Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Irrigation Regime and Soil Conditioners Impact on Characteristics of Sandy Soil and Washington Navel Orange Trees

Due to limited water resources it has become needed to study the best ways to decrease irrigation water use, increasing the water use efficiency, improve tree growth and sustain citrus crop production under those circumstances. Afield experiment was conducted during 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons at El-Nubaria city, Beheira Governorate to investigate the effect of irrigation regime (80% and 60% from full irrigation) and soil conditioners (hydrogel at rate of 50 and 100g/tree as synthetic water absorbing soil amendments or organic plant residues at rate of 3.5 and 6.5kg/tree as natural absorbing soil amendments) on some properties of sandy soil, growth, yield, quality and productivity of irrigation water (PIW) for Washington navel orange trees under drip irrigation system. The obtained results pointed out that: The application of soil conditioners led to enhancing the properties and microorganisms activities and macronutrients of sandy soil especially with the high rates. Whereas, the low values of soil field capacity (10.47%), wilting point (4.26%) and available water (6.21%) were recorded with full irrigation without conditioners while, the high values (11.31 to 12.28%), (4.35 to 4.68%), (6.78 to 7.62%) respectively under irrigation regime combined conditioners. Soil conditioners application combined with irrigation regime increased the available nitrogen (up to 22.76%, phosphours (up to 9.98%), potassium (up to 15.14%), organic matter (up to 41.79%, CEC (up to 16.53%) and salinity (up to 4.64%) while soil bulk density was decreased (up to 5.66%) compared to full irrigation without conditioners. Moderate irrigation plus organic plant residues at rate of 6.5 kg/tree (T5) or plus hydrogel at 100g/tree (T3) significantly increased the most growth parameters (canopy volume, number of shoots/branch and leaf area), fruit set and decrease the fruit drop. Lowest percentage of fruit splitting (6.58 and 5.87 %) coated with T3 and T5 compared to deficit irrigation treatments plus the lowest rate of hydrogel or organic plant residues (T8 and T9). The highest yield was obtained by T3 (78.6 kg/tree) and T5 (79. 6 kg/tree). Control treatment (T1) followed by T3 and T5 tended to improve the physical fruit quality meanwhile deficit irrigation treatments T8 and T9 increased the most of chemical fruit quality. PIW mean values of Washington navel orange with full irrigation without conditioners were low (2.75 kg m) while, irrigation regime at 80 % and 60% recorded high values (3.49 kg m and 3.88 kg m, respectively). PIW was increased with the high rates of soil conditioners.
Introduction to the Special Section on Fast Physics in Climate Models: Parameterization, Evaluation, and Observation

This is a summary of the papers published in the Special Section titled “Fast Physics in Climate Models: Parameterization, Evaluation, and Observation” (https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1002/(ISSN)2169‐8996.FASTPHYS1), as requested by the JGR‐Atmosphere Chief Editor, Professor Minghua Zhang.
GNSS-R Soil Moisture Retrieval Based on a XGboost Machine Learning Aided Method: Performance and Validation

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS)-reflectometry is a type of remote sensing technology and can be applied to soil moisture retrieval. Until now, various GNSS-R soil moisture retrieval methods have been reported. However, there still exist some problems due to the complexity of modeling and retrieval process, as well as the extreme uncertainty of the experimental environment and equipment. To investigate the behavior of bistatic GNSS-R soil moisture retrieval process, two ground-truth measurements with different soil conditions were carried out and the performance of the input variables was analyzed from the mathematical statistical aspect. Moreover, the feature of XGBoost method was utilized as well. As a recently developed ensemble machine learning method, the XGBoost method just emerged for the classification of remote sensing and geographic data, to investigate the characterization of the input variables in the GNSS-R soil moisture retrieval. It showed a good correlation with the statistical analysis of ground-truth measurements. The variable contributions for the input data can also be seen and evaluated. The study of the paper provides some experimental insights into the behavior of the GNSS-R soil moisture retrieval. It is worthwhile before establishing models and can also help with understanding the underlying GNSS-R phenomena and interpreting data.
MCL: A library for supporting multi-GPGPU programming

