Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stomatal features and humidification potentials of Borassus aethiopum, Oreodoxa regia and Cocos nucifera.

The atmosphere contains water vapors which humidifies it and later condenses in order to form cloud and subsequently rainfall. The falling of rain is an inevitably necessary thing for plants and animals, which in turn release water back to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. Larger portion of water is obtained in the atmosphere through plant transpiration. Transpiration rate is relatively regulated by the opening and closing processes of stomata located on the leaf surfaces. Leaves of Borassus aethiopum, Oreodoxa regia and Cocos nucifera are hypoamphistomatic, epiamphistomatic and hypostomatic respectively. Tetracytic stomata were present in B. aethiopum and O. regia and paracytic stomata in C. nucifera. Stomatal size and density show differences from one species to another as feature, which influences rate of transpiration. O. regia has more stomata on its adaxial surface than abaxial (hypoamphistomatic), tetracytic stomata, large stomata and high stomatal density transpired at faster rate (7.63x10 -5 mol/m 2 /s) and humidifies the atmosphere faster than C. nucifera with paracytic stomata which were restricted to adaxial surface.
Magnetic mineralogy and paleomagnetism of serpentinized ultramafic rocks from the Braszowice-Brzeźnica fragment of sudetic paleozoic ophiolite

Complex paleomagnetic, rock-magnetic and mineralogical studies were performed on serpentinized utramafic rocks from Braszowice-Brzeźnica massif (BB) situated at the southern extremity of the Niemcza Shear Zone, close to the Sudetic Marginal Fault. Studies of magnetic minerals revealed presence of several varieties of magnetite grains, and partly altered Cr-spinels. Paleomagnetic studies revealed stable component HS of natural remanence carried by magnetite formed probably during the initial serpentinization. The directions of HS have good grouping within each locality, but differ between localities. Studies of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) have shown that directions of anisotropy axes are steep instead of horizontal as is common within the Niemcza Shear Zone. Taking advantage of the directions of AMS we rotated the directions of HS and brought them to the reference direction for the Sudetes for 372 Ma. We suggest that after acquiring AMS and HS during the Upper Devonian, the BB became divided into multiple units due to tectonic activity in the region.
Mineralogy of glaciomarine sediments from the Prydz Bay–Kerguelen region: relation to modern depositional environments

Abstract Surface mineralogical compositions and their association to modern processes are well known from the east Atlantic and south-west Indian sectors of the Southern Ocean, but data from the interface of these areas - the Prydz Bay–Kerguelen region - is still missing. The objective of our study was to provide mineralogical data of reference samples from this region and to relate these mineralogical assemblages to hinterland geology, weathering, transport and depositional processes. Clay mineral assemblages were analysed by means of X-ray diffraction technique. Heavy mineral assemblages were determined by counting of gravity-separated grains under a polarizing microscope. Results show that by use of clay mineral assemblages four mineralogical provinces can be subdivided: i) continental shelf, ii) continental slope, iii) deep sea, iv) Kerguelen Plateau. Heavy mineral assemblages in the fine sand fraction are relatively uniform except for samples taken from the East Antarctic shelf. Our findings show that mineralogical studies on sediment cores from the study area have the potential to provide insights into past shifts in ice-supported transport and activity and provenance of different water masses (e.g. Antarctic slope current and deep western boundary current) in the Prydz Bay–Kerguelen region.
YOUTUBE AS INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA IN PROMOTING EFL INDONESIAN STUDENTS’ SPEAKING SKILL

Becoming fluent in English is one of the vital predictors determining successful language learning. Empirically, the lack of effective instructional media employed by English teachers often hindered students from achieving this goal. Integrating technology into English language learning is one solution to overcome these issues. The present study reviewed the integration of YouTube as instructional media in promoting EFL students’ speaking skills. This study was a literature review following Aveyard's design by selecting journal articles published in reputable journals over the past five years used as the data sources for this study. The review revealed many benefits and opportunities obtained by integrating YouTube as instructional media in promoting EFL students’ speaking skills both for teachers and students. The study concludes that YouTube is effective instructional media that can promote students’ speaking skills, including 21st-century learning skills in the EFL classroom.
Various Body Measurements of Saanen Kids

