Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A semi‐empirical model to predict the EM38 electromagnetic induction measurements of soils from basic ground properties

Electromagnetic induction (EMI) measurements (σb*) are widely used for the survey of several soil attributes, among which basic properties such as salinity (σe), water content (θw), clay (wc), organic matter (wom) and bulk density (ρb) stand out. In usual practice, purely empirical models relating one of these properties to σb* are calibrated at selected sites. However, this calibration is site and time specific and has to be repeated time and again. In order to understand where the variability of the EMI empirical models comes from, it is necessary to know how the different soil properties contribute to them and, with this aim, a more physically based relationship between σb* and, at least, σe, θw, wc, wom and ρb was developed in this work, additionally including soil temperature (t). It was calibrated and cross‐validated with the data from one survey carried out in a wide agricultural irrigation area in SE Spain, taking σb* measurements with the Geonics EM38 in the horizontal and vertical dipole modes and at various heights over the ground. Then, it was externally validated with the data from a second survey carried out 4 years later in the same area but in a different season. In the calibration, R2 and root mean square error (RMSE) were 0.84 and 0.18 dS m−1 (41%), respectively, for the vertical dipole orientation and 0.90 and 0.11 dS m−1 (39%) for the horizontal one. In the external validation, R2 and RMSE were 0.80 and 0.24 dS m−1 (44%), respectively, for the vertical dipole orientation and 0.90 and 0.13 dS m−1 (38%) for the horizontal one. Therefore, because the performance of the model barely worsened as time passed by, it can be considered to represent the underlying physical process and, therefore, to increase our understanding of how the soil EMI signals are generated, with potential benefits for the planning and comparability of EMI soil measurements, specifically with the EM38, among different areas.
A discussion on disease severity index values. Part II: using the disease severity index for null hypothesis testing

A disease severity index (DSI) is a single number for summarising a large amount of information on disease severity. The DSI has most often been used with data based on a special type of ordinal scale comprising a series of consecutive ranges of defined numeric intervals, generally based on the percent area of symptoms presenting on the specimen(s). Plant pathologists and other professionals use such ordinal scale data in conjunction with a DSI (%) for treatment comparisons. The objective of this work is to explore the effects on both of different scales (i.e. those having equal or unequal classes, or different widths of intervals) and of the selection of values for scale intervals (i.e. the ordinal grade for the category or the midpoint value of the interval) on the null hypothesis test for the treatment comparison. A two-stage simulation approach was employed to approximate the real mechanisms governing the disease-severity sampling design. Subsequently, a meta-analysis was performed to compare the effects of two treatments, which demonstrated that using quantitative ordinal rating grades or the midpoint conversion for the ranges of disease severity yielded very comparable results with respect to the power of hypothesis testing. However, the principal factor determining the power of the hypothesis test is the nature of the intervals, not the selection of values for ordinal scale intervals (i.e. not the mid-point or ordinal grade). Although using the percent scale is always preferable, the results of this study provide a framework for developing improved research methods where the use of ordinal scales in conjunction with a DSI is either preferred or a necessity for comparing disease severities.
Lunar Surface Temperature and Emissivity Retrieval From Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment Sensor

The lunar surface temperature (LST) derived from thermal infrared (TIR) measurements can aid in understanding the physical properties of the lunar surface. The Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (herein, Diviner) sensor provides global lunar surface observation in seven TIR channels. However, its retrieval of LST constantly uses a single emissivity value (i.e., 0.95) by ignoring the spatial variation of lunar surface, thereby reducing the accuracy of temperature and day–night temperature difference. To overcome this problem, this study developed a physical method called temperature–emissivity separation (TES) algorithm to retrieve LST and lunar surface emissivity from the daytime observation in three Christiansen Feature (CF) channels (7.55–8.05, 8.10–8.40, and 8.38–8.60 μm) of the Diviner, and then used the emissivity from daytime observation to inverse LST at nighttime observation. Findings showed that the TES algorithm could retrieve LST and emissivity with an error of less than 0.8 K and 0.008, respectively. However, observation noise significantly affected the retrieval accuracy, particularly for the low‐temperature pixels; moreover, high retrieval accuracy requires a surface temperature higher than 240 K. The new algorithm was applied to obtain the daytime and nighttime LST and emissivity from the Diviner images. Results showed that the LST retrieved from the algorithm differed approximately 3.9 K from that calculated from a single emissivity 0.95. Finally, an example of global surface temperature and emissivity were obtained. Consequently, the CF pixels were found to distribute in the latitude range from −60° to 60°; however, they did not have a large distribution in high‐latitude and near‐polar regions.
Age and growth of Franciscana dolphins from northern Argentina