In the current HPC landscape multi-GPGPU computation has established it self as a highly performant hardware choice for many workloads. A challenge is to ease the programming burden. In this thesis we present a library using a novel 3 layered architecture for supporting communication between multi-GPGPUs. This library allows a user, with little effort to communicate between GPUs and CPU using communication strategies giving state of the art performance. Further on we evaluate the performance of the library using simulated workloads and a real scientific code. This thesis should be of interest for readers concerned with easing the programming of multi-GPGPU.
The intraoperative hemodynamic control through functional parameters in free flap reconstruction in head and neck surgery: our initial expertise

Background: The role of intravenous fluids during surgical procedures is debated. Actually, many studies show the utility of managing hemodynamic control in operating room through non-invasive or minimally invasive cardiac output monitoring. The intraoperative fluids administration could be guided by functional hemodynamic parameters to avoid hypervolemia during free flaps reconstruction in ENT surgery. Materials and Method: In our ENT department we have used both functional hemodynamic parameters through VIGILEO® monitoring (VIGILEO group) and anaesthesiological recommendations (STANDARD group) during major ENT surgical procedures with free flap reconstruction. We describe our data in terms of intraoperative hemodynamics management and rate of complications in both groups. Results: We have done a retrospective examination about 17 patient’s undergone surgical procedures in head and neck departments with free flaps reconstruction from November 2012 to February 2014. We had only one major complication (venous Rosella Bulgheroni1, Alessandro Bacuzzi1, Luca Guzzetti1*, Mauro Del Romano1, Dunia D’Onofrio1, Gaia Rossini1, Andrea Del Bosco1, Massimiliano Bianchi1, Raffaele Novario1, Marco Giudice2, Mario Cherubino3, Giovanni Cantone3 and Salvatore Cuffari1 1Anesthesia Department, University Hospital Varese, Italy 2Department of Surgical Sciences, University Hospital Varese, Italy 3Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department, University Hospital Varese, Italy The Intraoperative Hemodynamic Control through Functional Parameters in Free Flap Reconstruction in Head and Neck Surgery: Our Initial Expertise anastomosis failure) in the VIGILEO group. We’ve found that there are no statistical differences in amount of volume fluids infused (VIGILEO 477, 7 ml/h STANDARD group 490, 2 ml/h) between study groups. We have found a systematically use of vasoactive drugs in continuous infusion only in VIGILEO group. Discussion: Hemodynamic optimization has been related to a better outcome in surgical procedures with an improvement in microcirculation anastomosis. The role of functional hemodynamics parameters in ENT surgery with free flaps reconstruction is promising. Further assessments in large randomized trial are necessary.
Development Of An Imaging System For Neutron Remote Sensing

This thesis is concerned with the design, modelling and characterisation of a ChargeCoupled Device (CCD) camera imaging system and the prediction of the camera’s performance in applications with Micro-Channel Plate (MCP) optics. The development and optimisation of analogue CCD readout electronics are described and its extension to a fully digital CCD readout method with its dedicated analogue front-end processing stage is presented. The mechanical and the optical design of the camera are presented and a performance model of the camera system from scintillator to detector is expressed by means of a system gain model. A noise mathematical model of the analogue chain of the CCD readout electronics is developed and compared to Spice simulations. A shaping filter method is proposed and implemented to generate noise time series from a given noise power spectral density. The method is adopted to build a time domain simulation model of the CCD camera system. The model allows investigation of the impact that different noise sources have on the performance of CCD readout methods and to drive the design criteria of the system. Characterisation of the CCD camera system by means of photon transfer curve theory is presented. Calibration of the system for X-ray detection, followed by the derivation of a quantitative model and relative comparison with real measurements in terms of scintillator light yields are presented. The resolution of the system is quantified by means of Modulation Transfer Function (MTF). A model of the performance of MCP optics is discussed and specific performance parameters such as gain and surface brightness are presented. An extension of their use for focusing neutrons is considered and the development of a neutron telescope concept using MCP optics for investigation of hydrogen distribution on a planetary surface at higher resolution that can be achieved with current instruments is presented.
Measurements of Ice Nucleating Particles in Beijing, China

