Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A scPDSI‐based global data set of dry and wet spells for 1901–2009

Global maps of monthly self‐calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI) have been calculated for the period 1901–2009 based on the CRU TS 3.10. 01 data sets. This work addresses some concerns with regard to monitoring of global drought conditions using the traditional Palmer Drought Severity Index. First, the scPDSI has a similar range of variability in diverse climates making it a more suitable metric for comparing the relative availability of moisture in different regions. Second, the more physically based Penman‐Monteith parameterization for potential evapotranspiration is used, calculated using the actual vegetation cover rather than a reference crop. Third, seasonal snowpack dynamics are considered in the water balance model. The leading mode of variability in the new data set represents a trend towards drying conditions in some parts of the globe between 1950 and 1985 but accounts for less than 9% of the total variability. Increasing temperature and potential evapotranspiration explain part of the drying trend. However, local trends in most of the drying regions are not significant. Previously published evidence of unusually strong or widespread drying is not supported by the evidence in this work. A fundamental aspect of the calculation of scPDSI is the selection of a calibration period. When this period does not include the most recent part of the record, trends towards more extreme conditions are amplified. It is shown that this is the principal reason for different published interpretations of the scale of recent global drying and not, as recently claimed, the use of simplified forcing data.
A Damara orogen perspective on the assembly of southwestern Gondwana

Abstract The Pan-African Damara orogenic system records Gondwana amalgamation involving serial suturing of the Congo–São Francisco and Río de la Plata cratons (North Gondwana) from 580 to 550 Ma, before amalgamation with the Kalahari–Antarctic cratons (South Gondwana) as part of the 530 Ma Kuunga–Damara orogeny. Closure of the Adamastor Ocean was diachronous from the Araçuaí Belt southwards, with peak sinistral transpressional deformation followed by craton overthrusting and foreland basin development at 580–550 Ma in the Kaoko Belt and at 545–530 Ma in the Gariep Belt. Peak deformation/metamorphism in the Damara Belt was at 530–500 Ma, with thrusting onto the Kalahari Craton from 495 Ma through to 480 Ma. Coupling of the Congo and Río de la Plata cratons occurred before final closure of the Mozambique and Khomas (Damara Belt) oceans with the consequence that the Kuunga suture extends into Africa as the Damara Belt, and the Lufilian Arc and Zambezi Belt of Zambia. Palaeomagnetic data indicate that the Gondwana cratonic components were in close proximity by c. 550 Ma, so the last stages of the Damara–Kuunga orogeny were intracratonic, and led to eventual out-stepping of deformation/metamorphism to the Ross–Delamerian orogen (c. 520–500 Ma) along the leading edge of the Gondwana supercontinental margin.
The impact of aviation on climate

This paper describes how aviation is considered to have a small but significant effect on climate that will increase in both magnitude and share over time. Aviation affects climate through a number of effects, not just from its emissions. Air transport is one of the fastest growing transport sectors and the author reviews the contribution of aircraft to global pollution this paper also examines some aircraft-specific phenomena such as contrail formation that has a direct impact on climate forcing.
Measurement and correlation of conditions for entrapment and mobilization of residual oil. First annual report

The first year's progress of a project having 4 major task areas is covered. Substantial progress has been made in each task area, and it is expected that all tasks will be completed during the second year of this project. The first task is to establish the limits of reliability of laboratory waterflooding as an evaluation tool. This work is being extended to the wetting properties of crude oils and selected aspects of core flooding procedure, such as the effects of overburden pressure and the properties of displaced and displacing fluids. The second task concerns the effects of high capillary number flows on trapping phenomena and residual oil saturation. The third task deals with mechanisms of mobilization and entrapment. Detailed accounts have been presented of work on relative permeability at reduced residual oil saturations and for factors which affect the magnitude and distribution of residual oil. Work on the fourth task concerns the detailed structure of residual oil. The technique of using a nonwetting phase which will solidify and can be separated from the rock has been applied. 32 references.
Predicting Social Influence Based on Dynamic Network Structures

This study examines how network structure and dynamics interplay with the effect of social influence to facilitate diffusion. The context we consider is the diffusion of a new smartphone from a major wireless carrier in two medium-sized cities in China. The study is carried out in three stages: (1) New phone adopters (seeds) are selected within our sample period, and a two-layer snowball sampling of their mobile contacts is used to extract individual networks. (2) Given longitudinal networks and temporal adoption behaviors, the stochastic actor-based dynamic network model is used to determine the homophily effect on network formation and the social influence effect on adoptions. (3) The measures of the network structure are linked to the estimated effects of social influence based on meta-analysis. As a result, the two most significant network measures related to social influence are diversity of connection and time variation of edge numbers, after controlling for network size and density. The simulation further reveals that a certain amount of initial adopters is needed to trigger positive social influence during the diffusion process. Our findings provide a new perspective on buzz marketing campaigns by emphasizing the appropriate selection of social networks prior to the selection of individuals.
The specificity of teacher reflectivity in early education teachers – a study report

