Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tertiary Level Irrigation Water Management Practices at Tail End : A Case Study from Uda Walawe Irrigation Scheme

Most of the irrigated lands in the tail end of the Right Bank in Uda Walawe Irrigation Scheme (UWIS) face severe water deficit, and considerable extent of developed lands is left uncultivated. Reallocation of water for the new development area in Left Bank will cause further reduction in water flows to the already stressed lands at the tail end areas. The scope of this case study was to establish causes for irrigation water deficit in a water stressed distributary canal in the tail end reach of the UWIS. The study was conducted during the Yala season of 2003, in D4 distributary canal of Bataatha. The water balance of D4 canal reveals that almost 23% of the head inflow to D4 canal is lost in the canal due to unmanaged flows. It was observed that two thirds of regulating structures in D4 canal do not function properly causing difficulties in implementing proper water management plans for the D4 canal. Farmers of the downstream paddy fields of D4 command area tapped almost 35% of total water received by D4 canal. Significant differences in water distribution along the D4 during the past have resulted in establishing three different land use patterns in D4; as permanent paddy lands, homesteads with intermittent paddy/other field crops (pulses, grains or vegetables that require less water) and rainfed chena type cultivation. Poor information sharing between irrigation agency and farmers has resulted in poor performance in implementatio n of seasonal cultivation plan and in wa ter distribution causing losses for both parties.
A combined analysis of four observational studies evaluating the intraocular pressure-lowering ability and tolerability of bimatoprost 0.01% in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension

Objective Combine and evaluate data from four clinical practice studies investigating the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering ability, tolerability of and patient adherence to bimatoprost 0.01% therapy in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Methods Data were combined from four multicenter, prospective, observational studies. Patients (n=2,593) were recruited from 328 sites in Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Assessments were at study entry (baseline) and after 10–14 weeks. Results Bimatoprost 0.01% lowered mean IOP by 5.0 mmHg from baseline to final visit (P<0.0001). Individual IOP goals were achieved in 75.5% of patients. Results were similar in right and left eyes; right-eye data are presented here for brevity. The greatest mean IOP reduction was 6.7±4.7 mmHg (28.8% reduction from baseline to final visit, P<0.0001) in treatment-naïve patients. Switching to bimatoprost 0.01% monotherapy from previous monotherapy reduced mean IOP by a further 3.2±3.6 mmHg (17.2%, P<0.0001). Switching to bimatoprost 0.01% from previous prostaglandin monotherapy reduced mean IOP by 2.9±3.5 mmHg (15.5%), including by 3.1±3.4 mmHg (15.8%) and 3.3±4.1 mmHg (16.9%) for previous latanoprost and travoprost treatment, respectively (all P<0.0001). IOP reduction in patients previously treated with a fixed combination was 2.7±4.0 mmHg (14.2%, P<0.0001). The most commonly reported adverse events were conjunctival hyperemia (5.2%) and eye irritation (4.7%). Tolerability was rated as “very good” or “good” by 90.1% of patients. Adherence was rated by physicians as “better than” or “equal to” previous treatment in 97.2% of patients. Conclusion The combined studies demonstrated in a clinical practice setting, bimatoprost 0.01% lowered IOP effectively in treatment-naïve and previously treated ocular hypertension and primary open-angle glaucoma patients, and was associated with good tolerability and patient adherence over 12 weeks.
SERIES WP 0804 Non-Additive Anonymous Games