Knowledge of growth patterns of an animal species is fundamental to understand their life history. This information is also used to help define population boundaries of threatened cetaceans, such as the Franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei. A total of 108 Franciscana dolphins incidentally captured in artisanal fishing nets in estuarine and marine coastal waters of the northern part of the Franciscana Management Area IV (North FMA IV), Argentina, were studied. The objective of the present paper was to study age and growth parameters of Franciscanas from North FMA IV and to compare these parameters between estuarine and marine potential populations within this area. We used von Bertalanffy and Gompertz growth curves to model growth trajectories. The estimated asymptotic lengths demonstrated that Franciscana dolphins from this area were smaller (females: 136.3 cm and males, 122.1 cm) than southern FMA IV values previously published. They also showed the reverse sexual size dimorphism that is known across their range. However, the estimated asymptotic length was not statistically different between the estuarine and marine females within the study area. In spite of this, the fact that the northern forms of the FMA IV were smaller than the southern specimens supports the hypothesis of more than one population of the species within this management area. The North FMA IV has the highest reported mortality levels of Franciscana dolphins within the FMA IV; these results are relevant to the knowledge base of Franciscana dolphins in the region.
The Effect of Problem-Based Hybrid Learning (PBHL) Models on Spatial Thinking Ability and Geography Learning Outcomes

PBHL is a learning model that combines PBL with hybrid learning. This study aims to 1) determine the effect of the PBHL model on spatial thinking ability and 2) determine the effect of the PBHL model on geography learning outcomes. This study uses a quasi-experimental design of the pretest-posttest control group. The research subjects were students of the Social Sciences Education Program, Uni-versitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia. The selection of research subjects uses purposive sampling and obtained the experimental class (32 students) and the control class (28 students). This study uses the instrument of spatial thinking ability adopted from Huynh and Sharpe in the form of multiple choice tests and the instrument of learning outcomes assessment in the form of essay tests. Data were analyzed with an independent sample t-test which was previously tested for normality and homogeneity prerequisites. The results of the study concluded that 1) the PBHL model had a significant effect on spatial think-ing ability and 2) the PBHL model had a significant effect on geography learning outcomes. The average gain score of spatial thinking ability and geography learn-ing outcomes in the experimental class is higher than the control class. Sugges-tions for further research with different subjects and variables, integrated e-learning application should be used to make the planning and implementation of PBHL learning easier and more successful.
An Overview of Antarctic Sea Ice in the Community Earth System Model Version 2, Part I: Analysis of the Seasonal Cycle in the Context of Sea Ice Thermodynamics and Coupled Atmosphere‐Ocean‐Ice Processes

