicals against bacterial plant diseases. Therefore, because of the limitations of existing chemicals, it is important to develop novel chemical controls against Psa. Antimicrobial peptides, which are attractive alternatives to conventional antibiotics, have found promising applications in plant disease control and could contribute to expanding the chemical control tool box against Psa. This review summarizes all chemical compounds trialled so far against Psa and provides thoughts on the development of antimicrobial peptides as potential solutions for the future.
A Simple Evaluation System for Microbial Property in Soil and Manure

Analyses of microbial properties in soil and manure had always included the problem that there was no available standard method to evaluate microbial property. The one of the major problems was the vast diversity and the enormous population of soil microorganisms [1], the other was an existence of numerically dominant unculturable microorganisms which comprise 99% of soil habitat [2]. We evaluated whether our newly developed method, by which taxonomies and their number of each bacterial groups were estimated, could be used as evaluation method of microbial properties of soils and manures. In the forest soil, β-Proteobacteria, which included Burkholderia sp. , Ralstonia sp. , and Alcaligenes sp. , was numerically dominant bacteria (3.64 × 106 MPN g-1 dry soil), followed by γ-Proteobacteria (1.32 × 106 MPN), δ-Proteobacteria (0.006 × 106 MPN), and the other gram negative bacteria (0.006 × 106 MPN). In the commercial manure, Actinobacteria, which included Streptoverticillium salmonis, Mycrococcus sp. , Streptomyces bikiniensis, and Microbacterium ulmi, was numerically dominant bacterial group (30.8 × 106 MPN), followed by α-Proteobacteria (26.0 × 106 MPN), β-Proteobacteria (17.1 × 106 MPN), δ-Proteobacteria (11.2 × 106 MPN), the other Firmicutes (1.71 × 106 MPN), γ-Proteobacteria (0.5 × 106 MPN), and the other gram negative bacteria (0.05 × 106 MPN). In the upland field, the other Firmicutes, which included Paenibacillus sp. , was numerically dominant bacteria (4.41 × 106 MPN), followed by Actinobacteria (2.14 × 106 MPN), Bacillus sp. (2.14 × 106 MPN), and γ-Proteobacteria (0.35 × 106 MPN). Although the precision of the affiliations became lower because of higher diversity of samples and the number of some Antinobacteria and Firmicutes might be underestimated by the used PCR condition, the method was found suitable as a candidate of a new evaluation system of soil and manure.
The value of fetal fibronectin in cervicovaginal secretions and standard markers of infection in predicting preterm delivery for patients with symptoms and intact membranes

Objective: The aim of study was to find markers associated with preterm delivery in patients with symptoms of preterm birth and intact membranes, and to evaluate the usefulness of measuring fetal fibronectin white, blood cell count and C-reactive protein in the prediction of preterm delivery. Study design: A total of 162 pregnant women hospitalized for preterm labor with intact membranes were assessed for presence of fetal fibronectin. Cervicovaginal secretions for fetal fibronectin were collected from these patients at 24-34 weeks gestation. Fibronectin concentrations of 50 ng/ml or more were considered as positive. The other markers tested were serum C-reactive protein and white blood cell counts. Results: The preterm delivery rate for women in the study was 64.8%. Positive fetal fibronectin was found in 85 of patients delivered preterm and 30 delivered at term, yielding a sensitivity 80.95% and specificity 47.36% in predicting preterm delivery. Serum C-reactive protein and white blood cell counts were higher in women who deliver preterm than those who delivered at term. Sensitivity and specificity of C-reactive protein were 31% and 96% respectively. And sensitivity of white blood cell count was 20.9% and its specificity 84%. Conclusions: The detection of fetal fibronectin in cervicovaginal secretions allows identification of patients at high risk of preterm delivery. High level of C-reactive protein and white blood cells count appear to correlate with increased rate of prematurity. These observations underscore the importance of inflammation in genesis of preterm labor and delivery. Women who deliver mature babies are more likely to have low C-reactive protein and white blood cells count
The AGILE observations of the hard and bright GRB 100724B

The observation of gamma ray bursts (GRBs) in the gamma ray band has been advanced by the AGILE and Fermi satellites after the era of the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory. AGILE and Fermi are showing that the GeV-bright GRBs share a set of common features, particularly the high fluence from the keV up to the GeV energy bands, the high value of the minimum Lorentz factor, an extended emission of gamma rays, which is often delayed with respect to lower energies, and finally the possible multiple spectral components. GRB 100724B, localised in a joint effort by Fermi and the InterPlanetary Newtork, is the brightest burst detected in gamma rays so far by AGILE. Characteristic features of GRB 100724B are the simultaneous emissions at MeV and GeV, without delayed onset or any time lag as shown by the analysis of the cross correlation function, and the significant spectral evolution in hard X-rays over the event duration. In this paper we show the analysis of the AGILE data of GRB 100724B and discuss its features in the context of the bursts observed so far in gamma rays and the recently proposed models.
Are Australian Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers Prepared to Teach Inclusive Physical Education?.

