Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal tuning of engineering wake models through lidar measurements

Abstract. Engineering wake models provide the invaluable advantage to predict wind turbine wakes, power capture, and, in turn, annual energy production for an entire wind farm with very low computational costs compared to higher-fidelity numerical tools. However, wake and power predictions obtained with engineering wake models can be insufficiently accurate for wind farm optimization problems due to the ad hoc tuning of the model parameters, which are typically strongly dependent on the characteristics of the site and power plant under investigation. In this paper, lidar measurements collected for individual turbine wakes evolving over a flat terrain are leveraged to perform optimal tuning of the parameters of four widely used engineering wake models. The average wake velocity fields, used as a reference for the optimization problem, are obtained through a cluster analysis of lidar measurements performed under a broad range of turbine operative conditions, namely rotor thrust coefficients, and incoming wind characteristics, namely turbulence intensity at hub height. The sensitivity analysis of the optimally tuned model parameters and the respective physical interpretation are presented. The performance of the optimally tuned engineering wake models is discussed, while the results suggest that the optimally tuned Bastankhah and Ainslie wake models provide very good predictions of wind turbine wakes. Specifically, the Bastankhah wake model should be tuned only for the far-wake region, namely where the wake velocity field can be well approximated with a Gaussian profile in the radial direction. In contrast, the Ainslie model provides the advantage of using as input an arbitrary near-wake velocity profile, which can be obtained through other wake models, higher-fidelity tools, or experimental data. The good prediction capabilities of the Ainslie model indicate that the mixing-length model is a simple yet efficient turbulence closure to capture effects of incoming wind and wake-generated turbulence on the wake downstream evolution and predictions of turbine power yield.
Sources and sinks driving sulfuric acid concentrations in contrasting environments: implications on proxy calculations

Abstract. Sulfuric acid has been shown to be a key driver for new particle formation and subsequent growth in various environments, mainly due to its low volatility. However, direct measurements of gas-phase sulfuric acid are oftentimes not available, and the current sulfuric acid proxies cannot predict, for example, its nighttime concentrations or result in significant discrepancies with measured values. Here, we define the sources and sinks of sulfuric acid in different environments and derive a new physical proxy for sulfuric acid to be utilized in locations and during periods when it is not measured. We used H2SO4 measurements from four different locations: Hyytiala, Finland; Agia Marina, Cyprus; Budapest, Hungary; and Beijing, China, representing semi-pristine boreal forest, rural environment in the Mediterranean area, urban environment and heavily polluted megacity, respectively. The new proxy takes into account the formation of sulfuric acid from SO2 via OH oxidation and other oxidation pathways, specifically via stabilized Criegee intermediates. The sulfuric acid sinks included in the proxy are its condensation sink (CS) and atmospheric clustering starting from H2SO4 dimer formation. Indeed, we found that the observed sulfuric acid concentration can be explained by the proposed sources and sinks with similar coefficients in the four contrasting environments where we have tested it. Thus, the new proxy is a more flexible and an important improvement over previous proxies. Following the recommendations in this paper, a proxy for a specific location can be derived.
Growth of cucumber seedlings in different varieties as affected by light environment