We assess Antarctic sea ice climatology and variability in version 2 of the Community Earth System Model (CESM2) and compare it to that in the older CESM1 and (where appropriate) real‐world observations. In CESM2, Antarctic sea ice is thinner and less extensive than in CESM1, though sea ice area is still approximately 1 million km2 greater in CESM2 than in present‐day observations. Though there is less Antarctic sea ice in CESM2, the annual cycle of ice growth and melt is more vigorous in CESM2 than in CESM1. A new mushy layer thermodynamics formulation implemented in the latest version of the Community Ice Code (CICE) in CESM2 accounts for both greater frazil ice formation in coastal polynyas and more snow‐to‐ice conversion near the edge of the ice pack in the new model. Greater winter ice divergence in CESM2 (relative to CESM1) is due to stronger stationary wave activity and greater wind stress curl over the ice pack. Greater wind stress curl, in turn, drives more warm water upwelling under the ice pack, thinning it and decreasing its extent. Overall, differences between Antarctic sea ice in CESM2 and CESM1 arise due to both differences in their sea ice thermodynamics formulations and differences in their coupled atmosphere‐ocean states.
Digital current‐limited sliding‐mode control for synchronous buck converter with curved switching surface

In this paper, a digital current‐limited sliding‐mode control (DCLSMC) for synchronous buck converter with curved switching surface is proposed. First, by discretizing the derivatives of a hybrid switching surface (SS) (consisting of second‐order and first‐order SS) and utilizing the reaching law method, a discrete‐time sliding‐mode control (SMC) is derived. Then, this SMC is integrated with a current‐limited control to construct the DCLSMC. Simulation results show that it can provide a current‐limited near‐time‐optimal dynamic response. The proposed SMC is implemented by pulse‐width modulation (PWM) technique, so it can provide a fixed switching frequency and has a low sampling requirement. The reachability of the SS for the proposed SMC and the stability of the quasi‐sliding mode motion is proven. Moreover, an additional PI control is introduced to eliminate the steady‐state error, and some implementation issues are discussed. Experimental results are given to verify the high dynamic performance and practical value of the proposed method.
Impact of 5-year bottle aging under controlled oxygen exposure on sulfur dioxide and phenolic composition of tannin-rich red wines

Aim: This study aims at understanding the impact of the initial phenolic composition on the evolution of red wines after long bottle aging.Materials and results: three different red wines rich in tannins, Aglianico, Casavecchia and Pallagrello, bottled with the same amount of total sulfur dioxide and different amounts of free sulfur dioxide, were analysed after 5 years of bottle aging under controlled exposure to oxygen passing through the closure. Acetaldehyde and monomeric anthocyanins were determined by HPLC, the chromatic characteristics and the main phenolic classes by spectrophotometry, the saliva precipitation index (SPI) by CHIP electrophoresis, and the astringency subqualities by sensory analysis. The results confirmed that during aging there is an increase in polymerisation reactions. A higher amount of acetaldehyde was detected in wines which were bottled with a lower content of free SO2 and were less rich in anthocyanins and tannins; a significant closure effect was observed for these wines. Regarding the influence of closure on tannins, significant slight differences in vanilline reactive flavans and SPI content were observed for Pallagrello wines only, which were characterised by higher values for tannins at bottling. Astringency subqualities differed with closures for each wine.Conclusion: this study indicates that the amount of initial free and combined sulfur dioxide, as well as that of anthocyanins and tannins, are key factors in driving polymerisation reactions and the aging of red wines. After five years of bottle aging the influence of closure could still be observed.Significance of the study: this study provides new insights into the parameters that need to be evaluated before bottling in order to avoid the wrong evolution of red wines after long bottle aging.
Convective Drying of Sewage Sludge Layer in Through-flow

Drying of the sewage sludge layer was investigated in a convective laboratory dryer at air temperatures of 65 °C and 80 °C and air speeds of 0.53 m/s and 0.83 m/s. The sludge layer was formed by loading cylindrical extrudates on a grate of 0.5 m × 0.5 m size. The drying air was directed through the layer, as typically encountered in industrial belt dryers. Under such setup, the sludge layer structure and porosity significantly affect the air flow conditions and thus the drying rates. Shrinkage and cracking of the material during drying caused changes in the layer’s porous structure, that affected the pressure drop and the drag force due to passing of air through the layer. The decreasing of drag force over time was modeled by a simple function that showed excellent agreement to the selected measured data. The sludge layer drying kinetics was determined by fitting the measured data to the most common drying models. Two models, the modified Nadhari and the Wang Singh model, were determined as most suitable for modeling of drying curves. The total drying time per kilogram of sludge was modeled as a function of drying air temperature, drying air velocity and initial sludge dry matter content. The coefficient of determination (R2) of the model is 0.944. Total drying times between 43 minutes per kilogram and 76 minutes per kilogram of sludge were obtained for the investigated range of drying air conditions.
Threshold concepts, conceptions and skills: Teachers' experiences with students' engagement in functions