This paper introduces a class of non-additive anonymous games where agents are assumed to be uncertain (in the sense of Knight) about opponents’ strategies and about the initial distribution over players’ characteristics in the game. These uncertainties are modelled by non-additive measures or capacities. The CournotNash equilibrium existence theorem is proven for this class of games. It is shown that the equilibrium distribution can be symmetrized under milder conditions than in the case of additive games. In particular, it is not required for the space characteristics to be atomless under capacities. The set-valued map of the Cournot-Nash equilibria is upper-semicontinuous as a function of initial beliefs of the players for non-additive anonymous games.
Serological Survey of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Traditionally Managed Goats of Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Serological exposure to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) was assessed in traditionally managed goats sampled from different villages of Andaman & Nicobar Islands during September 2014. A total of 81 serum samples from goats (Non-descript, Malabari, and Teressa breed) were collected and subjected to 3AB non-structural protein (NSP) ELISA using the in-house r3AB3 NSP ELISA kit. Only 1 out of 81 animals from Rangachang village was found to be positive suggesting absence of FMD virus circulation in the islands during the recent past. However, the particular seropositive animal needs to be re-sampled and tested again in NSP ELISA to rule out infection. As most of the goats were not vaccinated against FMD, routine prophylactic vaccination to maintain an optimum level of
A flattening in the optical light curve of SN 2002ap

We present the UBV RcIc broad band optical photometry of the Type Ic supernova SN 2002ap obtained during 2002 February 06 – March 23 in the early decline phases and also later on 2002 15 August. Combining these data with the published ones, the general light curve development is studied. The time and luminosity of the peak brightness and the peak width are estimated. There is a flattening in the optical light curve about 30 days after the B maximum. The flux decline rates before flattening are 0.127±0.005, 0.082±0.001, 0.074±0.001, 0.062±0.001 and 0.040±0.001 mag day −1 in U, B, V , Rc and Ic passbands respectively, while the corresponding values after flattening are about 0.02 mag day −1 in all the passbands. The maximum brightness of SN 2002ap MV = 17.2 mag, is comparable to that of the type Ic 1997ef, but fainter than that of the type Ic hypernova SN 1998bw. The peak luminosity indicates an ejection of � 0.06 M⊙ 56 Ni mass. We also present low-resolution optical spectra obtained during the early phases. The SiII absorption minimum indicates that the photospheric velocity decreased from � 21,360 km s −1 to � 10,740 km s −1 during a period of � 6 days.
Laboratory measurements of cryogenic liquid alkane microwave absorptivity and implications for the composition of Ligeia Mare, Titan

The complex dielectric constants of liquids methane and ethane were measured at 90 K and 14.1 GHz, close to the frequency of the Cassini RADAR. The liquid ethane loss tangent is far greater than that of liquid methane, facilitating discrimination by remote sensing. The results suggest a methane‐dominated composition for the northern sea, Ligeia Mare, on the basis of a recent loss tangent determination using Cassini RADAR altimetry. This contrasts a previous far higher loss tangent for the southern lake, Ontario Lacus, which is inconsistent with simple mixtures of methane and ethane. The apparent nonequilibrium methane‐to‐ethane ratio of Ligeia Mare can be explained by poor admixture of periodically cycled methane with a deeper ethane‐rich alkanofer system, consistent with obliquity‐driven volatile cycling, sequestration of ethane from the hydrocarbon cycle by incorporation into crustal clathrate hydrates, or periodic flushing of Ligeia Mare into adjacent Kraken Mare by fresh rainfall.
Anisotropy in inner core attenuation: A new type of data to constrain the nature of the solid core

During the last decade, the presence of velocity anisotropy inside the inner core, with a fast axis parallel to the Earth's rotation axis, has been well established. The quantitative analysis of the amplitudes of waves which sample a particular region of the inner core, under Africa, but exhibit various orientations allows us to document and characterize the presence of anisotropy in attenuation. The analysis is based on a comparison of both amplitudes and travel times of the PKP(DF) wave, which samples the inner core, and the PKP(BC) wave, which has nearly the same path but bottoms inside the liquid core. The data reveal that the direction of strong attenuation correlates with that of fast velocity. When referred to the same epicentral distance and focal depth, the PKP(DF)/PKP(BC) amplitude ratio are about five times lower for paths tilted by 25° with respect to the Earth rotation axis, than for nearly equatorial paths. A clear negative correlation is observed between travel time and amplitude residuals, when the angle to Earth rotation axis varies. This first quantitative analysis, combined with experimental results on oriented crystals and mushy media, may bring important constraints on the mechanism responsible for anisotropy in the inner core.
Crystallization of sulfide liquids and the interpretation of ore composition

