Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seasonality of reactive nitrogen oxides (NOy) at Neumayer Station, Antarctica

Abstract. NO, NOy (total reactive nitrogen oxides), gaseous HNO3 and particulate nitrate (p-NO3-) were measured at Neumayer Station from February 1999 to January 2000. We found a mean NOy mixing ratio of 46±29 pptv, with significantly higher values between February and the end of May (58±35 pptv). Between February and November, the (HNO3+p-NO3-)/NOy ratio was extremely low (around 0.22) and in contrast to NOy the seasonality of p-nitrate and HNO3 showed a distinct maximum in November and December, respectively. Trajectory analyses and radioisotope measurements (7Be, 10Be, 210Pb, and 222Rn) indicated that the upper troposphere or stratosphere was the main source region of the observed NOy with a negligible contribution of ground-level sources at northward continents. Frequent maxima of NOy mixing ratios up to 100 pptv are generally associated with air mass transport from the free troposphere of continental Antarctica, while air masses with the lowest NOy mixing ratios were typically advected from the marine boundary layer. Due to the highly variable (HNO3+p-NO3-)/NOy ratio and different seasonality of (HNO3+p-NO3-) and NOy, nitrate concentrations in firn caused by deposition of HNO3 and p-nitrate are most probably not directly connected with the atmospheric budget of reac-tive nitrogen oxides. Consequently, there is no straightforward way to derive the total reactive nitrogen content of the paleo-atmosphere from ice nitrate records.
Response Surface Methodology: Process and Product Optimization Using Designed Experiments

From the Publisher: Using a practical approach, it discusses two-level factorial and fractional factorial designs, several aspects of empirical modeling with regression techniques, focusing on response surface methodology, mixture experiments and robust design techniques. Features numerous authentic application examples and problems. Illustrates how computers can be a useful aid in problem solving. Includes a disk containing computer programs for a response surface methodology simulation exercise and concerning mixtures.
The Sisters Creek Formation: Pleistocene sediments representing a nonglacial interval in southwestern British Columbia at about 18 ka

Sisters Creek Formation is formally defined, stratotypes are established for it, and the time–space chart is updated for the Fraser Lowland, southwestern British Columbia. The Sisters Creek is a Pleistocene formation comprising in situ and reworked organic-rich sediments, and nonorganic silt, sand, and gravel. The formation was deposited during the Port Moody interstade (within the Late Wisconsinan Fraser Glaciation; δ18O stage 2) between the Coquitlam stade (early Fraser Glaciation) and the main Vashon stadial maximum that occurred about 14.5 ka. The Sisters Creek Formation represents a glacial recession in southwestern British Columbia that generally coincided with the timing of the last global glacial maximum. The new time–space chart implies that, in Fraser Lowland, the Fraser Glaciation represents the rapid advances and retreats of glacial lobes issuing from surrounding mountains, which remained ice-covered during interstades.
Use of Seasonal Forecast Information in Farm Level Decision Making in Bundelkhand, India

Improving agricultural outcomes is an important means of addressing global poverty. The uncertainty of climate variability has a large influence over agricultural productivity. It can produce extreme climatic events such as floods or droughts that can significantly damage crop yields resulting in loss of livelihood and food security for small-scale farmers around the world. Additionally, farmers make farming decisions that reduce the risk of negative impacts resulting from climatic extremes but at the expense of increased yields and profits in advantageous climatic conditions. Seasonal forecast information (SFI) is one tool that can be used to address this issue by reducing the uncertainty of future climatic conditions. Many small-scale farmers, however, do not fully utilize such information when it is available. Research suggests that the effective use of SFI exists in a knowledge-action system where deficiencies in its various components may inhibit forecast use. These components include forecast dissemination, demand, acceptance (including salience, credibility, and legitimacy), understanding, and action capacity. This study examines these components and how they relate to the use (or nonuse) of monsoon forecast information in Bundelkhand, India, through the use of a ground-level questionnaire. Overall, it finds significant associations between dissemination, salience, and action capacity with the use of monsoon forecast information. The findings suggest that these issues need to be addressed in order to increase forecast usage in the study area.
Household demand for water in sweden with implications of a potential tax on water use

The purpose of this paper is to estimate empirically the effects of a water tax on water use and on the size and stability of the tax revenues. A tax exceeding value‐added tax can be motivated on efficiency grounds when there are environmental external costs of water use and when water is a scarce resource. A household demand function for water is estimated using community level data for 282 (out of 286) Swedish communities studied annually over the period 1980–1992. Static and dynamic demand functions are estimated using panel data methods. The results show a long‐run price elasticity of −0.10 in marginal price models and −0.20 in average price models. The findings imply that a tax of 1 Swedish Kronor (SEK) m−3 of water used (corresponding to a 5% increase in the mean average price) would generate ∼600 million SEK in tax revenues per year when levied on all households in Sweden. The water consumption would, however, only be reduced by ∼1%.
Low melt rates with seasonal variability at the base of Fimbul Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, revealed by in situ interferometric radar measurements