SUMMARY The aim of the study was to determine body measurements the birth to the age of 180th day of Saanen kids, and reveal factors such as the effects of year, dam age, birth type and sex on this parameter. 146 kids born in 2008 and 179 kids born in 2009 were utilized in the study. From various body measurements, wither height, back height, rump height, sacrum height, body length, chest length, chest depth, chest circumference, circumference of leg, cannon bone circumference, chest width, front-rump width, mid-rump width were 34.7, 33.9, 35.7, 33.9, 33.3, 19.7, 13.3, 36.0, 33.3, 5.5, 7.0, 6.2 and 8.8 cm at birth; 48.8, 47.9, 50.0, 48.3, 50.5, 26.5, 21.6, 53.5, 49.4, 6.5, 9.8, 9.9 and 12.1 cm at weaning; 56.7, 55.8, 57.7, 54.2, 58.3, 30.1, 25.1, 60.1, 55.9, 7.1, 11.3, 11.5 and 13.7 cm at age of 180 days, respectively.
83. The Effect of Flipped Classroom Technique on Developing English Speaking Skills of EFL learners

Various innovative language teaching techniques have been created and applied in language classes to improve students’ speaking skills. Flipped classroom technique, a new pedagogical model, has paved the way for transformation in the foreign language teaching field for it provides students with online instruction or language content in videos to be studied as homework and an opportunity to practice linguistic input in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of the Flipped Classroom Technique on developing the English Speaking Skills of EFL learners. Semi-experimental method was used to examine the data. The population of the study was made up of Forty-seven intermediate EFL students in an English institute in Khorramabad, Iran. They were divided into two groups, experimental (males=8, females=9) and control group (males=9, females=8). Each group comprised of seventeen students. The experimental group was taught based on flipped classroom techniques while the control group was taught according to traditional methods. Besides, the participants’ age range was between 16 to 26 years old. The instruments used for data collection are the IELTS Speaking Test, Multimedia resources, Brainstorming, and the IELTS speaking rubric. The findings of the study show that there is a meaningful difference between those instructed with flipped classroom techniques and those instructed with traditional methods. Those who were taught by the flipped technique outperformed those who were instructed by the traditional methods. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the flipped classroom technique is an effective technique in terms of developing the speaking skills of EFL learners.
WATER QUALITY IMPACTS AND INDICATORS OF METABOLIC ACTIVITY OF THE ZEBRA MUSSEL INVASION OF THE SENECA RIVER 1

ABSTRACT: The conspicuous shifts in summertime values of common measures of water qualify that have persisted for 10 years (1993 to 2002) in the Seneca River, New York, as a result of the zebra mussel invasion are documented. Resolution of patterns in time and space is supported by water quality monitoring that extends back to the late 1970s. Patterns are evaluated to describe the stability of impacts and quantify metabolic activity of the invader. The water quality impacts that have persisted unabated for 10 years since the invasion are the most severe documented for a river in North America. Changes in summer median conditions since the invasion include: (1) a 16‐fold decrease in chlorophyll concentration (Chi), (2) a 2.5‐fold increase in Secchi disc transparency, (3) a 17‐fold increase in soluble reactive phosphorus concentration, (4) a 3.7‐fold increase in total ammonia concentration, (5) a greater than 25 percent decrease in dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, and (6) a decrease in pH of 0.55 units. The strength of these signatures has been driven by anthropogenic influences that include upstream nutrient loading and morphometric modifications of the river, and the functioning of Cross Lake, through which the river flows. This hypereutrophic lake sustains dense zebra mussel populations and related water quality impacts in the river downstream of the lake outflow by acting as a source of veligers and suitable food for this bivalve. Evidence is presented that levels of metabolic activity of the zebra mussel in this river have been resource limited, manifested through increased consumption of Chl and DO with increased delivery of these constituents in the lake's outflow.
Effects of geometries on three-dimensional slope stability