High-quality cucumber seedlings are a prerequisite for ensuring high yield of cucumbers. With the continuous increase of cucumber planting area in China, the demand for high-quality cucumber seedlings is also increasing. One of the important ways to improve the quality of cucumber seedlings is to improve the light environment by using artificial light source. In this study, three cucumber seedlings (cv. Jintong, cv. Yunv and cv. Xiazhiguang) were grown for 23 d under eight levels of daily light integral (DLI) at 4.3 mol/(m2·d), 8.6 mol/(m2·d), 10.1 mol/(m2·d), 13.0 mol/(m2·d), 5.8 mol/(m2·d), 11.5 mol/(m2·d), 14.4 mol/(m2·d) and 17.3 mol/(m2·d), respectively. The results showed that when DLI was 14.4 mol/(m2·d), the seedling height, stem diameter, total leaf area and shoot dry/fresh weight of all three cucumber cultivars reached the maximum, while hypocotyl length decreased with the increase of light intensity. When DLI was 14.4 mol/(m2·d), Jintong and Xiazhiguang had the highest health index, which were 49.29 and 28.56, respectively, while that of Yunv was 81.59 (DLI = 14.4 mol/(m2·d)). With the increase of DLI, the photosynthetic capacity of cucumber increases gradually. The highest net photosynthetic rate was shown at DLI of 14.4 mol/(m2·d), while the chlorophyll content of cucumber seedlings of all three cultivars were less affected by DLI. Jintong and Yunv had the highest chlorophyll content when DLI was 8.6 mol/(m2·d) because they were adapted to low-light environment. In conclusion, the DLI of 14.4 mol/(m2·d) for Jintong and Xiazhiguang, while that of 17.3 mol/(m2·d) for Yunv are suggested for the light environment design of factory-cultivated seedling for cucumber. Keywords: cucumber seedling, daily light integral (DLI), growth, photosynthesis DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe. 20201305.5566 Citation: Ji F, Wei S Q, Liu N, Xu L J, Yang P. Growth of cucumber seedlings in different varieties as affected by light environment. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2020; 13(5): 73–78.
Modified Region Growing Method For Image Segmentation Using Ant Lion Optimization Algorithm

Goruntu bolutleme, cesitli alanlar icin gecerli olan goruntu islemenin onemli bir adimidir. Bu alanlar arasinda makine gormesi, nesne algilama, astronomi, biyometrik tanima sistemleri (yuz, parmak izi, plaka ve goz), tibbi goruntuleme, video izleme ve diger bircok goruntu tabanli teknoloji bulunmaktadir. Etkili goruntu bolutleme, otomatik goruntu islemede en onemli islemlerden ve kritik rollerden biridir. Ozellikle muhendislik calismalarinda, problemlerde en uygun cozumleri bulmak onemli arastirma konularindan biridir. Arama alanlarinda en uygun cozumleri bulmak icin Parcacik Suru Optimizasyonu (PSO), Karinca Algoritmasi (KA), Yapay Ari Kolonisi (ABC) ve Yarasa Algoritmasi (YA) gibi biyo-esinlenmis algoritmalar kullanilir ve Karinca Aslan Optimizasyonu (KAO) bu algoritmalardan biridir. Son yillarda, goruntulerin bolutleme parametrelerini optimize etmek icin biyo-esinlenmis algoritmalar kullanilmaktadir. Bu arastirma, biyo-esinlenmis KAO kullanarak, gelistirilmis bir bolge buyutme (BB) goruntu bolutleme yaklasimi onermektedir. Bolge buyutme dogru tohum secimi, tohum sayisi ve bolge yetistirme stratejisi olmak uzere uc ana sorunu vardir. Bu nedenle RG’deki dogru tohum probleminin seciminde KAO kullanilmistir. Bu calismada oncelikle goruntulerin kalitesini artirmak icin, giris goruntulerine ortanca filtresi uygulanmistir. Daha sonra KAO’dan elde edilen optimum tohum noktalari kullanilarak bolge buyutme ile bolutleme islemi gerceklestirilmistir. Optimal tohumlari elde etmek icin, bolutleme sirasinda BB'nin sinirlamalarini cozmek icin KAO kullanilmistir. Onerilen yaklasimin basarisi, BSDS300 (Berkeley) veri setinden alinan bazi goruntuler kullanilarak test edilmistir. Deneysel sonuclar, onerilen yontemin neredeyse tum goruntuleri bolutlere ayirdigini gostermektedir.
Severity of the COVID‐19 pandemic in India

Abstract The main objective of this study is to identify the socioeconomic, meteorological, and geographical factors associated with the severity of COVID‐19 pandemic in India. The severity is measured by the cumulative severity ratio (CSR)—the ratio of the cumulative COVID‐related deaths to the deaths in a pre‐pandemic year—its first difference and COVID infection cases. We have found significant interstate heterogeneity in the pandemic development and have contrasted the trends of the COVID‐19 severities between Maharashtra, which had the largest number of COVID deaths and cases, and the other states. Drawing upon random‐effects models and Tobit models for the weekly and monthly panel data sets of 32 states/union territories, we have found that the factors associated with the COVID severity include income, gender, multi‐morbidity, urbanization, lockdown and unlock phases, weather including temperature and rainfall, and the retail price of wheat. Brief observations from a policy perspective are made toward the end.
Source apportionment of PM2.5 in Shanghai based on hourly organic molecular markers and other source tracers