Basal melt is a major cause of ice shelf thinning affecting the stability of the ice shelf and reducing its buttressing effect on the inland ice. The Fimbul ice shelf (FIS) in Dronning Maud Land (DML), East Antarctica, is fed by the fast‐flowing Jutulstraumen glacier, responsible for 10% of ice discharge from the DML sector of the ice sheet. Current estimates of the basal melt rates of the FIS come from regional ocean models, autosub measurements, and satellite observations, which vary considerably. This discrepancy hampers evaluation of the stability of the Jutulstraumen catchment. Here, we present estimates of basal melt rates of the FIS using ground‐based interferometric radar. We find a low average basal melt rate on the order of 1 m/yr, with the highest rates located at the ice shelf front, which extends beyond the continental shelf break. Furthermore, our results provide evidence for a significant seasonal variability.
Estimating low flow frequencies in the mid to late 21st century for two basins in Central Wales

The research reported here uses a methodology that has been developed to generate riverflow scenarios for future climate change from GCMs. The method involves simulation of daily flows to assess the degree of change in flow frequencies, lengths of low flow periods and seasonal distributions in catchments in mid-Wales under two climate change scenarios derived from the Hadley Centre HadCM2 GCM. The method consists of: (1) establishing statistical relationships between interval-scale airflow indices (vorticity, the strength of the geostrophic wind, and its zonal and meridional directional components) and recorded precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET) for the period of instrumental record within each catchment, (2) using the derived transitional probabilities and correlations as input to a daily Stochastic Weather Generator, and (3) inputting this synthesised daily weather sequence into a physicallybased hydrological simulation model (HYSIM). Split-sample tests indicate good agreement between predicted and recorded daily flow frequencies, with a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency criterion of 0.7 for daily flows and 0.9 for monthly totals. The results suggest that there will be increased frequency of low flow days during the summer and a slight increase in the length of individual low flow spells.
Stochastic poverty dominance analysis utilizing demographic variables among crude oil polluted crop farm households in Rivers State , Nigeria

The focus of this study is the use of demographic variables in determining stochastic poverty dominance among crude oil polluted and non-polluted crop farmer households in Rivers State, Nigeria. A total of 296 questionnaires were used to analyze data collected from 17 local government areas of the state through multistage sampling technique. Results of stochastic poverty dominance analysis using gender of household heads indicated that there was more severe poverty among male headed households in crude oil polluted crop farms than in non-polluted crop farms at P3 higher level of dominance. In female headed households, there was more incidence of poverty in non-polluted crop farms than in crude oil polluted crop farms at P0 (first order dominance – FSD). Marital status results showed there was more poverty depth (P1) experienced by crude oil polluted crop farmer households than in non-polluted crop farmer households. Single (not married), divorcees and single parents subgroupings stochastic poverty dominance occurred at P1 (second order dominance – SSD). This study concluded that there was headcount poverty experienced among crop farmer households. However, more higher level of poverty was experienced in crude oil polluted crop farms than in non-polluted crop farms in Rivers State, Nigeria.
Conservative upper limits on WIMP annihilation cross section from Fermi-LAT γ-rays

The spectrum of an isotropic extragalactic γ-ray background (EGB) has been measured by the Fermi-LAT telescope at high latitudes. Two new models for the EGB are derived from the subtraction of unresolved point sources and extragalactic diffuse processes, which could explain from 30% to 70% of the Fermi-LAT EGB. Within the hypothesis that the two residual EGBs are entirely due to the annihilation of dark matter (DM) particles in the Galactic halo, we obtain conservative upper limits on their annihilation cross section ⟨σν⟩. Severe bounds on a possible Sommerfeld enhancement of the annihilation cross section are set as well. Finally, would ⟨σν⟩ be inversely proportional to the WIMP velocity, very severe limits are derived for the velocity-independent term of the annihilation cross section.
A statistical approach to Indian Ocean sea surface temperature prediction using a dynamical ENSO prediction

In this study, a statistical prediction model has been developed to forecast monthly Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the Indian Ocean. It is a linear regression model based on a lagged relationship between the Indian Ocean SST and the NINO3 SST. A new approach to the statistical modeling has been tried out, in which the model predictors are obtained from not only observed NINO3 SST but also predicted results produced by a dynamical El Niño model. The forecast skill of the present model is better than that of persistence prediction. In particular, the present model has a significantly improved predictive skill during the spring and summer seasons when the boreal summer Indian monsoon is affected by the Indian Ocean SST.
Interannual Variability of the Altimetry-Derived Eddy Field and Surface Circulation in the Extratropical North Atlantic Ocean in 1993 2001