Threshold concepts have been characterised in the literature as jewels in the curriculum as they can inform teaching and learning practices. Therefore, identifying and addressing threshold concepts in any discipline is critical. The aim of the current study is to explore the existence of threshold concepts in computer programming and specifically with regard to the area of functions. Based on our previous works in which we identified 11 potential threshold concepts in functions by employing the Delphi method and seven misconceptions that students hold in this area of programming, the current study further explores computing teachers' experiences with students' engagement with 4 of the 11 concepts using an interpretative phenomenological analysis of interviews. The analysis revealed that from these concepts, we could argue that parameters, parameter passing and return values likely form a threshold conception and procedural decomposition is a procedural threshold (threshold skill). The study presents our framework that lead us to the identification of these thresholds in computer programming, presents the computing teachers experiences with these concepts and concludes with the implication of these results on students' learning and teaching practices in computer programming.
Effect of Moisture, Nitrogen and Phosphate on Initial Growth and Shoot:Root Ratio of Cabbages Following Transplantation

Cabbage transplants (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) nursed in cell trays are often unable to absorb sufficient soil moisture after field transplantation. To determine the optimal soil conditions necessary to enable transplants to adjust smoothly, we transplanted cabbage seedlings to pots containing soil of varying moisture and nutrient content. Plants in the moist experimental group (less than 1.7 pF-value) with fertilizer (200 mg N·L-1) showed an exponential increase in shoot dry weight (SDW). Observations revealed that plants in the dry group (2.8 pF-value), plants in the moist group (1.7 pF-value) without fertilizer, and plants in the relatively dry (2.4 pF-value) group with fertilizer showed significantly (P < 0.01) lower SDW at 6, 9, and 12 days, respectively, after transplanting as compared with the highest growth achieved. The nutrient levels of 80, 200 and 500 mg N·L-1, and 300, 1000 and 3000 mg P2O5·L were also examined. Moisture and nitrogen levels had major impacts on total dry weight (TDW). It was also revealed that deficiency in either moisture or nitrogen restricted plant growth. For the less than 1.5 pF-value experimental group, the low nitrogen content tended to increase the root portion of TDW. To promote the growth of cabbage transplants in moist soil, it is important to keep the shoot portion of TDW high with sufficient nitrogen fertilizer. Discipline: Horticulture Additional key words: phosphate, seedling, soil water content, transplant
Radiosonde Observations of a Wintertime Meridional Convergence of Gravity Waves Around 60°S in the Lower Stratosphere

Satellite observations show that there is a wintertime hotspot of gravity wave activity, located mainly over the ocean, around 60°S in the stratosphere. However, the sources of the gravity waves making up this hotspot are varied and complex and remain unclear. Here we use radiosonde observations from 11 Antarctic stations and selected small islands close to 60°S to examine the horizontal directional pseudo‐momentum flux and energy density distributions of upward propagating gravity waves in the lower stratosphere. This paper shows, for the first time, that short vertical wavelength gravity waves in the lower stratosphere clearly propagate meridionally toward 60°S during the winter months. This result supports previous studies that show that this belt of gravity wave activity over the ocean is contributed to by wave sources outside 60°S.
Rheological and microstructural properties of noodle dough with purple-fleshed potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) flours: grinding kinetics and effects of particle size

