Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A LATE MIOCENE – EARLY PLIOCENE PARATETHYAN TYPE OSTRACOD FAUNA FROM THE DENIZLI BASIN (SW ANATOLIA) AND ITS PALAEOGEOGRAPHIC IMPLICATIONS

The upper Miocene – lower Pliocene sedimentary succession of the Denizli Basin (SW Anatolia) displays a unique record of undisturbed stratigraphy and provides an excellent opportunity to study long-term palaeoecological changes. This paper documents the ostracod assemblages of two sections of the Neogene Kolankaya Formation, resulting in the following taxonomic, palaeobiogeographic and ecological interpretations. The ostracod assemblages from the two sections consist of a mixture of oligohaline to mesohaline tolerant taxa but expose fundamental differences in their composition. This is reflected by the fact that out of 32 determined species, both sections only have 3 in common. In the stratigraphic older succession, the diverse ostracod fauna resembles taxa known from the Paratethys. Faunal relations to the brackish lake habitats of the Euxinic and Pannonian basins are apparent and the palaeobiogeographic significance of the fauna is discussed. The ostracod association of the younger section indicates a low brackish water habitat with fluctuating salinities, most likely in the oligohaline range. The ostracod assemblage of the Kolankaya Formation only permits a broad age assignment to the late Miocene – early Pliocene.
Severe Convective Storms across Europe and the United States. Part I: Climatology of Lightning, Large Hail, Severe Wind, and Tornadoes

As lightning-detection records lengthen and the efficiency of severe weather reporting increases, more accurate climatologies of convective hazards can be constructed. In this study we aggregate flashes from the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) and Arrival Time Difference long-range lightning detection network (ATDnet) with severe weather reports from the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD) and Storm Prediction Center (SPC) Storm Data on a common grid of 0.25° and 1-h steps. Each year approximately 75–200 thunderstorm hours occur over the southwestern, central, and eastern United States, with a peak over Florida (200–250 h). The activity over the majority of Europe ranges from 15 to 100 h, with peaks over Italy and mountains (Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathians, Dinaric Alps; 100–150 h). The highest convective activity over continental Europe occurs during summer and over the Mediterranean during autumn. The United States peak for tornadoes and large hail reports is in spring, preceding the maximum of lightning and severe wind reports by 1–2 months. Convective hazards occur typically in the late afternoon, with the exception of the Midwest and Great Plains, where mesoscale convective systems shift the peak lightning threat to the night. The severe wind threat is delayed by 1–2 h compared to hail and tornadoes. The fraction of nocturnal lightning over land ranges from 15% to 30% with the lowest values observed over Florida and mountains (~10%). Wintertime lightning shares the highest fraction of severe weather. Compared to Europe, extreme events are considerably more frequent over the United States, with maximum activity over the Great Plains. However, the threat over Europe should not be underestimated, as severe weather outbreaks with damaging winds, very large hail, and significant tornadoes occasionally occur over densely populated areas.
Economic role of education in agriculture: evidence from rural Vietnam

PurposeThis paper investigates the impact of education on output of rice farming households in Vietnam.Design/methodology/approachGiven the literature review, this paper specifies three empirical models (i.e. linear constant coefficient model, partially nonlinear model and linear varied coefficient model) with variables that well describe the mechanism through which education affects output. The data were collected from 901 rice farming households randomly selected out of ten provinces and city in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) of Vietnam. The models are estimated using ordinary least squares (OLS) and Robinson's (1988) double residual estimators.FindingsEstimates of the empirical models show that seed, fertilizer, labor and farm size have significant impacts on output of rice farming households while pesticide and herbicide do not. Education is also found to have a positive effect on output of rice farming households because it helps them better manage farms of larger size via combining various inputs in a more desirable way.Originality/valueThis paper confirms the positive impact of education on agricultural output, which implies that policies aiming to provide better education to rural people will greatly enhance their income as well as trigger long-term economic and agricultural growth.
Effect of Ageing on the Mechanical Performance of Thermoset Polymers: A Statistical Approach

The present work investigates the effect of three different ageing processes (natural, 100% relative humidity and salt spray) on the mechanical performance of two thermoset polymers, epoxy and polyester, commonly used as matrix phase in composite materials. A full factorial design is conducted to evaluate the effect of significant factors and interactions on moisture absorption, tensile and compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of the thermosets. Both polymers reveal a decrease in moisture absorption in the saline environment compared to the completely saturated condition (100% RH). Polyester polymers in harsh environments exhibit higher compressive properties compared to those subjected to natural conditioning. In general, polyester polymers, which are most affected by the positive effect of additional cross-linking, have less moisture absorption and superior mechanical properties compared to epoxy, which is more affected by the negative effect of plasticization.
Nitrous Oxide Emissions from a Sugarcane Field with Green Manure and Chemical Fertilizer Applications in Okinawa, Japan