This article presents selected results of a preliminary research of teacher reflectivity. The empirical material was collected through the original Early Education Teacher Reflectivity Questionnaire on (pre)School Daily Life. It was answered by early education teachers and graduate students of early childhood pedagogy. The article also describes the understanding of reflectivity adopted here, along with its importance for building awareness of what it means to be a teacher with regard to reflection. Furthermore, careful consideration was given to the presented results followed by reflections on the results of the study. The analysis indicated that teachers in the study group did have a problem with identifying criteria for selecting situations to which they assigned a critical dimension. They seemed to lack insight into themselves. In their analyses, they evaluated individual aspects of a given event, but did not pose questions that might motivate in-depth reflection. Moreover, they equated anticipating the position of other persons about a given incident with experiencing a variety of perspectives. They avoided involving other people in the process of analyzing a situation, thus depriving themselves of an opportunity to develop transformative learning abilities. At their current stage of professional education, they showed a need for support, which may be aided by the assumptions of the humanistic concept of teacher education and the emancipatory rationality.
Observations of phytoplankton dynamics in Lake Ontario using ATSR-2 imagery

ATSR-2 gridded brightness temperature data have been used to estimate chlorophyll concentrations in Lake Ontario, North America. Lake truth data were collected during July and October 1995 as part of the Lake Ontario Trophic Transfer (LOTT) project. Epilimnetic chlorophyll a concentration was estimated using in situ fluorometer apparatus and traditional solvent extraction techniques. Nadir and forward looking pixel data were used to derive a chlorophyll estimation algorithm based on a multiple regression of 555, 670, 870 nm and 1.6 μm wavelengths and fluorometer values (r 2 >0.87, p<0.01). ATSR-2 scenes from July 1995 were processed using the algorithm to derive lake wide chlorophyll concentration and distribution. Phytoplankton production generally followed the pattern of surface current circulation, with the highest levels recorded in the south western part of the lake. Images showed chlorophyll distributions changing more rapidly than could be detected by the tri-annual LOTT cruises. Further work incorporating ATSR-2 lake surface temperature maps is planned.
The Impact of Dietary Factors during Pregnancy on the Development of Islet Autoimmunity and Type 1 Diabetes: A Systematic Literature Review

Aims and hypothesis: The incidence of type 1 diabetes mellitus in children is considerably increasing in western countries. Thus, identification of the environmental determinants involved could ultimately lead to disease prevention. Here, we aimed to systematically review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022362522) the current evidence of the association between maternal dietary factors during gestation and the risk of developing type 1 diabetes and/or islet autoimmunity (IA) in murine and human offspring. Methods: In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, the present systematic review searched PubMed and Scopus (n = 343) for different combinations of MeSH terms, such as type 1 diabetes, diet, islet autoimmunity, prenatal, nutrient, gluten, gliadin, vitamin, milk, and fibers. Results: We found that the most investigated dietary factors in the present literature were gluten, dietary advanced glycosylated end products (dAGEs), vitamin D, fatty acids, and iron. The results concerning prenatal exposure to a gluten-free environment showed a consistently protective effect on the development of IA. Prenatal exposures to vitamin D and certain fatty acids appeared to protect against the development of IA, whereas in utero iron and fat exposures correlated with increased risks of IA. Conclusion: We conclude that a definite association is not established for most factors investigated as the literature represents a heterogeneous pool of data, although fetal exposures to some maternal dietary components, such as gluten, show consistent associations with increased risks of IA. We suggest that human prospective dietary intervention studies in both cohort and clinical settings are crucial to better evaluate critical and protective prenatal exposures from the maternal diet during pregnancy.
The Rationale for Initiation and Continuation of Drug Abuse among Female Users: A Study of the Youth in Dhaka City

This paper explores the reasons for female drug abuse in an urban setting. It is concerned with a gender-sensitive approach to one of the burning issues of the 21st century: abusive and non-medical consumption of drugs among the youth. It focuses on social learning theory, control theory, labeling theory, and strain theory to understand and explain why female drug abusers initiate and continue to abuse drugs. This phenomenological research was carried out in three female rehabilitation centers in the Dhaka region. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty research participants: twelve female drug abusers (aged 12-30 years), seven rehabilitation personnel, and an official working with the Department of Narcotics Control, Bangladesh. This study finds some crucial reasons for initiating and continuing drug abuse among young female drug abusers, including traumatic experiences in life, the influence of peers and relatives, curiosity and sensation-seeking, easy access to and availability of unprescribed medicinal drugs, and social stigma. Social Science Review, Vol. 40(1), Jun 2023 Page 21-39
Principles of Phonetics