ABSTRACT We investigated the grinding kinetics of purple-fleshed potato (PFP) and the effects of particle size and damaged starch content of PFP powder (PFP flour [PFPF]) on rheological and microstructural characteristics of noodle dough. Grinding kinetics of PFPF determined maximum grinding yield for each particle size. Before cooking, the particle size decrease of PFPF significantly increased dough hardness and elasticity while none of the differences showed between the doughs after cooking except ball-milled PFPF noodle dough. Maxwell and Peleg models for stress relaxation characteristics were found to be suitable for interpreting viscoelastic behaviour of dough with various sizes of PFPF. Additionally, microscopic structure based on SEM showed connectivity and gelatinization characters of the dough. Results of this study suggest that changes in physical properties of noodle dough prepared with PFPF associated with particle size and starch damage during grinding of PFPF must be considered for noodle processing.
Relationship between platelet counts, mean platelet volume, platecrit and Beta Thalassemia Carriers

Giris: β-talasemi tasiyiciligi genellikle asemptomatiktir, bununla beraber beta globin zincirinde kalitsal azalmadan dolayi hafif hipokromik mikrositer anemi gelisebilmektedir. Literaturde, talasemi tasiyicilarinda trombosit parametrelerini degerlendiren az sayida calisma bulunmaktadir. Bu calismada amacimiz talasemi tasiyicilarinda trombosit parametrelerini degerlendirmektir. Ayrica calismamizda anemili ve anemisiz talasemi tasiyicilarinda platelet parametrelerini degerlendirdik. Gerec ve Yontem: Kesitsel calismamizda Gaziantep Universitesi Tip Fakultesi ayaktan hasta polikliniklerine basvuran 1-16 yas arasi 153 talasemi tasiyicisi cocuk calismaya alindi. Bulgular: Doksan cocugun trombosit sayilari normaldi. 59 (%38.5) cocukta trombositoz, dort (%2.6) cocukta trombositopeni saptandi. Hemoglobin seviyelerine gore iki gruba ayrildi. Grup 1, hemoglobin<11 g/dl (n=86), ve grup 2, hemoglobin≥11g/dl (n=67)’den olusmaktaydi. Grup 1 olgularda trombosit sayisi ve platekrit, grup 2 olgularindan anlamli olarak yuksekti. (p<0.05) Logistik regresyon testinde trombosit sayisi ve platekrit arasinda lineer bir korelasyon goruldu (r=0.94, p<0.01), ancak trombosit sayisi ile yas (r=-0.32, p<0.01), ortalama trombosit volumu (r=-0.18, p<0.05), hemoglobin (r =-0.18, p<0.05) arasinda negatif bir korelasyon goruldu. Sonuc: Talasemi tasiyicilarinda hem trombositoz hemde trombositopeni olabilecegini bulduk. Ayrica anemi gelisen talasemi tasiyicilarinda trombosit sayisi anlamli olarak yuksekti.
The anti-wear enhancement of boric acid + molybdenum disulfide derived tribofilm

Additives are important components to reduce friction and wear of tribological systems. Zinc dithiophosphate (ZDDP), the most commonly used anti-wear additive prevents the tribological system from the friction and wear loss without any commercially available antagonist additive. However, its environmentally harmful content enforces to lubricating oil manufacturers to replace it with an alternative one. Therefore, in this study, the H3BO3 + MoS2 combination was tested in the boundary lubrication regime in a tribometer with a pin on flat reciprocating test module to be a possible alternative anti-wear additive against ZDDP. The friction and wear behavior of Boric acid (H3BO3) + Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2), ZDDP, MoS2, and H3BO3 evaluated in terms of friction coefficient (COF), wear rate, surface energy and tribo-chemical analysis of tribofilms. SEM/EDX and XPS were employed to explore tribofilm formations on the wear scars. According to the results, the addition of MoS2 into H3BO3 presented a similar tribological performance to ZDDP by forming a strength tribofilm on the surface containing B2O3, MoO3, and metal sulfate.