We have been exploring ways to quantitatively assess the extent to which fractionation of sulfide melt has effected variations in composition within magmatic sulfide ore bodies. Our approach has been to determine by experiment the crystallization paths of sulfide liquids in temperature and composition dimensions. In this paper, the results of new major-element partitioning experiments below 1050 °C in the nickel-free system are presented and summarized along with new and previous work in the Fe–Ni–Cu–S quaternary. The partition coefficients D for Cu between monosulfid solid solution (mss) and sulfide liquid in the Ni-free system (DCu = (wt.% Cu in mss)/(wt.% Cu in liquid)) cluster near 0.3, but decrease to nearly 0.1 for Cu-rich, S-poor liquids near 1000 °C. DNi also declines with decreasing sulfur content of the liquid, but increases with decreasing temperature. Preliminary data indicate that DNi exceeds 1.0 in low-Ni liquids with greater than 16 wt. % Cu, at 1050 °C. The quality of available data on the .
CHAPTER 5 Delayed microvascular shear adaptation in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension : role of Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecul-1 cleavage

Altered pulmonary hemodynamics and high fluid shear stress (HSS) are characteristic hallmarks in the pathogenesis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). However, the contribution of HSS to cellular and vascular alterations in PAH is unclear. We hypothesize that failing shear adaptation is an essential part of the endothelial dysfunction in all forms of PAH and tested whether microvascular (MVEC) respectively arterial endothelial cells (PAEC) from PAH patient lungs adapt to HSS and if the shear defect partakes in vascular remodeling
Intensive Grazing Management of Smooth Bromegrass With or Without Alfalfa or Birdsfoot Trefoil: Heifer Performance and Sward Characteristics

Abstract Over 3 yr, 324 (n=108 per yr) Holstein heifers (226±26 kg; ±SD) ranging in age from 5 to 7 mo were assigned to a 3×2 factorial arrangement of treatments to determine the effects of forage and grazing management system on animal performance, forage availability, and forage quality. The forage treatments were: 1) alfalfa and smooth bromegrass (ALF-BR), 2) birdsfoot trefoil and smooth bromegrass (BFT-BR), or 3) smooth bromegrass plus nitrogen (BR). The grazing management systems were: 1) a four-paddock system in which cattle were rotated based on time (4-p) or 2) a 12-paddock system in which cattle were rotated based on forage availability (12-p). Stocking rate was held constant at 3.75 animals per hectare. The ALF-BR and BR pastures yielded more available forage than BFT-BR pastures (9.86 and 10.04 vs 9.14 metric tons/ha). The ALF-BR and BFT-BR pastures, when compared to BR pastures, supported greater animal average daily gain (0.93 and 0.97 vs 0.83 kg/d) and increased animal gain per hectare (497.8 and 516.4 vs 443.3 kg/d). Legume-grass pastures also had lower neutral detergent fiber content than BR pastures. There were no differences in either animal gain or gain per hectare due to grazing system. Three years after seeding, BFT-BR and ALF-BR had a similar percentage of legume present within their respective pastures. Birdsfoot trefoil appears to be an acceptable substitute for alfalfa in properly managed grass-legume mixed pastures.
SEASONAL SHIFTS IN POPULATION DISTRIBUTIONS AND HABITAT OCCUPANCY BY PERMANENT RESIDENT FOREST BIRDS IN EASTERN CONNECTICUT