The objective of this study was to evaluate N2O emissions during the first three months after different nitrogen (N) source treatments involving green manure and chemical fertilizer in a sugarcane field in Okinawa, Japan. Four treatment plots were established: 100 and 300 kg N ha−1 chemical fertilizer (100N and 300N plots, respectively); green manure (Crotalaria juncea, 150 kg N ha−1, C:N=20; GM plot); and the control (0N plot). We regularly measured N2O flux and soil inorganic N (NH4-N and NO3−-N), and also recorded environmental data. There were no significant differences in the fluctuation pattern and peaks of N2O emissions between the 100N and GM plots, and total N2O emissions were comparable, though the applied N amount was higher in the GM plot. Little rainfall in the early period should limit microbial activity in the 100N plot, though soil NH4-N and NO3−-N contents were higher in the 100N plot than in the GM plot. Total N2O emissions in the 300N plot were 1.5-times higher than in the 100N and GM plots. Collectively, the results suggest that the amount of applied N more strongly affected N2O emission than the difference in N substrate quality. Discipline: Agricultural Environment Additional key words: nitrous oxide, green manure, chemical fertilizer, sugarcane
Drought monitoring and prediction in climate vulnerable Pakistan: Integrating hydrologic and meteorologic perspectives

Abstract. Effective drought monitoring, prediction and early warning systems are crucial for management of human activities associated with water use in a climate affected world. In Pakistan, surface water flows predominantly originate from the transboundary Upper Indus sub-catchments of Chenab, Jhelum, Indus and Kabul rivers. Hence, impact of droughts manifested through water deficits in these catchments are strongly felt by downstream users. Use of different drought indicators is limited in Pakistan's operational drought monitoring system. Moreover, there is very limited prior literature that explores the use of multiple indicators for unearthing relationships between different drought types. This study aims to explore the relationship between meteorological and hydrological droughts in the Upper Indus catchments of Pakistan using the Standard Precipitation and Evaporation Index (SPEI) and the Standard Streamflow Index (SSI). Since there are no previous studies for the Indus that compare different distributions for SSI computation, we compare five distributions to adequately compute SSI values at catchment outlets. Our most crucial contribution in this study is analysis of seasonal cross-correlations and lagged cross-correlations between SSI and SPEI for the above-mentioned four catchments. The cross-correlation analysis shows strong lagged (with up to 2 lag months) cross-correlations between SPEI and SSI for Chenab, Jhelum and Kabul catchments in early Kharif months. These correlations may be used in operational drought monitoring and forecasting systems, and also in reservoir planning and operations (for Mangla resrvoir in Jhelum) in drought conditions. We strongly believe that the findings of this study can be used in future to collectively explore hydrological and meteorological drought perspectives in Pakistan and to successfully incorporate multiple indicators into operational drought management.
Review Article Metabolic changes underlying 31 P MR spectral alterations in human hepatic tumours

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) remains the technique of choice for observing tumour metabolism non-invasively. Although initially 31 P MR spectroscopy showed much promise as a non-invasive diagnostic tool, studies of a wide range of hepatic tumours have conclusively shown that this technique cannot be utilized to distinguish between different tumour types. This lack of specificity and sensitivity appears to be a consequence of the fact that hepatic tumours develop with a range of modalities and not as a single abnormal disease process, and also because of the limited availability of MR detectable metabolic markers. This has led, in recent years, to a re-evaluation of the role of 31 P MR spectroscopy, re-emerging as a non-invasive tool to follow the efficacy of the treatment regime. Furthermore, since the principal changes observed in tumours by 31 P MRS appear to be an elevation in the concentration of phosphorylcholine (PCho) and phosphoethanolamine (PEth), new research using a combination of MRS and tissue culture of cell lines which carry a combination of known inducible oncogenes, are helping to elucidate some of the metabolic pathways that give rise to these metabolic alterations. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Application of the Debye model to study anharmonic correlation effects for the CuAgX (X = 72; 50) intermetallic alloy

