Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-resolution mesoscale simulations on the role of shallow and deep convection on dust emission and transport in a desert area

Understanding the processes of mineral dust emission, transport, and deposition has been an important research issue not only for predicting disastrous influence of dust storms on human lives, agriculture, transportation system, and other industries but also for evaluating the impact of dust aerosol on the global climate system. A lot of research efforts related to dust emission and transport have been conducted from a global-scale, a synopticscale, and a mesoscale point of view, since weather disturbances in these scales are considered as major players in regulating the total amount of tropospheric dust especially in midlatitudes. Although synoptic-scale and mesoscale disturbances seem to play a major role in controlling the total amount of dust concentration and transport in source regions of mid-latitude deserts (e.g., Takemi and Seino 2005), small-scale, boundary-layer mixing is also responsible for dust emission (Cakmur and Miller 2004). Diurnal variability of dust mobilization and concentration is responsible for 20–50 % of the total temporal variability in East Asia (Luo et al. 2004). Koch and Renno (2005) estimated that boundary-layer convective motions contribute to about 35 % of the global dust budget. One of the remarkable features seen in the desert boundary layer is a large diurnal variability due to intense solar heating. In addition, its top reaches over the 4-km height in a Chinese desert (Takemi 1999; Takemi and Satomura 2000). Such deep boundary layers are anticipated to have a close tie with long-range transport of dust especially in the Chinese deserts, since the boundarylayer top over the deserts where the ground elevation is 1 to 1.5 km becomes very close to the level of westerly jet and thus the boundary-layer air may easily be entrained into the jet stream (Iwasaka et al. 2003). Therefore, the diurnal variation of the boundary layer is critical in evaluating the amount of dust on non-stormy days. A recent study by Takemi et al. (2005) has presented a modeling framework that explicitly resolves organized motions of convective boundary layer for investigating the dynamical processes relevant to dust transport in a fair-
Turbulence characteristics inside ionospheric small-scale expanding structures observed with SuperDARN HF radars

Abstract. Unusual structures characterized by a very high-velocity divergence have been observed in the high-latitude F-region with SuperDARN radars (Andre et al., 2000). These structures have been interpreted as due to local demagnetization of the plasma in the ionospheric F-region, during very specific geophysical conditions. In this study, the collective wave scattering theory is used to characterize the decameter-scale turbulence ( l approx 15 m) inside the structures. The distribution function of the diffusion coefficient is modified when the structures are generated, suggesting that two regimes of turbulence coexist. A temporal analysis decorrelates the two regimes and gives access to the dynamics associated with the structures. It is shown that a high turbulent regime precedes the plasma demagnetization and should be related to an energy deposition. Then a second regime appears when the plasma is demagnetized and disappears simultaneously with the structures. This study is the first application of the collective wave scattering theory to a specific geophysical event. Key words. Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; ionospheric irregularities) – Space plasma physics (turbulence)
Geographic decomposition of inequality in health and wealth: evidence from Cambodia

Applying the small-area estimation methods to Cambodia data, we decompose the total inequality in wealth (consumption) and health (child undernutrition) indicators into within-location and between-location components. Because the knowledge of the pattern of spatial disparity in poverty and undernutrition is important for the geographic targeting of resources, we conduct a geographic decomposition of the variance of the Foster-Greere-Thorbecke index in addition to the standard decomposition exercise based on the generalized entropy measures. We find that a sizable proportion of wealth inequality is due to between-location inequality, whereas health inequality is mainly due to within-location inequality.
Growth anomalies in Protothaca thaca (Mollusca, Veneridae) shells as markers of ENSO conditions

Environmental variations can be recorded in bivalve shells, and this proxy information can be crucial for paleoceanographic studies in regions where other proxies (e.g. corals) are absent. We present the first sclerochronological study of Protothaca thaca (Mollusca, Veneridae), a common upper subtidal bivalve, characterized by a high temperature tolerance, from the SE Pacific Ocean (12 to 45° S). P. thaca is present in archaeological deposits and Holocene marine terraces, making it a potentially useful paleo-environmental recorder, particularly in respect to El Nino Southern Oscilla- tion (ENSO) reconstructions. The sclerochronological analysis of recent P. thaca shells from Peru and Chile was done by microscopy of thin sections and acetate peel replicates; it shows that a clear 'sum- mer check' (SC) is formed in the shell when sea surface temperature (SST) exceeds 18°C for several weeks. Under La Nina conditions in summer, SCs can be absent due to lower SST and enhanced pro- ductivity. During the strong 1997-1998 El Nino, long-lasting high summer SST produced an SC >520 µm wide. The relative width of SC on fossil shells may thus be an indicator of paleo-ENSO events. Our sclerochronological analysis has established a temporal framework in P. thaca shells, providing precise time-series analytical profiles, which is a prerequisite for future calibration of geochemical proxies.
Response of Barley to Herbicide Versus Mechanical Weed Control Under Semi-Arid Conditions