Australian pre-service physical education (PE) teachers must be prepared for the reality of teaching in inclusive classrooms. Past studies have indicated that the amount of academic preparedness can affect pre-service PE teachers’ intentions to successfully teach in inclusive settings. The current study measured these intentions in a sample of pre-service PE teachers from two different universities. This modified survey required participants to respond to two separate scenarios: one teaching inclusive PE to a student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and one to a student with autism. All participants completed an adapted PE unit with an embedded practicum of different lengths. Findings indicated that pre-service teachers’ who experienced the larger adapted PE practicum had more favourable intentions towards teaching students with both disabilities compared to the other cohort. Implications of this research to improve Australian PE teacher training are discussed and recommendations are made.
High-order dimensionally split Lagrange-remap schemes for ideal magnetohydrodynamics

We first propose a new class of high-order finite volume schemes for solving the 1-D ideal magnetohydrodynamics equations that is particularly well-suited for modern computer architectures. Applicable to arbitrary equations of state, these schemes, based on a Lagrange-remap approach, are high-order accurate in both space and time in the non-linear regime. A multidimensional extension on 2-D Cartesian grids using a high-order dimensional splitting technique is then proposed. Numerical results up to fourth-order on smooth and non-smooth test problems are also provided.
A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Reciprocating System with Continuous Rotary Systems in Non-Surgical Endodontic Retreatment : An in Vitro Study

Background: Optimal root canal retreatment was required safe and efficient removal of filling material from root canal. The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the efficacy of reciprocating and continuous motion of four retreatment systems in removal of root canal filling material. Materials and Methods: Forty distal roots of the mandibular first molars teeth were used in this study, these roots were embedded in cold clear acrylic,roots were instrumented using crown down technique and rotary ProTaper systemize Sx to size F2 ,instrumentation were done with copiousirrigation of 2.5% sodium hypochlorite and 17% buffered solution of EDTA was used as final irrigant followed by distilledwater, roots were obturated with AH26 sealer and Protaper gutta-percha point F2 and medium fine accessory gutta-percha using lateral condensation technique,roots were left for 7 days with 100% humidity at 37oC in an incubator. Roots were randomly divided into four groups according to technique used for removing the root filling material (ten teeth for each group): group I: reciprocating technique and Wave One system, group II: continuous technique and ProTaper retreatment system, group III: continuous technique and R-Endo system, group IV: continuous technique and D–RaCere treatment system. All the roots were radiographed before and after removal of gutta-percha from both bucco-lingual and mesiodistal directions using custom made platform and digital radiograph system RVG to havea digitized images. The total surface area of all root canals was measured before removal ofthe gutta-percha and the area of the remaining gutta-percha filling in the canals after retreatment procedure from both directions. These measurements were analyzed with Adobe Photoshop CS6 software, the percentage of removed gutta-percha calculated. Results: Statistical analysis was performed and the result showed group Ihad the highest mean values in removal of root canal filling material in both bucco-lingual and mesiodistal direction of dental radiograph and there were significant difference between group I and most of the other groups ,there were non significant difference between group II,group III and group IV. Conclusion: This study was showed all the used retreatment systems did notcompletely remove the root canal filling material. The reciprocating technique was most effective method for removing gutta-percha and sealer than continuous rotary technique. Key words: Retreatment, reciprocating motion, root canal filling, rotary instrument.
Region Based Segmentation in Presence of Significant Intensity Inhomogeneity using Legendre Polynomials

: we propose a region based segmentation method which is capable of segmenting objects in presence of significant intensity inhomogeneity. Present method use some form of local processing to tackle intra region inhomogeneity, which further makes such methods susceptible to local minima. Here we present a framework which generalizes the traditional Chan-Vese algorithm. In contrast with existing local techniques, we represent the illumination of the regions of interest in a lower dimensional subspace using set of pre-specified basis functions. This representation can accommodate heterogeneous objects, even in presence of noise. We compare our results with several techniques like biological/biomedical images with tubular or filamentous structures. As the, we achieve a 44% increase in performance, which demonstrates efficacy of the method.
Higher-Order Beliefs Among Professional Stock Market Forecasters: Some First Empirical Tests

A sizeable literature reports that financial market analysts and forecasters herd for reputational reasons. Using new data from a large survey of professional forecasters' expectations about stock market movements, we find strong evidence that the expected average of all forecasters' forecasts (the expected consensus forecast) influences an individual forecaster's own forecast. This looks like herding. In our survey, forecasters do not herd for reputational reasons, however. Instead of herding, we suggest that forecasters form higher-order expectations in the spirit of Keynes (1936). We find that young forecasters and portfolio managers, who in previous studies have been reported to be those who in particular herd, rely more on the expected consensus forecasts than other forecasters. Given that forecasters have no incentive to herd in our study, we conclude that our results indicate that the incorporation of the expected consensus forecast into individual forecasts is most likely due to higher-order expectations.
The Recall of Completed and Noncompleted Tasks Through Daily Logs to Measure Procrastination

For five consecutive days, participants listed daily tasks they intended to complete. Recall of listed tasks served as the primary dependent variable. Characteristics of the task, including whether or not the task was actually completed, did not, in general, predict recall. The one exception was that the rated importance of the task to one's family did increase the likelihood of recall. Individual differences in avoidant procrastination were negatively related to the likelihood of recalling listed tasks. Avoidant procrastination also was related (positively) to false positive rates, the degree to which individuals "recalled" tasks that they had not listed the previous day. These findings suggest that procrastinators may have general cognitive processing strategies that are different from nonprocrastinators. However, further research is needed to explore the information processing abilities of people who delay completing tasks.