Based on the Debye - Waller factor in extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectra, the correlated displacement function, mean square displacement (MSD) and mean square relative displacement (MSRD) were determined. Analytical expressions of MSD and MSRD were considered using Debye models. Challenging problems due to many-particles effects were replaced by a calculation based on the anharmonic effective potential, including the interaction of absorbing and scattering atoms with their nearest neighbours atoms. The difference between MSRD and MRD was analyzed. The methods were applied to face-centred-cubic crystals and their alloys, and have discovered irregularities in the structure of CuAg (at a 50:50 rate) alloy at low temperatures. Numerical results for copper (Cu) crystal and copper–silver alloys (CuAgX (X = 72; 50)) agreed with experimental values and calculations conducted in other studies.
Novel higher-order zigzag theory for analysis of laminated sandwich beams

In the present work, a new higher-order zigzag theory is proposed for the analysis of laminated sandwich beams under static and free vibration conditions. Fourth-order in-plane and transverse displacement fields are chosen along with linear unit Heaviside step function. The present theory satisfies interlaminar transverse stress continuity conditions along with zero value at the top and bottom surface for transverse shear stresses. The proposed approach is also free from any kind of C-1 or penalty requirements. A three-noded one-dimensional finite element having eight degrees of freedom per node is used during analysis. The efficiency of the proposed model is carried out by comparing the present results with those available based on elasticity solutions and zigzag theories in the literature. New results are also reported in the present work, which will serve as a benchmark for future studies. The influence of boundary condition on the nature of stress distribution across the length of beam and frequencies of the beam with different end conditions is also carried out. A comparative study has also been carried out between symmetric and unsymmetric laminated sandwich beam.
An econometric analysis of India’s bilateral trade with South Asian countries: A gravity model approach

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985. One of the major objectives of SAARC was to improve economic growth and development in South Asian countries. This study aims to examine the bilateral trade flows between India and selected SAARC nations for the period of 1996-2018. Gravity model of trade is used to determine the trade flow. The findings of this study have shown that the trade flow depends positively on GDP of host nation and partner nation. This study makes use of panel data analysis for double log function of Gravity model for trade between India and selected SAARC nations. Study used annual data of SAARC countries except Afghanistan due to unavailability of Data. Study analyzed data for India’s bilateral trade from 1996 t0 2018 for 6 countries and tested three econometric models to assess the impact of income of both nations, per capita, inflation, and trade openness on bilateral trade between India and SAARC. Study is intended to know the existence of H-O model or Linder model in the trade between India and SAARC. Study found that SAARC countries highly open in bilateral trade with India. Countries income is also increasing in bilateral trade with India. The income differential of SAARC countries indicates that there is the presence of Linder model of International trade. Study used Panel data analysis and FEM model to assess the effects of bilateral trade between India and SAARC countries.
User’s satisfaction with information system quality: An empirical study on the hospital information systems in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

User satisfaction with information system quality has long been a substantial topic in the literature of information system (IS). Based on the key constructs of IS success model (including system quality and information quality) and technology acceptance model (including perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness), this paper builds and validates a theoretical framework to explain user satisfaction with information system quality. A survey study with AMOS-SEM analysis of 363 users of management information systems in 9 hospitals in HCMC, Vietnam showed that 12 of 14 hypotheses were empirically supported. The findings affirmed the direct influence of system quality, information quality and top management support on perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and trust, and then on user satisfaction. The results also reinforced the impact of perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness, and the joint influence of perceived usefulness and trust on user satisfaction. The paper is among the first studies, in the healthcare sector, to empirically identify both information system quality and top management support in predicting user acceptance of and satisfaction with information system implementation in organizational settings. The theoretical and managerial implications of the paper were derived.
A model and empirical examination of influencing factors of customer satisfaction and service performance through interactional quality

Marketing scholars have recognized that building and maintaining strong employee-customer relationships are contributors to the performance of organizations. Empirical evidences concerning employee-customer interaction with the help of integrated framework by using the data from supervisor, employee and customer is scarce. Insights from literature, application of service profit chain and unique set of triad (supervisor, employee and customer) as a unit of analysis, enables an examination of various relational paths among the antecedents and outcomes of interactional quality and fills in the aforementioned void. This study seeks to model and empirically test key cognitive (role overload, self-efficacy, and service climate) and emotional aspects (emotional regulation) on outcome variables (interactional quality, customer satisfaction, service performance). An integrated theoretical model rooted in the reflections of emotional cognition theory, cognitive energetical theory and cognitive emotional theory is developed. A survey questionnaire on the basis of well-established measurements from the previous research studies is adopted for data collection from insurance sector of Pakistan. Data is collected with the help of purposive sampling. A total of 270 sets of survey responses are used to empirically test the measurements and propositions through structural equation modelling using AMOS 23. The findings are in support of a significant model and proposed relational paths. In general, results revealed that role overload, self-efficacy, service climate and emotional regulations lead towards customer satisfaction and service performance through interactional quality. This research offers a number of academic and practical implications. The main implication of this research is the extension in conceptual research of marketing literature by providing empirical evidence regarding employee-customer relationship. Managers should recognize that frontline employees, whether they simply interact or actually render the service are the central actor in delivering better quality services that resulted in customer satisfaction. A number of academic as well as managerial implications are proposed and discussed.
Understanding Learner Interaction in Web Based Learning to Improve English Speaking Skills in Second Grade of SMAN 4 Senior High School Bandar Lampung: Using Canvas Learning Management System