Abstract. Identification of various emission sources and quantification of their contributions comprise an essential step in formulating scientifically sound pollution control strategies. Most previous studies have been based on traditional offline filter analysis of aerosol major components (usually inorganic ions, elemental carbon – EC, organic carbon – OC, and elements). In this study, source apportionment of PM 2.5 using a positive matrix factorization (PMF) model was conducted for urban Shanghai in the Yangtze River Delta region, China, utilizing a large suite of molecular and elemental tracers, together with water-soluble inorganic ions, OC, and EC from measurements conducted at two sites from 9 November to 3 December 2018. The PMF analysis with inclusion of molecular makers (i.e., MM-PMF) identified 11 pollution sources, including 3 secondary-source factors (i.e., secondary sulfate; secondary nitrate; and secondary organic aerosol, SOA, factors) and 8 primary sources (i.e., vehicle exhaust, industrial emission and tire wear, industrial emission II, residual oil combustion, dust, coal combustion, biomass burning, and cooking). The secondary sources contributed 62.5 % of the campaign-average PM 2.5 mass, with the secondary nitrate factor being the leading contributor. Cooking was a minor contributor (2.8 %) to PM 2.5 mass while a significant contributor (11.4 %) to the OC mass. Traditional PMF analysis relying on major components alone (PMF t ) was unable to resolve three organics-dominated sources (i.e., biomass burning, cooking, and SOA source factors). Utilizing organic tracers, the MM-PMF analysis determined that these three sources combined accounted for 24.4 % of the total PM 2.5 mass. In PMF t , this significant portion of PM mass was apportioned to other sources and thereby was notably biasing the source apportionment outcome. Backward trajectory and episodic analysis were performed on the MM-PMF-resolved source factors to examine the variations in source origins and composition. It was shown that under all episodes, secondary nitrate and the SOA factor were two major source contributors to the PM 2.5 pollution. Our work has demonstrated that comprehensive hourly data of molecular markers and other source tracers, coupled with MM-PMF, enables examination of detailed pollution source characteristics, especially organics-dominated sources, at a timescale suitable for monitoring episodic evolution and with finer source breakdown.
Different forms of effective Hamiltonians

The eigenvalues of atomic or molecular Hamiltonians often occur in clusters, corresponding to various kinds of fine structure. A convenient description of these clusters is obtained by transforming the original Hamiltonian to a block-diagonal effective Hamiltonian, where the eigenvalues of each diagonal block correspond to the set of levels within a cluster. At each step in the perturbation expansion, the off-diagonal blocks of the transformation operator are determined by the perturbation equation, but the diagonal blocks are not determined. Thus various solutions are possible. In particular, the Bloch solution gives an effective Hamiltonian that is non-Hermitian and is unsatisfactory for use in fitting observed energy levels. Unitary transformations give Hermitian effective Hamiltonians that are still not unique. This non-uniqueness can lead to indeterminacies in fitting the energy levels.
Fall‐armyworm invasion, control practices and resistance breeding in Sub‐Saharan Africa

Abstract Fall armyworm [Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith); FAW] invasion has exacerbated maize (Zea mays L.) crop yield losses in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), already threatened by other stresses, especially those that are climate‐change induced. The FAW is difficult to control, manage, or eradicate, because it is polyphagous and trans‐boundary, multiplies fast, has a short life cycle and migrates easily, and lacks the diapause growth phase. In this study, FAW and its impact in Africa was reviewed, as well as past and present control strategies for this pest. Pesticides, cultural practices, natural enemies, host‐plant resistance, integrated pest management (IPM), and plant breeding approaches were examined as possible control strategies. It was concluded that an IPM control strategy, guided by cultural approaches already being used by farmers, and what can be adopted from the Americas, coupled with an insect‐resistance management strategy, is the best option to manage this pest in Africa. These strategies will be strengthened by breeding for multi‐trait host‐plant resistance through stacking of genes for different modes of control of the pest.
Surface Ozone‐Meteorology Relationships: Spatial Variations and the Role of the Jet Stream