A 2-year field study was conducted during the rainy seasons of 1999 and 2000 at Houfa in northern Jordan, to study the performance of two barley genotypes (CWB117-77-9-7// Alpha/Durra and Wiesellburger/Ahor1303-61)and their response to hand-weeding (practised monthly during the growing seasons)and application of the pesticide 2,4dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D)at different growth stages. CWB117-77-9-7//Alpha/Durra gave significantly higher grain yields of 1214.5 and 1362.5 kg ha )1 during 1999 and 2000, respectively. Differences in weed number and fresh weight were significant amongst various treatments in both seasons. Hand-weeding proved to be the better weed control method. In both growing seasons, yield reductions occurred when 2,4-D was applied to barley at stage 11–18 (leaves 1–8 unfolded)and stage 43 (mid-boot) . The hand-weeding treatment was more effective than 2,4-D applications in suppressing weed growth.
The Potential of Bootstrapping Research for Advancing the Understanding of the Role of Resources in Corporate Entrepreneurship

Over the years we have seen an increased interest in businesses and in research for how to create conditions for entrepreneurship in established businesses (referring to corporate entrepreneurship). From research we know that access to and use of resources is critical for realizing corporate entrepreneurship activities. Even though the role of resources has been examined this conceptual paper identifies areas in need of development. The aim of the paper is to introduce and use insights from research in the area of bootstrapping to provide implications for how to advance the research related to the role of resources in corporate entrepreneurship. Bootstrapping is a concept that has been discussed in the independent entrepreneurship (new venture creation) context and refers to creative ways of acquiring the use of resources without using long-term external finance. The paper provides implications for development in two areas referring to two different levels of analysis. First, the paper discusses potential contributions from bootstrapping research for developing the understanding of how corporate entrepreneurs/intrapreneurs mobilize resources (referring to the individual level of analysis). Second, the paper presents implications from bootstrapping research for advancing our understanding of the role of resources for businesses seeking to renew their strategy and more specifically seeking to renew the business model. Business model as one area of corporate entrepreneurship has received much interest but the knowledge is still limited, and this in particular when it comes to how businesses actually are able to change and renew the business model. (Less)
Climate regime shifts and reorganization of fish communities: the essential fatty acid limitation hypothesis

Climate regime shifts force fish communi- ties through rapid transitions between alternate species assemblages, but little is known about the role that bio- chemical ecology plays in these transitions. We docu- ment a biochemical effect of climate-induced commu- nity transitions in boreal oceans: opposite population trajectories of lipid-rich and lipid-poor fish species. We compared published estimates of fish lipid content and population trajectories following climate shifts in 4 areas (Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Scotian Shelf and North Sea). In all cases, total lipid content differed between species that increased and decreased in abundance, and the resulting relatively lipid-rich or lipid-poor com- munities persisted for decades. We hypothesize that these changes in fish community lipid content are the result of climate-mediated changes in the availability of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are required by fish as components of hormones and cell membranes. EFAs are produced only by plants and must be obtained by fish through their diet, and ecosystem EFA availability is sensitive to physical forcing mechanisms. Using original data from 5 species of northeast Pacific fish (total lipid 1.0 to 28.9% wet mass) and published data for 29 species of myctophids (total lipid 0.5 to 46.3% wet mass), we found that the content of 2 important EFAs was positively correlated with total lipid content. This result suggests the possibility of species differences in EFA requirements that are related to total lipid content, and possible differences in susceptibility to changing EFA availability in lipid-rich and lipid-poor fish species.
Multiscale analysis for stochastic partial differential equations with quadratic nonlinearities

In this paper we derive rigorously amplitude equations for stochastic partial differential equations with quadratic nonlinearities, under the assumption that the noise acts only on the stable modes and for an appropriate scaling between the distance from bifurcation and the strength of the noise. We show that, due to the presence of two distinct timescales in our system, the noise (which acts only on the fast modes) gets transmitted to the slow modes and, as a result, the amplitude equation contains both additive and multiplicative noise. As an application we study the case of the one-dimensional Burgers equation forced by additive noise in the orthogonal subspace to its dominant modes. The theory developed in the present paper thus allows us to explain theoretically some recent numerical observations on stabilization with additive noise.
‘Downstream’ effects on the predicate in Functional Grammar clause derivations