Heterogeneous ice nucleating particle (INP) concentrations are reported for a site on the eastern margin of Beijing, China, during the period 4 May to 4 June 2018. INP concentrations were measured continuously at −20, −25, and −30 °C in a repeating cycle by a newly developed, automated continuous flow diffusion chamber, and reached concentrations as high as 2800 sL−1 during dust‐impacted periods. Study average concentrations were 70 ± 70, 230 ± 290, and 430 ± 500 sL−1 at −20, −25, and −30 °C. There was no clear relationship between pollution periods, identified based on fine‐mode particle concentration increases, and INP concentrations or characteristics. Other anthropogenic emissions, such as non‐combustion industrial or agricultural activities play an unresolved role.
Mobilisation and transport of dissolved organic carbon and iron in peat catchments—Insights from the Lehstenbach stream in Germany using generalised additive models

During the last decades, increasing exports of both dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and iron were observed from peat catchments in North America and Europe with potential consequences for water quality of streamwater and carbon storages of soils. As mobilisation and transport processes of DOC and iron in peat catchments are only partly understood, the purpose of this study was to elucidate these processes in an intensively monitored and studied system. Specifically, it was hypothesised that dissimilatory iron reduction in riparian peatland soils mobilises DOC initially adsorbed to iron minerals. During stormflow conditions, both DOC and iron will be transported into the stream network. Ferrous iron may be reoxidised at redox interfaces on its way to the stream, and subsequently, ferric iron could be transported together with DOC as complexes. To test these hypotheses, generalised additive models (GAMs) were applied to 14 years of weekly time series of discharge and concentrations of selected solutes measured in a German headwater stream called Lehstenbach. This stream drains a 4.19‐km2 forested mountain catchment; one third of which is covered by riparian peatland soils. We interpreted results of different types of GAM in the way that (a) iron reduction drove the mobilisation of DOC from peatland soils and that (b) both iron and DOC were transported as complexes after their joint mobilisation to and within the steam. It was speculated that low nitrate availability in the uppermost wetland soil layer, particularly during the growing season, promoted iron reduction and thus the mobilisation of DOC. However, the influence of nitrate on the DOC mobilisation remains relatively uncertain. This influence could be further investigated using methods similar to the GAM analysis conducted here for other catchments with long‐term data as well as detailed measurements of the relevant species in riparian wetland soils and the adjacent stream network.
Boom and Bust

In Boom and Bust, the authors draw on the natural history of Australia's charismatic birds to explore the relations between fauna, people and environment in a continent where variability is 'normal' and rainfall patterns not always seasonal. They consider changing ideas about deserts and how these have helped us understand birds and their behaviour in this driest of continents. The book describes the responses of animals and plants to environmental variability and stress. It is also a cultural concept, when it is used to capture the patterns of change wrought by humans in Australia, where landscapes began to become cultural about 55,000 years ago as ecosystems responded to Aboriginal management. In 1788, the British settlement brought, almost simultaneously, both agricultural and industrial revolutions to a land previously managed by fire for hunting. How have birds responded to this second dramatic invasion? Boom and Bust is also a tool for understanding global change. How can Australians in the 21st century better understand how to continue to live in this land as its conditions are still dynamically unfolding in response to the major anthropogenic changes to the whole Earth system? This interdisciplinary collection is written in a straightforward and accessible style. Many of the writers are practising field specialists, and have woven their personal field work into the stories they tell about the birds.
The status of biological invasions and their management in South Africa