We investigate the relationships among summertime ozone (O3), temperature, and humidity on daily timescales across the Northern Hemisphere using observations and model simulations. Temperature and humidity are significantly positively correlated with O3 across continental regions in the midlatitudes (∼35–60°N). Over the oceans, the relationships are consistently negative. For continental regions outside the midlatitudes, the O3‐meteorology correlations are mixed in strength and sign but generally weak. Over some high latitude, low latitude, and marine regions, temperature and humidity are significantly anticorrelated with O3. Daily variations in transport patterns linked to the position and meridional movement of the jet stream drive the relationships among O3, temperature, and humidity. Within the latitudinal range of the jet, there is an increase (decrease) in O3, temperature, and humidity over land with poleward (equatorward) movement of the jet, while over the oceans poleward movement of the jet results in decreases of these fields. Beyond the latitudes where the jet traverses, the meridional movement of the jet stream has variable or negligible effects on surface‐level O3, temperature, and humidity. The O3‐meteorology relationships are largely the product of the jet‐induced changes in the surface‐level meridional flow acting on the background meridional O3 gradient. Our results underscore the importance of considering the role of the jet stream and surface‐level flow for the O3‐meteorology relationships, especially in light of expected changes to these features under climate change.
The Importance of Political Systems for Trade Union Membership, Coverage and Influence: Theory and Comparative Evidence

Ideological connections between the state, political systems, and industrial relations have long been important. But the influence of the structural nature of a country’s political system on trade union membership, coverage, and influence has been largely overlooked. We uniquely theorize three channels through which a political system can shape unionization in the workplace independent of ideology: incentives for inclusionary governance, legislative body composition, and policy enactment. Empirically, we use multiple European data sets to test the relationship between political and employee representation using multivariate analyses across more than 25 countries. We find that increased political representativeness, measured by lower disproportionality and the presence of multiparty coalitions, is a statistically significant predictor of a greater likelihood of individual trade union membership, coverage, and influence, while competitive fragmentation, measured by greater numbers of political parties, is associated with weakened collective voice.
The Calendar Effects of the Idiosyncratic-Volatility Puzzle: A Tale of Two Days?

The idiosyncratic volatility (IVOL) anomaly exhibits strong calendar effects. The negative relation between IVOL and the next-month return obtains mainly in the third week of the month. The IVOL-return relation is generally negative on Mondays and positive on Fridays. However, the positive impact is absent on the third Friday because of selling pressure from stocks delivered at option expiration. This imbalance between the negative and positive returns during the third week of the month has a large impact on the IVOL-return relation. Removing the third Friday and subsequent Monday return reduces the monthly IVOL effect by at least 40%. This paper was accepted by Karl Diether, finance.
Seismicity Rate Changes and Geodetic Transients in Central Apennines

Using template matching and GPS data, we investigate the evolution of seismicity and observable deformation in Central Apennines. Seismicity appears more persistent at the base of the seismogenic layer than in the shallower crust. Diffuse activity is reported on segments at depth, alternating along strike with apparent quiescence on segments that experienced one or more Mw6+ earthquakes in 1997, 2009, and 2016. Central Apennines are likely underlain by a sizeable shear zone with areas of diffuse seismicity bounding shallow normal faults where Mw6+ earthquakes occurred. The deformation observed at the surface seems to follow the seismicity variations at the base of seismogenic layer along the Apenninic chain. Principal and independent component analyses of GPS data exhibit a transient when the 2016 foreshock sequence starts. This transient propagated northward from the Campotosto fault up to the Alto Tiberina fault system and has likely loaded the Mw6+ 2016 earthquake sequence.
BASECOL2020 New Technical Design

The BASECOL database has been created and scientifically enriched since 2004. It contains collisional excitation rate coefficients of molecules for application to the interstellar medium and to cometary atmospheres. Recently, major technical updates have been performed in order to be compliant with international standards for management of data and in order to provide a more friendly environment to query and to present the data. The current paper aims at presenting the key features of the technical updates and to underline the compatibility of BASECOL database with the Virtual Atomic and Molecular Data Center. This latter aims to interconnect atomic and molecular databases, thus providing a single location where users can access atomic and molecular data.
Numerical simulation of premixed chemical reactions with swirl