Abstract The distribution of surface eddy kinetic energy (EKE) depicts main oceanic surface circulation features. The interannual variability of EKE and associated geostrophic velocity anomalies in the North Atlantic Ocean were analyzed to describe the variations in oceanic currents between 1993 and 2002. The sea level anomaly maps of the combined TOPEX/Poseidon + ERS-1/2 and TOPEX/Poseidon-alone satellite altimetry data were used to derive EKE. The study focused on the areas of the Gulf Stream extension (GS), North Atlantic Current (NAC), Azores Current (AC), and the northeastern (Rockall Channel and Iceland Basin) and northwestern (Irminger Basin and Labrador Sea) North Atlantic. The interannual variability of the altimetry-derived EKE field in the GS extension area reflected the meridional displacements of the GS core described in earlier studies. The interannual change of EKE in the AC was characterized by high values in 1993–95 followed by lower EKE in subsequent years. The interannual variability of.
Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing State which asked for "the development of vulnerability indices and other indicators that reflect the status of small island developing countries and integrate ecological fragility

This paper examines the relevance of the economic vulnerability concept for low income countries, a topic of recent concern in several international bodies. It first considers some conceptual clarifications and a method to build internationally comparable indicators. Three factors of vulnerability are distinguished: shocks, exposure and resilience or capacity to react (the first two ones being more structural, the third one more related to policy). To measure the two main kinds of shocks (natural and external), proposed proxies are respectively the instability of agricultural production and the instability of the purchasing power of exports, while the (smallness of) the population size can be used as a proxy for (structural) exposure. To aggregate the various possible indicators in a composite index of (structural) economic vulnerability, weights can be drawn from their estimated impact on growth. Then selected issues related to the impact of vulnerability on growth are considered: "primary" instabilities (climate, terms of trade, political troubles) are found to slow growth, more by their effect on the total factor productivity growth than on the rate of investment, to do so through « intermediate » instabilities (of the rate of investment and of the real rate of exchange), and in agricultural economies through the impact at the farmer level. Besides its negative effects on growth, vulnerability is assumed to increase aid effectiveness: the more the recipient country is vulnerable the more aid contributes to growth. Implications are drawn for aid allocation and aid design.
Choices Which Change Life Satisfaction – Revising SWB Theory to Account for Change

Using data from the long-running German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) 1984-2008, this paper analyses the effects of individual preferences and choices on subjective well-being (SWB). It is shown that preferences and choices relating to life goals/values, partner's personality, hours of work, social participation and healthy lifestyle all have substantial effects on life satisfaction. The results have negative implications for the still dominant theory of SWB, set-point theory. This theory holds that adult SWB does not change in the medium or long term, although temporary fluctuations occur due to specific life events. Set-point theory has come under increasing criticism in recent years, primarily due to unmistakable evidence in SOEP that, during the last 25 years, up to a third of the population has recorded substantial and apparently permanent changes in life satisfaction. It is becoming clear that the main challenge now for SWB researchers is to develop a new theory which can account for medium and long term change, and not merely stability in SWB. Set-point theory is limited precisely because it is purely a theory of stability. The paper is based on a specially constructed SOEP file in which data are divided into five 5-year periods in order to facilitate analysis of medium term change.
Serengeti wildebeest population dynamics : regulation, limitation and implications for harvesting

Principal challenges in managing large mammals include methods for estimating abundance, understanding the interaction between environmental conditions, density, and reproductive success and survival, and estimation and regulation of harvest. Here I present the population dynamics of the Serengeti wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) as a case study in exploiting large mammals. The Serengeti wildebeest population increased six fold between 1960-1977 from 0.25 to 1.4 million; thereafter it remained constant at 1.3 million. Previous studies have suggested that density dependent mortality regulates the population through food shortage during the dry season. However, little was learned about which stage(s) in the life cycle were involved in the regulation process, or of the extent of human-induced mortality. I present recent demographic data on wildebeest reproduction, recruitment, and adult mortality. I combine my results with those of previous studies to construct a life table, and use key-factor analysis to investigate the influence of density dependence, predation and food limitation on the wildebeest population dynamics. I use poaching data to estimate illegal harvesting, which has been presumed to be extensive. I develop a population dynamics model to test for the consistency of the estimated demographic components. Life table analysis suggests that the Serengeti wildebeest population is regulated through density dependent adult mortality. Fertility loss acted in a density dependent fashion but was weak. Available evidence supports the food limitation hypothesis through dry season calf and adult mortality. Dry season calf mortality was the "key factor" stage causing population fluctuations. While neonatal mortality appeared to contribute the greatest to annual reduction, its pattern was not well understood. Limitation by predators and human offtake appeared to play a minor role. Synthesis of available data suggests that the Serengeti wildebeest population has reached its environmental carrying capacity under the present rainfall regime. Changes in rainfall greatly influence population size, and the reproductive surplus available for harvesting is almost directly related to the amount of rainfall in the dry season of the year. Population dynamics models indicate that in wet years additional animals could be taken in a controlled harvesting program, but elimination of the illegal harvest is essential.
News, Politics, and Negativity