Additional contributing authors: Lee-Anne Botha, Oupa Chauke, Jennifer Fill, 8 Therese Forsyth Llewellyn Foxcroft, Charles Griffiths, Michelle Greve, Dai 9 Herbert, Pat Holmes, Philip Ivey, Stiaan Kotze, David Le Maitre, Rob Little, 10 Karabo Malakalaka, John Measey, Siyasanga Miza, Bernard Ndou, 11 Khathutshelo Nelukalo , David Richardson, Tammy Robinson, Ian Rushworth , 12 Ross Shackleton, Heather Terrapon Andrew Turner, Ruan Veldtman, Giovanni 13 Vimercati, Costas Zachariades 14
Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in Parts of the Silver Catfish ( Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus ) Harvested from Badagry Creek and Fish Ponds in Badagry, Lagos, Nigeria

In aquatic environment, heavy metals are produced from natural and anthropogenic sources and the degree of contamination in fish is dependent on the sampling site, pollution types as well as mode of feeding. The concentration of heavy metals such as nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and cadmium (Cd) were analyzed in various parts (head, gills intestine, gill and tail) of the silver catfish, Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus which were collected from Badagry creek and different ponds namely Morogbo (MOP), Magbon (MAP), Churchgate (CGP) and Ajibade (AJP) ponds within Badagry axis. The concentration of the heavy metals was determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The results showed the accumulation of the metal differently in various part of the fish. Heavy metals concentration in the fish sample was in this order: Zn > Fe > Ni > Cd. Zinc was abundant and had the highest level of mean concentration accumulated in the head and all parts of the fish samples from both the lagoon and the fish ponds with the highest value of 3.06 µg/g recorded in the intestine of the fish sample from Church Gate concrete pond. The high zinc value could be associated with the fact that this metal is naturally abundant in Nigerian soils and fish accumulate zinc from both the surrounding water, sediments and their diet but the concentrations are below recommended value of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) for daily intake. Iron was the second most concentrated metal with a mean concentration ranging from 0.33 - 2.37 µg/g, and this may be attributed to the clay nature of Nigerian soils. Nickel concentration in the samples ranged from 0.14-2.98 µg/g which may due to the discharge of industrial effluents, domestic and agricultural activities around Badagry axis. Cadmium was not detected in samples from Morogbo fish ponds, but was detected in samples from the lagoon and the other three fish ponds, with values ranging from ND – 0.25 µg/g, and this was relatively below the recommended value of FAO and LASEPA in fish which is an indication that the C. nigrodigitatus from these sampling sites was safe for human consumption.
Continuous, near-real-time observations of water stable isotope ratios during rainfall and throughfall events

Abstract. The water isotopic composition of throughfall is affected by complex diffusive exchange with ambient water vapour, evaporative enrichment of heavy isotopes, and mixing processes in the tree canopy. All interception processes occur simultaneously in space and time, generating a complex pattern of throughfall depth and water isotopic composition. This pattern ultimately cascades through the entire hydrologic system and is therefore crucial for isotope studies in catchment hydrology, where recharge areas are often forested, while reference meteorological stations are generally in the open. For the quasi real-time observation of the water isotopic composition (δ18O and δ2H) of both gross precipitation and throughfall, we developed an approach combining a membrane contactor (Membrana) with a laser-based Cavity Ring-Down Spectrometer (CRDS, Picarro), obtaining isotope readings every 2 s. A setup with two CRDS instruments in parallel analysing gross precipitation and throughfall simultaneously was used for the continuous observation of the temporal effect of interception processes on the stable isotopes of water. All devices were kept small to minimize dead volume with time lags of only 4 min for water from the rainfall collectors to the isotope analysers to increase the temporal resolution of isotope observations. Complementarily, meteorological variables were recorded at high temporal resolution at the same location. The achieved evolution from discrete liquid or event-based bulk samples to continuous measurements allows for direct comparison of water stable isotope data with common meteorological measurements. Future improvements of the spatial representativeness will make our approach an even more powerful tool towards detailed insight into the dynamic processes contributing to interception during rainfall events.
A New Perspective on Terrestrial Hydrologic Intensity That Incorporates Atmospheric Water Demand