This paper analyzes the effects of complex geometries on three-dimensional (3D) slope stability using an elastoplastic finite difference method (FDM) with a strength reduction technique. A series of special 3D slopes with various geometric configurations, including curving slope surface, turning corners, turning arcs, and turning forms, is presented in terms of factor of safety, shear slip surface, and deformed mesh. More than 180 cases with various geometries for different slope gradient (90°, 45°, and 26.57°) under different boundary conditions (smooth–smooth, rough–smooth, and rough–rough) are calculated and discussed in detail. Many interesting results are obtained and some of them appear to be surprising. These results can be used directly to offer suggestions for landslide hazard preparedness or safe and economical design of infrastructures, e.g., excavations, embankments, and so on.
Geodetic strain measurements in Washington

Two new geodetic measurements of strain accumulation in the state of Washington for the interval 1972–1979 are reported. Near Seattle the average principal strain rates are 0.07 ± 0.03 μstrain/yr N 19°W and −0.13 ± 0.02 μstrain/yr N71°E, and near Richland (south central Washington) the average principal strain rates are −0.02 ± 0.01 μstrain/yr N36°W and −0.04 ± 0.01 μstrain/yr N54°E. Extension is taken as positive, and the uncertainties quoted are standard deviations. A measurement of shear strain accumulation (dilatation not determined) in the epoch 1914–1966 along the north coast of Vancouver Island by the Geodetic Survey of Canada indicates a marginally significant accumulation of right-lateral shear (0.06 ± 0.03 μrad/yr) across the plate boundary (N40°W strike). Although there are significant differences in detail, these strain measurements are roughly consistent with a crude dislocation model that represents subduction of the Juan de Fuca plate. The observed accumulation of strain implies that large, shallow, thrust earthquakes should be expected off the coast of Washington and British Columbia. However, this conclusion is not easily reconciled with either observations of elevation change along the Washington coast or the focal mechanism solutions for shallow earthquakes in Washington.
MIT Open Access Articles Dependence of the Thermal Conductivity of BiFeO₃ Thin Films on Polarization and Structure

The role of the ferroelectric polarization state and crystal structure in determining the room-temperature thermal conductivity of epitaxial BiFeO 3 thin films is investigated. The ferroelectric domain configuration is varied by changing the oxygen partial pressure during growth, as well as by polarizing the samples by the application of an in situ electric field during the thermal conductivity measurement. However, little or no dependence of thermal conductivity on the ferroelectric domain structure is observed. In contrast, the thermal conductivity significantly depends on the morphotropic phase structure, being about 2 = 3 as large in tetragonal-like compared to rhombohedral-like BiFeO 3 film. The substantial structural dependence of thermal conductivity found here may provide a route to reversible manipulation of thermal properties.
Comparison of Sequential and Variational Streamflow Assimilation Techniques for Short-Term Hydrological Forecasting

AbstractThis study compares sequential and variational streamflow assimilation techniques for short-term hydrological forecasting based on a lumped conceptual rainfall-runoff model and two dissimilar watersheds (Canada and Germany). The assessment targets the Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) and variational data assimilation (VDA). Deterministic streamflow forecasts are computed on a daily time step over a 10-day forecast horizon, using meteorological observations as inputs to the model. Results show that the EnKF leads to the highest performance for all forecast horizons while the optimal set-up for the VDA, which often competes with the EnKF, varies from one watershed to the other. EnKF surpasses forecasts without assimilation for all horizons and for both watersheds where the NSE varies between 0.88 and 0.79 on the au Saumon watershed in Canada and between 0.92 and 0.87 on the Schlehdorf watershed in Germany on a 10-day horizon, which is not always true for the VDA. The naive output assimilation is also a.
Seasonal cycles of mixing ratio and 13C in atmospheric methane at Suva, Fiji