Work in political communication has discussed the ongoing predominance of negative news, but has offered few convincing accounts for this focus. A growing body of literature shows that humans regularly pay more attention to negative information than to positive information, however. This article argues that we should view the nature of news content in part as a consequence of this asymmetry bias observed in human behavior. A psychophysiological experiment capturing viewers’ reactions to actual news content shows that negative news elicits stronger and more sustained reactions than does positive news. Results are discussed as they pertain to political behavior and communication, and to politics and political institutions more generally.
Course Update for Nurse Anesthetists Reexamining Traditional Intraoperative Fluid Administration : Evolving Views in the Age of Goal-Directed Therapy

Objectives At the completion of this course, the reader should be able to: 1. Describe current fluid recommendations and their origin. 2. Address the physiologic causes and complications associated with hypervolemia. 3. Differentiate between standard, restrictive, and goaldirected fluid administration. 4. Discuss evidence-based literature available regarding intraoperative fluid therapy. 5. Discuss potential tools and/or modifications of fluid administration in anesthesia practice.
EarthArXiv coversheet for : The Impact of Melting Ice Sheets on Future Global Climate

Climate change studies in the last decades have been based on Global Climate Models (GCM), and the distribution of climatic regions over time extracted from these models can be represented using the Köppen climatic classification. The Köppen approach predicts the distribution of biomes worldwide on the basis of monthly precipitation and average temperature. This study aims to use the Köppen classification to evaluate the impact of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets melting on GCM simulation results at the regional and global scale. To assess the impact of accelerated ice-sheet melting, our approach is based on numerical simulations from the IPSL-CM5A-LR GCM with the introduction of freshwater near the ice sheets superimposed on the RCP8.5 scenario, leading to a global warming of +5°C. Static mapping of distribution changes in Köppen climatic regions under various scenarios (historical run from observations, RCP 8.5, and various cases of polar sheets melting) and comparisons between them reveal that major changes occur at the global scale for the period 2041-2060. A first level of analysis revealed that, when the input of freshwater originates from Greenland or Antarctica, the inter-tropical belt undergoes greater change than under the RCP8.5 scenario. A second level of analysis showed that changes in precipitation have major impacts on the southern hemisphere, with more drastic changes if the freshwater came from the Greenland ice sheet than if it came from Antarctica or from the combination of both. Changes in temperature, however, strongly impact the northern hemisphere, and are significantly affected by the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. This study highlights the importance of considering ice sheets melting in the modelling of future global climate.
Biostratigraphy of key brachiopod lineages from the Llandovery Series (Lower Silurian ) of the Oslo Region

,and between Pentamerus and Pentameroides are refined in several districts. The transition between Borea/is and Pentamerus is rede fin ed in the Asker District. The occurrence of Eocoe/ia in the Skien District is recorded for the first time. Most of the biostratigraphic changes in correlation involve the Rytteraker Formation.
Localized soft classification for super‐resolution mapping of the shoreline

The Malaysian shoreline is dynamic and constantly changing in location. Although the shoreline may be mapped accurately from fine spatial resolution imagery, this is an impractical approach for use over large areas. An alternative approach using coarse spatial resolution satellite sensor imagery is to fit a shoreline boundary at sub‐pixel scale. This paper evaluates the use of soft classification and super‐resolution mapping techniques to accurately map the shoreline. A localized soft classification approach was used to provide an accurate prediction of the thematic composition of each image pixel. This involves the use of training statistics derived locally rather than globally in the classification. Using the derived class proportion information the shoreline boundary was determined within the pixels using super‐resolution techniques. Results show that by using a localized approach in the prediction of the pixel's thematic class composition, the accuracy of shoreline prediction was increased. Notably, the use of the localized approach resulted in the shoreline with an rms error of <1.51 m, smaller than the rms error of 2.13 m derived from the use of the global approach.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Psychosocial consequences of adolescents ’ online communication

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