Hydrologic intensity is often quantified using precipitation without directly incorporating atmospheric water demand. We develop a hydrologic intensity index called the surplus deficit intensity (SDI) index that accounts for variation in supply and demand. SDI is the standardized sum of standardized surplus intensity (mean of daily surplus when supply > demand) and deficit time (mean of consecutive days when demand > supply). Using an observational ensemble of global daily precipitation and atmospheric water demand during 1979–2017, we document widespread hydrologic intensification (SDI; +0.11 z‐score per decade) driven primarily by increased surplus intensity. Using a climate model ensemble of the United States, hydrologic intensification is projected for the mid‐21st century (+0.86 in z‐score compared to 1971–2000), producing greater apparent intensification when compared to an index that does not explicitly incorporate demand. While incorporating demand had a minor effect on observed hydrologic intensification, it doubles hydrological intensification for the mid‐21st century.
Treatment of Al Doura Oil Refinery Wastewater Turbidity using Magnetic Flocculation

The use of conventional flocculants such as Aluminum sulphate (Alum) alone to treat the wastewater may be insufficient to get the required turbidity, suspended solids removal as well as it requires relatively a long residence time. Magnetic flocculation is one of the used techniques for increase the efficiency of the turbidity removal. In the present study, three sets of experiments are carried out in order to investigate the possibility of increasing the suspended solid removal efficiency from Al Doura oil refinery wastewater using iron oxide (Fe3O4), Nickel (Ni), and Cobalt (Co) ferromagnetic powders with alum. The following operating conditions namely, pH, alum dose, ferromagnetic powder dose, and initial turbidity are studied. The results revealed that an improvement in turbidity removal efficiency is satisfied, as well as, a reasonable reduction in the sedimentation period is achieved. The highest turbidity removal is 99.88% that obtained for 122NTU sample for alum dose 120 mg/L+ Nickel dose of 80mg/L and pH of 6.5.
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene post-obduction extension and subsequent Neogene compression in the Oman Mountains

After the obduction of the Semail ophiolitic nappe onto the Arabian Platform in the Late Cretaceous, north Oman underwent several phases of extension before being affected by compression in the framework of the Arabia-Eurasia convergence. A tectonic survey, based on structural analysis of fault-slip data in the post-nappe units of the Oman Mountains, allowed us to identify major events of the Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic tectonic history of northern Oman. An early ENE-WSW extensional phase is indicated by synsedimentary normal faults in the Upper Cretaceous to lower Eocene formations. This extensional phase, which immediately followed ductile extension and exhumation of high-pressure rocks in the Saih Hatat region of the Oman Mountains, is associated with large-scale normal faulting in the northeast Oman margin and the development of the Abat Basin. A second extensional phase, recorded in lower Oligocene formations and only documented by minor structures, is characterized by NNE (N20°E) and NW (N150°E) oriented extensions. It is interpreted as the far-field effect of the Oligocene-Miocene rifting in the Gulf of Aden. A late E-W to NE-SW directed compressional phase started in the late Oligocene or early Miocene, shortly after the collision in the Zagros Mountains. It is attested by folding, and strike-slip and reverse faulting in the Cenozoic series. The direction of compression changed from ENE-WSW in the Early Miocene to almost N-S in the Pliocene.
Visualizing the variability of small scale subsurface water flow in the South Tobacco Creek watershed

Introduction Though overland flow is the most dramatic aspect of a flood, a crucial part of quantitatively analyzing the timing, duration, and intensity of a flooding event lies in understanding the effect that subsurface flow has within a watershed. This experiment was conducted in order to observe and analyze subsurface flow patterns in the South Tobacco Creek region of the Manitoba escarpment, which is a sub-watershed of the Morris River watershed and the greater Lake Winnipeg watershed. Previous studies (e.g., Weiler & Hannes, 2003; Bogner et al., 2008; Schlater & Huwe, 2005; Allaire et al., 2009) have successfully sprinkled dyed water onto exposed soil profiles to examine vertical and lateral subsurface flow patterns. In the experiment described here, Acid Blue #9 dye was dispensed through rainfall simulation and interval flooding in order to examine the variability of subsurface flow patterns at a relatively small (plot) scale.