Direct numerical simulation is used to study the development of exothermic chemical reactions in a dilute, premixed, low speed, inviscid, axisymmetric, swirling flow in a straight, open, cylindrical pipe. Attention is focused on the complex interplay between the swirl and heat release of the chemical reaction and the objective is to determine, as a function of exothermicity, the critical swirl level corresponding to the first appearance of vortex breakdown in the reactive flow. It is found that for a given exothermicity, a large-amplitude structure develops around the pipe axis as the swirl level increases, and a near-stagnant breakdown zone appears when the swirl exceeds a critical level. These features are accompanied by significant changes in the temperature and reactant fields and the appearance of a hot core close to the inlet. As exothermicity is raised from low levels to higher, the critical swirl exhibits a nonlinear change; it first decreases and then, above a certain level of exothemicity, increases. An analysis of the governing equations attributes this behaviour to the nonlinear interaction between the advection of azimuthal vorticity and the baroclinic effects resulting from the coupling between the velocity and temperature gradients.
Validation of an analytical method for determination of eight food dyes in beverage and fruit roll-ups by ion-pair HPLC-DAD

Background and aims: Synthetic dyes are widely used as food additives to avoid the loss of original dye in processed foods and to make the foods more attractive to consumers. For simultaneous determination of 8 most commonly used synthetic colors in beverage and foodstuff, an efficient, selective, and sensitive method is suggested. Methods: To analyze food colors in different beverages and fruit roll-ups, a method using Ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector was suggested and validated. The separation of dyes from beverage and foodstuff was done by solid-phase extraction (SPE). The ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction method was used to extract dye from fruit roll-ups. Results: The limit of detection and the limit of quantification ranged from 0.036 to 0.07 and 0.098 to 0.2 µg/mL, respectively. IP-HPLC-DAD method was validated using precision (RSD %) and accuracy (Recovery %) of two concentrations of 0.5 and 1 µg/mL in terms of intra- and inter-day. SPE method was also validated using intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy. The most commonly detected dye in the tested samples was carmoisine with a concentration of 386 µg/g. Additionally, the concentration of dye was higher than the permitted level in 28.6% of beverages, 40% of edible ice products, and 100% of fruit roll-ups (Lavashak). Conclusion: This method is an effective, appropriate, accessible, reliable and safe analytic method to analyze eight food dyes
Lead in Drinking Water and Birth Outcomes: A Tale of Two Water Treatment Plants

The recent lead-in-water crisis in Newark has renewed concerns about the crisis being a widespread problem in the nation. Using data on the exact home addresses of pregnant women residing in the city combined with information on the spatial boundary separating areas within the city serviced by two water treatment plants, we exploit an exogenous change in water chemistry that resulted in lead leaching into the tap water of one plant's service area, but not the other's, to identify a causal effect of prenatal lead exposure on fetal health. We find robust evidence of adverse health impacts, which has important policy implications in light of the substantial number of lead water pipes that remain in use as part of our aging infrastructure and the cost-benefit calculus of lead abatement interventions.
Morphological and Physiological Changes in Red Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) Subjected to High Temperature and Confinement Stress

High temperature due to global warming and the overcrowding or limited space for cultured species have been evident in the aquaculture setting nowadays. In this study, physiological changes such as ventilation rate (VR), eye color pattern (ECP), and skin color were observed in red tilapia subjected to high temperature (T2), confinement stress (T3), and the combination of both stressors (T4). The VR, ECP, and skin color were monitored before the introduction of stressors (day 0) and every day after the introduction of stressors until day 15. Results showed that fish in T2, T3, and T4 had significantly faster VR, darker ECP, and more intense skin color as compared to those in the control group (T1). Increasing VR, ECP, and skin color were also recorded from day 1 to day 15 of subjecting the fish to stressors indicating that the fish were not able to adapt to the stressful environment during the duration of the study. The highest values were observed in T4 since there were two stressors present in the treatment. This only connotes that high temperature and overcrowding could really impose stress on red tilapia and 15 days was not enough for the fish to adapt to the stressful environment.