[1] A series of clean air samples has been collected at a coastal site near Suva, Fiji (18°08′S, 178°26′E) by researchers at the University of the South Pacific. These samples, covering the period 1994 to mid-2002, have been analyzed for methane mixing ratio and δ13C and provide the first ever time series of these species reported for this part of the tropical South Pacific. The data show large variability when compared to similar time series of the same species measured farther south in the extratropical Pacific. In particular, summer variability at the Fiji site is high, especially through La Nina conditions. A modeling study was carried out using a modified version of the UK Meteorological Office's Unified Model (a general circulation model) and TM2 (a chemical transport model driven by stored meteorological fields). These showed that a large amount of the variability in the methane mixing ratio and its δ13C can be attributed to complex tropical meteorology in the region changing the rate of transport of methane from the Northern into the Southern Hemispheres. Enhanced interhemispheric transport occurred during the summer months, especially during La Nina conditions which lead to the suppression of expected minima in the methane mixing ratio caused by OH oxidation. Although enriched signals in δ13C were expected at the site caused by intrusions of methane emitted from tropical biomass burning in Indonesia, relatively few of these events could be identified in the time series.
Initiation of static instability in the submarine Nerlerk berm

According to stability postulates by other authors, soils that exhibit nonassociated flow may become unstable when exposed to certain stress paths inside the failure surface. Several series of conventional triaxial tests on fully saturated specimens have been performed to study the regions of stable and unstable behavior. For saturated specimens that tend to compress, undrained conditions lead to effective stress paths directed within the region of potential instability, and instability is observed, provided the yield surface opens up in the outward direction of the hydrostatic axis. Thus, instability occurs inside the failure surface. Instability is not synonymous with failure, although both lead to catastrophic events. The location of the region of potential instability and its determination are discussed. The submarine Nerlerk berm, which suffered six slides during its construction, is analyzed using a newly developed method of instability analysis. It is shown that conventional slope stability methods.
Statistical analysis of simulated direct and indirect precipitation associated with typhoons around Japan using a cloud-system resolving model

To validate the reproducibility of simulated typhoons and related precipitation, perfect boundary condition experiments, forced by 20-km-mesh Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) operational regional objective analysis (RANAL) data from June to October in 2002-2006, are performed using a 5-km-mesh cloud-system resolving nonhydrostatic regional climate model (NHM-5km). NHM-5km reproduced all 57 typhoons observed in the model domain during the experiment period. Relative to JMA best track data for the typhoons, the average position error of typhoon centers is 130 km at 72 hours after typhoon genesis or when the typhoon first enters the model domain. The simulated minimum central pressures of typhoons are similar to those in RANAL data. The precipitation within (outside of) a 300-km radius from the center of each typhoon is defined as direct (indirect) precipitation. The distributions of the simulated direct and indirect precipitation of typhoons show good agreement with precipitation analyses by JMA. For hourly precipitation amounts exceeding 5 mm, direct precipitation is observed more frequently than is indirect precipitation, especially for amounts exceeding 20 mm. These features are well reproduced by NHM-5km. The appearance frequency of simulated direct precipitation for hourly precipitation amounts also shows a good quantitative agreement with that measured by raingauges.
The Effect of Iron Content on the Thermodynamic Properties of Syndiotactic Polypropylene/Iron Composites

This study investigated the influence of iron concentration on the thermodynamic properties of syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP)/iron composites in the melt phase in a series of samples with varying iron content, ranging from 0 to 10% with a step of 2%. The HYSYS software was used to estimate molecular weight, critical temperature (Tc), critical volume (Vc), and eccentricity (Ec). The results showed that all these properties changed as the iron content varied. The findings of this study confirmed that iron concentration has an impact on the mechanical and chain dynamic (microscopic) properties of polymer composites.
Clear‐Water Scour around Bridge Pier Group

Recent attempts have been made to reduce scour around solid circular piers. Such attempts use riprap, a circular collar around, a rectangular slot through, and a delta wing‐like fin ahead of piers. Providing another scour reduction device, the present paper replaces the solid pier by a group of three smaller piers. A pier group starting from its foundation and extending fully into the flow depth is termed a “full pier group” and one extending partially into flow depth a “partial pier group. ” The scour due to a pier group in its best orientation is compared with that due to a solid pier of diameter equal to the circumscribing circle diameter of the pier group. It was observed that the scour reduction due to a full pier group is about 40%, and 75% of this reduction can be realized by a partial pier group extending into half the flow depth only. Also, the full pier group is seen to be more effective than a solid cylinder with a full slot of width equal to half its diameter and as effective as a solid cylinde.
Groundwater Flow in a Tidally Influenced Gravel Beach in Prince William Sound, Alaska