Principles of English StressPrinciples of Clinical PhonologyPhoneticsApplying PhoneticsThe Principles of the International Phonetic AssociationHandbook of the International Phonetic AssociationThe Phonetic Description of Voice QualitySpeech Physiology, Speech Perception, and Acoustic PhoneticsAn Introduction to the Science of PhoneticsThe Phonetics/Phonology InterfacePrinciples of PhoneticsThe Handbook of Phonetic SciencesPhonologyPhoneticsPhoneticsA Practical Introduction to PhoneticsPhonetics. Rev. Ed. An Introduction to the Principles of Phonetic Science from the Point of View of English SpeechPrinciples of Dependency PhonologyThe Physics of SpeechPhoneticsPrinciples of PhoneticsPhonetically Based PhonologyPhonetic Transcription in Theory and PracticePhoneticsAmerican English Phonetics and Pronunciation PracticePrinciples of Phonetic SegmentationPrinciples of PhoneticsIntroducing Phonetics and PhonologyAcoustic PhoneticsPrinciples of Generative PhonologyPhoneticsBasics of Phonetics and English PhonologyThe Handbook of Phonetic SciencesEnglish Phonetics and PhonologyIntonational PhonologyPrinciples of Historical LinguisticsPhoneticsPrinciples of PhonologyPrinciples of PhoneticsPrinciples of Radical CV Phonology
New locality records and additional information on habitats of three species of clam shrimps (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from a region in northern part of Western Ghats (Sahyadris), India

Sampling in two freshwater bodies near Pune City, Maharashtra State located in the northern region of the Western Ghats revealed the presence of three species of clam shrimps. In this paper we provide new locality records of genera Caenestheriella sp. and Lynceus sp. from the northern region of the Western Ghats in Maharashtra State, India. We also provide some habitat description and information on ecological parameters of the water bodies.
Systematic Risk and Cross Section of Equity Returns: Evidence from Nepalese Insurance Sector

This research analyzes the impact of firm-specific characteristics on the cross-section of equity returns of insurance companies in Nepal. For this purpose, the study used 22 insurance companies listed in the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE), comprising seven life and 15 non-life insurance companies. To make a balanced panel, those companies are selected as samples that have completed at least seven years of operation until the end of 2021 and are listed in NEPSE. The secondary data from 2015 to 2021 is analyzed using panel regression models. The Breusch-Pagan and Hausman tests are used to select the best panel model, and the random effect model is the best estimation model. The study reveals that systematic risk associated with the stock can explain the stock’s risk premium, proving that the notion of CAPM holds in the context of Nepal as stock beta is positive and significant in all tested models. Similarly, the book-to-market ratio is found to be negatively affecting the stock return. On the other hand, earning yield positively affects the stock return, and firm size negatively impacts equity returns. However, the investment rate and leverage are insignificant to affect equity returns. Therefore, stock investors are recommended to select alternatives based on systematic risk, earnings yield, and BM ratio. The findings also suggest to corporate policymakers that merger and acquisition cannot maximize shareholders’ wealth because it only increases paid-up capital, and this leads to decreased equity returns due to an increase in the book-to-market ratio and size of the firm.
Formation of biogenic sheath‐like Fe oxyhydroxides in a near‐neutral pH hot spring: Implications for the origin of microfossils in high‐temperature, Fe‐rich environments

A small hot spring that is informally called “Fe‐waterfall spring” and is located in the Rehai geothermal area discharges hot (42 to 73°C), near‐neutral (pH = 7.65) Fe‐rich water. Submerged reddish precipitates are composed largely of ferrihydrite, goethite, lepidocrocite, opal‐A, quartz, and anorthite, as revealed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Molecular phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that the bacterial community in these precipitates is mainly composed of Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, β‐proteobacteria, Deinococci‐Thermus, and Chlorobi. Scanning electron microscopy and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy examinations show that abundant sheath‐like Fe oxyhydroxides, which exhibit different morphologies and sizes, are present in Fe‐rich precipitates. These sheath‐like structures are composed of ferrihydrite rather than more crystalline lepidocrocite or goethite. Energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectrometer, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and nano secondary ion mass spectrometry reveal that they are mainly composed of Fe, Si, and O, together with some trace elements. Most of the sheath‐like structures are not morphologically comparable to biogenic Fe oxyhydroxides produced by known chemolithotrophic Fe oxidizers, which is consistent with the fact that no chemolithotrophic Fe oxidizers were identified by molecular analysis in the precipitates. We suggest that the sheath‐like Fe oxyhydroxides are formed through passive Fe sorption and nucleation onto the cell walls of various thermophiles rather than by the direct metabolic activities of chemolithotrophic Fe oxidizers. Biogenic sheath‐like Fe oxyhydroxides in Fe‐waterfall spring have important implications for geochemical cycles driven by microorganisms, the origin of microfossils, and the formation of banded iron formations (BIFs) in the Archean ocean.
Strontium isotope profile of Carboniferous-Permian Akiyoshi Limestone in southwest Japan