The article deals with the dynamic, retroactive effects within a clause derivation of various ‘downstream’ specifications (that is, at subsequent levels in the derivation) on the semantic structure and aspectual character of the predicator at the ‘nuclear’, ‘core’ and ‘extended’ predication layers within standard Functional Grammar (Dik 1997a) – specifically, the insertion of given types of argument expressions within the predicate frame and the adjunction of certain semantically marked types of level 1 and level 2 satellites. A third type of retroactive effect is produced via the assignment or otherwise of the pragmatic function ‘Focus’ to the syntactic exponent of a predicate, which results in the singling out of a given part of the latter's semantic structure to act as a predicator. All these dynamic, retroactive effects on a predicator and the structures it projects assume a semantically transparent underlying predicate structure on which to operate; yet in the standard FG model, no such structure is available via the predicate frame, which forms the initial structure for the derivation of a clause. The article demonstrates the drawbacks of the strict separation of meaning definitions (lexical semantics) and predicate frames (semantically-based syntax) within FG in terms, precisely, of the perspicuous mapping between syntax and semantics. It proposes a semantically transparent alternative to the standard predicate frame, based on Pustejovsky's (1995) ‘Generative Lexicon’ approach to lexico-semantic structure.
Rotation Impact on On-Farm Yield and Input-Use Efficiency in High-Yield Irrigated Maize–Soybean Systems

2313 Maize and soybean have the largest share of the U.S. cropland area, with a total of 36 and 31 Mha sown and annual grain production of 313 and 87 Tg, respectively (USDA–NASS, mean values for 2005–2014). Th e U.S. Corn Belt and other areas of the central U.S. Great Plains (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) account for about 87% of total U.S. maize production and 84% of total U.S. soybean production. Th e dominant crop sequences in the U.S. Corn Belt in any given 2-yr time frame are S–M and M–M. If 3or 4-yr periods are considered, there are frequently additional consecutive maize crops prior to a soybean year, when commodity prices and government programs favor maize over soybean. On average, the S–M rotation accounts for about 65% of the area sown with maize and soybean in the U.S. Corn Belt with the remaining area (about 35%) sown with continuous maize (Grassini et al., 2014a). Th e proportion of land under S–M–S rotation vs. continuous maize has increased over time (USDA–NASS, 1970–2008), though the precise area in a given region year is highly infl uenced by expected soybean and maize prices and producers’ personal preference for growing one of the two crops. Numerous fi eld trials have shown that maize grown aft er soybean gives higher yield than maize aft er maize (e.g., Crookston et al., 1991; Meese et al., 1991; Porter et al., 1997; Stanger et al., 2008; Sindelar et al., 2015). Th is yield diff erence, hereaft er called “rotation eff ect”, is postulated to result from multiple interacting factors (Bullock, 1992), such as benefi cial rhizosphere microorganism communities (Turco et al., 1990), reduced pest infestations (Varvel and Peterson, 1990; Katupitiya et al., 1997) in S–M fi elds, and delayed emergence and diffi culties to establish an uniform maize plant density in the M–M no-till fi elds covered with substantial maize residue, and changes in soil N availability (Green and Blackmer, 1995; Gentry et al., 2001). Other studies have identifi ed factors infl uencing the magnitude of rotation eff ect, including weather (Porter et al., 1997; Wolfe and Eckert, 1999), number of consecutive maize crops (Meese et al., 1991; Porter et al., 1997), soil quality (Al-Kaisi et al., 2015), and crop management Rotation Impact on On-Farm Yield and Input-Use Effi ciency in High-Yield Irrigated Maize–Soybean Systems
PERCEPTIONS OF SMEs ON THE USE OF FRAMEWORK AGREEMENTS INTHE UK CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Following the Latham and Egan reports, Framework Agreements (FAs) came into the limelight in the UK construction industry as a means of reversing the adversarial nature of construction procurement. While the use of FAs has since been growing rapidly in the industry, it is generally believed that they favour larger firms over SMEs. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate the views of SMEs on the use of FAs and to identify and evaluate the barriers to the participation of SMEs in FAs in the UK construction industry. Data obtained from 56 SMEs in a questionnaire survey in Northwest England were analysed using percentage scores, relative important indices and Pearson’s Chi-square significance test with the aid of the SPSS software. The findings showed that most SMEs regarded FAs as a “closed system” barring new entrants into the market. The results also showed that the most and least significant barriers to SMEs’ participation in FAs were excessive product/service aggregation and the inability of SMEs to understand tender information in FAs respectively. These findings indicate that SMEs which constitute about 90% of the construction industry still consider themselves as disadvantaged by the use FAs due mainly to their limited resources in relation to larger firms.
Active accumulation of internal DIC pools reduces transport limitation in large colonies of Nostoc pruniforme