I studied 10 permanent resident bird species in unfragmented forests of eastern Connecticut to discover: 1) are populations of resident species truly sedentary or do they season- ally change in density and distribution and 2) are any seasonal changes in species' occurrences related to environmental parameters in manners that help to explain the changes? I performed duplicate surveys using the variable circular plot technique at 50 systematically placed transects and characterized habitats at 15 plots/ transect. I related population densities to habitat features and also compared the occurrence of individual birds within habitat plots to the characteristics of those plots. The Tufted Titmouse (Poecile bicolor), Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) and Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) showed consistent, significant population declines, whereas the Black-capped Chickadee (P. atricapillus ) showed significant increases from summer to winter and the Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) had nearly significant winter increases. Five species had no clear seasonal trend. Populations of six of 10 species became significantly more concentrated from summer to winter at lower, more southerly elevations. Evidence for the association of species with aspects of habitat structure was limited regardless of the scale used to examine such associations. The lack of strong structural habitat associations may be expected among species often thought of as being ecological generalists, although findings also demo n- strated that the importance of structural features was not annually consistent, perhaps because these features varied in their annual importance. Despite observed population shifts by most resident species, including those thought to be largely sedentary, the principal factor related to seasonal population changes was wintering at lower, southerly elevations. Because elevation and latitude are strongly related inversely to average temperature in Connecticut, winter movements are likely driven by populations seeking less metabolically costly landscapes.
Land uplift near Vatnajökull, Iceland, as observed by GPS in 1992, 1996 and 1999

SUMMARY War ming of the climate in the 20th century has been manifested by an ablation of Europe's largest ice cap, Vatnajokull in Iceland. The thin elastic lithosphere and the low-viscosity as- thenosphere are responding to the reduction in mass by current land uplift in the vicinity of the ice cap suggested to be of the order of 5-10 mm yr −1 : lithosphere thickness and asthenosphere viscosities compatible with these values have been inferred. From our repeated GPS epoch campaigns in 1992, 1996 and 1999 uplift rates are estimated to be of the order of 5-19 mm yr −1 , and the uplift rate is decreasing by −0.11 ± 0.01 mm yr −1 km −1 with radial distance from the centre of the ice cap. These results deviate from previous Earth rheology models estimated for the region. Our data indicate that the lithosphere thickness might be of the order of 10-20 km and the asthenosphere viscosity may be as low as 5 × 10 17 Pa s, but these parameters need a careful fitting to the estimated uplift rates.
Development of Performance Properties of Ternary Mixtures: Field Demonstrations and Project Summary

Supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) have become common parts of modern concrete practice. The blending of two or three cementitious materials to optimize durability, strength, or economics provides owners, engineers, materials suppliers, and contractors with substantial advantages over mixtures containing only portland cement. However, these advances in concrete technology and engineering have not always been adequately captured in specifications for concrete. Users need specific guidance to assist them in defining the performance requirements for a concrete application and the selection of optimal proportions of the cementitious materials needed to produce the required durable concrete. The fact that blended cements are currently available in many regions increases options for mixtures and thus can complicate the selection process. Both portland and blended cements have already been optimized by the manufacturer to provide specific properties (such as setting time, shrinkage, and strength gain). The addition of SCMs (as binary, ternary, or even more complex mixtures) can alter these properties, and therefore has the potential to impact the overall performance and applications of concrete. This report is the final of a series of publications describing a project aimed at addressing effective use of ternary systems. The work was conducted in several stages and individual reports have been published at the end of each stage.
“Paolo Baffi” Centre on Central Banking and Financial Regulation

Although foreign banks can act as catalysts for financial and economic development their role remains controversial because they might simply displace local lenders thereby tightening firms’ overall access to credit. To settle this issue we study their effect on real economic activity in a large cross-section of developing and advanced countries whose industrial sectors differ in their external financing needs. We find that foreign banks alleviate the consequences of financial constraints and increase real growth. The greater their presence the less does external financial dependence impede firm performance. Foreign banks also mitigate the adverse consequences of banking crises on growth but do not significantly affect economic activity in advanced countries with well-functioning financial markets. Our results provide strong evidence that foreign entry alleviates financial constraints without hurting economic growth prospects, especially in developing countries whose companies often lack access to alternative sources of finance.
A comprehensive CCD photometric study of the open cluster NGC 2421