The chemical and Sr isotope compositions of the Akiyoshi Limestone (SW Japan) were determined. This limestone is a continuous sequence ranging in age from Early Carboniferous to Late Permian and is considered as an organic reef complex deposited on a basaltic seamount. The Sr isotope compositions (87Sr/86Sr) of the Akiyoshi Limestone range from 0.7068 to 0.7088. The time dependent change of the Sr isotope compositions is approximated to the two decreases in Early Carboniferous and Early to Late Permian, and one smooth increase in Middle Carboniferous to Early Permian. Although it is assumed that post-depositional diagenetic alteration may more or less have modified the original isotope values, the profile of the Sr isotope compositions of the Akiyoshi Limestone is interpreted as preserving the temporal change of sea water Sr isotope compositions during Carboniferous to Permian.
Multivariate Technique for Baseflow Separation Using Water Quality Data

A procedure for baseflow separation was developed. The uniqueness of the procedure is that it uses water quantity (flow rate) as well as the quality (NO3, total Kjeldahl nitrogen and total suspended solids) data for baseflow separation. Cluster analysis (CA), a multivariate statistical procedure, was used to group the water quality samples on the storm hydrograph to identify the end point of the baseflow separation line. The proposed procedure was applied to 30 storms in two watersheds, located in the Coastal Plain and Piedmont regions of Virginia, with different hydrologic characteristics. In addition to being a more physically based approach, the CA method also provided consistently better baseflow estimates, compared to two traditional approaches. One of the unique features of the CA method was that it conformed to the premise that baseflow increases after a storm event. For improving the performance of the CA method, regular time interval sampling and inclusion of additional water quality variables (e.
Surface modification of olivine by H+ and He+ bombardment

Laboratory simulations of solar wind irradiation of olivine, a constituent of ordinary chondritic meteorites and S-type asteroids, show a dramatic chemical reduction of surface iron and, to a lesser extent, silicon. Earth's atmosphere oxidizes any reduced iron instantaneously, whereas irradiated material on the surface of an asteroid would remain reduced. Changes in optical reflectance, due to metallization of the surface, provide a possible explanation for differences in the near-infrared spectra of ordinary chondrite meteorites and their likely parent bodies, the S(IV) asteroids.
Weathering patterns in high‐latitude regolith

[1] Large areas distributed on the Earth's surface are covered by regolith, an unconsolidated heterogeneous material overlying bedrock. In high-latitude areas, most of the land surface has been reworked and eroded by both glacial and fluvial processes, leaving only remnants of formerly extensive regolith covers. In an effort to further the understanding of weathering patterns and processes in old regolith covers, a comprehensive study of localities spread across Norway was carried out. On the basis of the distribution of minerals and elements within regolith, as well as its internal structure and geomorphologic setting, we ascertained that it was formed in situ and originated in pre-Quaternary times. There are similarities between the study sites with respect to regolith thickness, zonation, and composition. The Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and the Weathering Index of Parker (WIP) suggests that the degree of chemical weathering in the regolith is advanced compared to the parental bedrock with a maximum change of over 80%, which indicates a substantial increase in the proportion of secondary versus primary minerals. Mineral analysis identified kaolinite and gibbsite, which are considered indicative of advanced weathering and therefore support this observation. On the basis of statistical relationships between different grain size fractions (<125 μm), we observed a consistent pattern, which revealed that physical weathering becomes progressively less important in the production of grains smaller than 32 μm. On the basis of this finding, we infer that chemical weathering progressively dominates the production of fine silt, very fine silt, and clay, whereas physical weathering primarily controls the production of grain size fractions larger than 32 μm. This particular pattern is suggested to be an intrinsic feature in the formation of weathered high-latitude regolith.
Facilitating the Movement of Knowledge in Occupational Health Services

This article examines the establishment and maintenance of structures and relationships within interorganizational collaborations, specifically focusing on occupational health services in Sweden. It investigates how these collaborations are adjusted to existing structures to facilitate the movement of knowledge. The study draws attention to the gaps or seams (Vertesi, 2014) that arise when occupational health services providers and employers have different interests and objectives concerning occupational health and safety and explores the continuous and often unnoticed relational work (Zelizer, 2012) undertaken by occupational health services providers to make their expertise and services relevant and appealing to customers and employers. This article contributes to the ongoing discussion on alignment work (Kruse, 2021, 2023) by highlighting its current limitations and underscoring the importance of relational work in creating the necessary conditions for moving knowledge.