The hydraulics of a gravel beach on Eleanor Island in Prince William Sound (PWS), Alaska, was investigated by measurements of the water table and by numerical simulations using the software SUTRA. Sediment samples were obtained from six wells at the approximate three depths: 0.30, 0.60, and 0.90 m, and they were sieved in the lab to generate the grain size distribution, and subsequently the saturated hydraulic conductivity, K0. The results indicated that the beach consisted of two layers: an upper layer with a high K0 and a lower layer with a low K0. In the landward portion of the intertidal zone, K0 was around 10 � 2 m∕s and 10 � 5 m∕s for the upper and lower layers, respectively. In the seaward portion of the intertidal zone, the K0 values were 10 � 4 m∕s and 10 � 6 m∕s in the upper and lower layers, respectively. The agreement of the model with the observed water table data was very good. A decrease in the slope of the beach in the seaward direction caused water to flow out from the lower layer and propagate seaward within the upper layer. This ensured that the water table seaward of the exit point was replenished and remained above the interface of the layers. The results suggest that the porosity of the beach decreases from 0.33 at the surface to around 0.05 at 1.0 m deep. The absence of oil on this beach is probably because the beach water table remained above the layers' interface during low tides. Using the calibrated model, it was found that the flow from land into the beach is around 6 m 3 ∕day (per meter parallel to the shoreline) and that the flow out of the lower layer varied with time reaching a maximum of 13 m 3 ∕ðday·mÞ at low tide. The beach exchanges up to 7 m 3 ∕ðday·mÞ with the sea. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000454. © 2012 American Society of Civil
Short-Term Vertical Datum Variability and Vertical Crustal Movements in East Asia

Field biological and geomorphological observations in certain East Asia coasts permit definition of Mean Sea Level (MSL) with an accuracy of ∼10 cm, that is, a vertical geodetic datum, as well as recognition of the MSL of fossil shorelines, up to a few thousand years old, mainly associated with tectonic/seismic effects. Subsidence produced by compaction of nearly-surficial strata seems also to be a usual effect. These data indicate that datum variability is a widespread effect in East Asia, time-dependent even at time scales affecting engineering works, but only in a few cases fully predictable.
Is Neolithic land use correlated with demography? An evaluation of pollen-derived land cover and radiocarbon-inferred demographic change from Central Europe

The transformation of natural landscapes in Middle Europe began in the Neolithic as a result of the introduction of food-producing economies. This paper examines the relation between land-cover and demographic change in a regionally restricted case study. The study area is the Western Lake Constance area which has very detailed palynological as well as archaeological records. We compare land-cover change derived from nine pollen records using a pseudo-biomisation approach with 14C date probability density functions from archaeological sites which serve as a demographic proxy. We chose the Lake Constance area as a regional example where the pollen signal integrates a larger spatial pattern. The land-cover reconstructions for this region show first notable impacts at the Middle to Young Neolithic transition. The beginning of the Bronze Age is characterised by increases of arable land and pasture/meadow, whereas the deciduous woodland decreases dramatically. Changes in the land-cover classes show a correlation with the 14C density curve: the correlation is best with secondary woodland in the Young Neolithic which reflects the lake shore settlement dynamics. In the Early Bronze Age, the radiocarbon density correlates with open land-cover classes, such as pasture, meadow and arable land, reflecting a change in the land-use strategy. The close overall correspondence between the two archives implies that population dynamics and land-cover change were intrinsically linked. We therefore see human impact as a key driver for vegetation change in the Neolithic. Climate might have an influence on vegetation development, but the changes caused by human land use are clearly detectable from Neolithic times, at least in these densely settled, mid-altitude landscapes.