Nostoc pruniforme is a freshwater cyanobacterium forming large spherical colonies of up to several centimeters in diameter. The size and shape result in low surface area to volume (SA/V) ratios that potentially put severe constraints on resource acquisition. In the present study we have specifically examined how N. pruniforme copes with the acquisition of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) for photosynthesis. The results showed that N. pruniforme elevates its functional SA/V consid- erably by locating the cyanobacterial trichomes primarily in the outer shell, while the inner mucus of polysaccharides contains declining densities of trichomes with increasing colony size. N. pruniforme is a very efficient bicarbonate (HCO3 - ) user and, in addition, actively accumulates large pools of DIC that can support net photosynthesis for >22 h without a supply of external DIC. Both the efficient HCO3 - utilization and the large internal DIC pools greatly reduce N. pruniforme dependence on the immediate availability and species of external DIC. The location of the trichomes in the shell, the HCO3 - utilization and the internal DIC pools mean that colony size only has a minor effect on photo- synthetic rates as a function of external DIC availability.
Niosomes as Nanoparticular Drug Carriers : Fundamentals and Recent Applications

Drug delivery systems are defined as formulations aiming for transportation of a drug to the desired area of action within the body. The basic component of drug delivery systems is an appropriate carrier that protects the drug from rapid degradation or clearance and thereby enhances drug concentration in target tissues. Based on their biodegradable, biocompatible, and nonimmunogenic structure, niosomes are promising drug carriers that are formed by self-association of nonionic surfactants and cholesterol in an aqueous phase. In recent years, numerous research articles have been published in scientific journals reporting the potential of niosomes to serve as a carrier for the delivery of different types of drugs. The present review describes preparation methods, characterization techniques, and recent studies on niosomal drug delivery systems and also gives up to date information regarding recent applications of niosomes in drug delivery.
Performance Characteristic of Cold Recycled Mixture with Asphalt Emulsion and Chemical Additives

Three types of chemical additives were used to modify asphalt emulsion recycled mixture. These chemical additives include composite Portland cement (CPC), hydrated lime (HL), and a combination of hydrated lime and ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBF). The influence of different additives on the recycled mixture performance was investigated by volumetric and strength tests, moisture susceptibility test, rutting resistance test, and low temperature bending test. To better understand its performance characteristic, the microstructure images of the recycled mixture were observed by environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Test results demonstrate that the performance improvement of the emulsion recycled mixture depends on the types and content of chemical additives. Several recommendations are presented for the selection of chemical materials. Based on ESEM image analysis, the interface bonding mechanism is proposed to explain the performance characteristic of the recycled mixture with asphalt emulsion and cementitious materials.
Association between Degree of Leverages and Firm Value

This study aims to empirically investigate the association between degree of leverages, operating and financial, and firm value in the context of India, one of big ten emerging markets (Garten, 1997). This study examines this association for 231 manufacturing firms listed in National Stock Exchange (NSE) in India over a period from 2001-2002 to 2010-2011. The independent variables, degrees of operating and financial leverage, and a market price-based dependent variable, called price-earnings ratio as a proxy of firm value, are taken to examine this relationship by using standard ordinary least square regression models at the levels of individual firm and portfolio of firms. The findings of this study show a statistically significant negative relationship between firm value and degree of operating leverage and a statistically insignificant relationship between firm value and degree of financial leverage both at the levels of individual firm and portfolio of firms. Using the data from a country like India, one of fastest growing emerging markets in the world, this study provides an important insight on the effect of leverages on the firm value, the association between independent accounting variables and stock price-based dependent variable, to the practitioners, the scholars and the finance managers.
The Effect of a Pseudopalate on Voiceless Obstruent Production: A Spectral Evaluation of Adaptation

THE EFFECT OF A PSEUDOPALATE ON VOICELESS OBSTRUENT PRODUCTION: A SPECTRAL EVALUATION OF ADAPTATION Karie L. Dean Department of Communication Disorders Master of Science Many studies in speech communication have provided valuable findings concerning the kinematic nature of speech articulation. This type of research often involves introducing an oral device to the vocal tract such as lingual pellets, magnets, and different forms of pseudopalates to track the movement and placement of the articulators. This study examined the effect of an electropalatography (EPG) pseudopalate on the production of five voiceless obstruents (/p, t, k, s/ and /∫/). Acoustic recordings from 20 adult speakers with typical speech production were made during three different speaking conditions: prior to pseudopalate placement, immediately after placement, and following 20 minutes of conversation. The obstruent articulations were examined in terms of four spectral moments (spectral mean, spectral variance, spectral skewness, and spectral kurtosis). The spectral analysis indicated that placement of a pseudopalate resulted in a statistically significant disturbance of the speaker’s obstruent productions. After 20 minutes of conversation with the pseudopalate in place, results of the spectral analysis indicated that participants’ productions trended back toward a typical pattern of articulation; however their adaptation was not complete and it remains unclear if further practice with the pseudopalate would result in typical speech production.