We present the UBVRI CCD photometry in the region of the open cluster NGC 2421. The radius of the cluster is determined as ∼3.0 arcmin using a stellar density profile. Our study indicates that the metallicity of the cluster is Z ∼ 0.004. The reddening E(B - V) = 0.42 ± 0.05 mag is determined using a two colour (U - B) versus (B - V) diagram. By combining the 2MASS JHK data with the optical data, we determined that E(J - K) = 0.20 ± 0.20 mag and E(V - K) = 1.15 ± 0.20 mag for this cluster. Colour-excess diagrams show a normal interstellar extinction law in the direction of the cluster. We determined that the distance of the cluster is 2.2 ± 0.2 kpc by comparing the zero-age main sequence with the intrinsic colour-magnitude diagram of the cluster. The age of the cluster has been estimated as 80 ± 20 Myr using the stellar isochrones of metallicity Z = 0.004. The mass function slope x = 1.2 ± 0.3 has been derived by applying the corrections of field star contamination and data incompleteness. Our analyses indicate that the cluster NGC 2421 is dynamically relaxed.
Disc instabilities and semi-analytic modelling of galaxy formation

The Efstathiou, Lake and Negroponte (1982) criterion cannot distinguish bar stable from bar unstable discs and thus should not be used in semi-analytic galaxy formation simulations. I discuss the reasons for this, illustrate it with examples and point out shortcomings in the recipes used for spheroid formation. I propose an alternative, although much less straightforward, possibility.
Simulation of Multiple-Station Ground Motions Using Stochastic Point-Source Method with Spatial Coherency and Correlation Characteristics

Abstract Existing algorithms, including the stochastic point‐source method, used to simulate synthetic ground‐motion records are aimed at sampling records at a single station or records at multiple stations. The application of the algorithms may not adequately reproduce the observed coherency structure of the actual records and the intraevent spatial correlation characteristics of peak ground acceleration or spectral accelerations. To improve these, we suggest an extension to the stochastic point‐source method by introducing a target spatial coherency structure and the spatially correlated uncertainties in the Fourier amplitude spectrum for each recording station. The use of the extended model to simulate the multiple‐station records is illustrated, and the spatial correlation of the ground‐motion measures for the simulated records are compared with the empirical spatial correlation model derived based on the 1999 Chi‐Chi Taiwan earthquake.
Evidence for multiple stages of oil cracking and thermochemical sulfate reduction in the Puguang gas field, Sichuan Basin, China

The Puguang gas field is the largest gas field found in marine carbonates in China. Marine carbonate reservoirs in this field were buried to a depth of about 7000 m (22,966 ft) and experienced maximum temperature up to 220C before uplift to the present-day depth of 5000–5500 m (16,404–18,045 ft), with present-day thermal maturity between 2.0 and 3.0% equivalent vitrinite reflectance (Ro). Sulfur-rich pyrobitumens with reflectance up to 3.5% are widespread in the reservoirs and resulted from thermal cracking of crude oils most likely generated from Upper Permian source rocks and thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR). Natural gases in the Puguang gas field have wide variations in nonhydrocarbon gas contents, with H2S contents between 5.1 and 58.3% and CO2 contents between 7.9 and 18.0%. The hydrocarbon gases originated mainly from thermal cracking of accumulated oil but were altered by TSR. Thermochemical sulfate reduction in the study area exerted different effects on the isotope compositions of different hydrocarbon gas components at different TSR stages. The differential increase of 13C values for different gas components reflects transformation from a heavy-hydrocarbon-gas–dominated TSR stage to a methane-dominated TSR stage. This caused a decrease of 13Cmethane13Cethane values and a corresponding conversion from reversed to normal isotope distributions. Thermochemical sulfate reduction in the study area appears to have been limited by sulfate concentrations in the reservoirs. A successive, three-stage TSR series, namely, liquid-hydrocarbon–involved TSR, heavy-hydrocarbon-gas–dominated TSR, and methane-dominated TSR, occurred in reservoirs with sufficient sulfate concentration. Methane can be the dominant organic reactant for TSR, but only at elevated temperature and after most C2+ hydrocarbons are exhausted.