Understanding learner interaction in web based learning to improve English speaking skills in second grade classroom of SMAN 4 senior high school Bandar Lampung: using canvas learning management system, English Study Program, Teacher Training Faculty of Bandar Lampung University.The objective of conducting this research is to find out the interaction in Canvas Learning management system (LMS) in the speaking classroom and effects of using Canvas LMS to improve speaking skills. After it is confirmed that there is indeed necessity behind the action, I will explain concepts of interaction, Canvas LMS and speaking skills. The participants of this research are students in second grade of SMAN 4 senior high school. They are selected as data resource to know about interaction and effects of using Canvas LMS. From them, I retrieve data to be analyzed. By giving questionnaire, observing and conducting independent sample t-test method gives me some findings to discuss. The results show that there is indeed necessity in doing English speaking lessons in Canvas LMS. Moreover it is about students’ interaction and effects to improve English speaking skills. First is about interaction, it is the main ingredient in any kinds of learning methods. There are three main types introduced my Moore (1989), there are learner-instructor, learner- learner and learner-content. Those types necessary appear in web based learning. These interactions lead to improve students’ speaking skills too.
Invasive Streptococcus Pneumoniae Septicemia Complicated with Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome and Meningitis

Streptococcus pneumoniae-associated hemolytic uremic syndrome (SpHUS) is an uncommon cause of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The diagnosis and treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae-associated HUS is often difficult and associated with high long-term morbidity and mortality. The authors report a five-year-old child who developed HUS following an invasive Streptococcus (S.) pneumoniae infection. The child initially presented with fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing for three days duration and was clinically and radiologically diagnosed as having right middle lobe pneumonia. Blood culture grew Streptococcus pneumoniae. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis also showed Streptococcus pneumoniae. He was initially treated with intravenous cefotaxime. As the child had a poor response to cefotaxime with ongoing fever, antibiotics were changed to ceftriaxone and vancomycin. Although fever started to subside subsequently, the child deteriorated with reduced urine output and developed generalized body swelling. The hematological and biochemical evaluation confirmed hemolytic uremic syndrome. He needed continuous renal replacement therapy for five days and antibiotics were given for 14 days. He had no long-term sequelae on follow-up.
Natural colorants improved the physicochemical and sensorial properties of frozen Brazilian sausage (linguiça) with reduced nitrite

: The use of natural colorants in meat products can keep its coloring attractive as well as meet the demand from consumers interested in products that are healthier. Nitrite is added as a preservative to these products and it is also a precursor of the generation of a specifically desired color in meat products. However, its use has been associated with the development of certain kinds of cancer. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of reduced levels of nitrite in Brazilian sausage ( linguiça ) with natural colorants on the physicochemical and sensorial properties following frozen storage. Nine treatments were tested: 0.015 % nitrite (C150), 0.0075 % nitrite (C75) and 0 % nitrite (C0), 0.0075 % nitrite and 1.5 % microencapsulated betalain (BME75), 0 % nitrite and 1.5 % microencapsulated betalain (BME0), 0.0075 % nitrite and 0.19 % commercial betalain (BCP75), 0 % nitrite and 0.19 % commercial betalain (BCP0), 0.0075 % nitrite and 0.02 % of cochineal carmine (CC75) and 0 % nitrite and 0.02 % of cochineal carmine (CC0). Oxidative stability, residual nitrite and instrumental color were the determinant factors. Sensory analysis was directed at color, texture, taste and global acceptance. Natural colorants did not have any antioxidant effect. Sausages prepared with betalain and 0.0075 % nitrite showed the highest a* values. The addition of colorants improved both color and overall acceptance. The addition of betalain and cochineal carmine with 0.0075 % nitrite proved to be effective in achieving high acceptability in Brazilian sausage ( linguiça ).