2,815 research outputs found
Narayanella, a new name for Narayana Subba Rao (hymenoptera : mymaridae)
No full textThe name Narayana was applied (Subba Rao, 1976) to a genus erected for the new species N. pilipes reared from the gaUs of Lagerstoemia flos reginae. Unfortunately the author overlooked the vulid and prior use of Narayana by Distant (1908). Narayana Distant was erected with rusticitatus as type-species (Issidae: Homoptera). Hence Narayana Subba Rao is a junior homonym which has to be replaced according to the rules of the International Zoological Nomenclature
How beneficial are seasonal climate forecasts for climate risk management? An appraisal for crop production in Tanzania
No full textUnderstanding growing period conditions is crucial for effective climate risk management strategies. Seasonal climate forecasts (SCF) are key in predicting these conditions and guiding risk management in agriculture. However, low SCF adoption rates among smallholder farmers are due to factors like uncertainty and lack of understanding. In this study, we evaluated the benefits of SCF in predicting growing season conditions, and crop performance, and developing climate risk management strategies in Kongwa district, Tanzania. We used sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTa) from the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions to predict seasonal rainfall onset dates using the k-nearest neighbor model. Contrary to traditional approaches, the study established the use of rainfall onset dates as the criterion for predicting and describing growing period conditions. We then evaluated forecast skills and the profitability of using SCF in crop management with the Agricultural Production System sIMulator (APSIM) coupled with a simple bio-economic model. Our findings show that SSTa significantly influences rainfall variability and accurately predicts rainfall onset dates. Onset dates proved more effective than traditional methods in depicting key growing period characteristics, including rainfall variability and distribution. Including SCF in climate risk management proved beneficial for maize and sorghum production both agronomically and economically. Not using SCF posed a higher risk to crop production, with an 80% probability of yield losses, especially in late-onset seasons. We conclude that while SCF has potential benefits, improvements are needed in its generation and dissemination. Enhancing the network of extension agents could facilitate better understanding and adoption by smallholder farmers
Sensor Selection for Angle of Arrival Estimation Based on the Two-Target Cramér-Rao Bound
No full textSensor selection is a useful method to help reduce data throughput, as well as computational, power, and hardware requirements, while still maintaining acceptable performance. Although minimizing the Cramér-Rao bound has been adopted previously for sparse sensing, it did not consider multiple targets and unknown source models. In this work, we propose to tackle the sensor selection problem for angle of arrival estimation using the worst-case Cramér-Rao bound of two uncorrelated sources. To do so, we cast the problem as a convex semi-definite program and retrieve the binary selection by randomized rounding. Through numerical examples related to a linear array, we illustrate the proposed method and show that it leads to the natural selection of elements at the edges plus the center of the linear array. This contrasts with the typical solutions obtained from minimizing the single-target Cramér-Rao bound.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Signal Processing System
Sketch Studies and Lu Yen’s Harmony
No full textThis paper introduces the various types of music manuscripts and current issues in music sketch studies. It argues that the study of musical manuscripts is not simply the direct conversion of composition processes into music analysis. Nor is it limited to the function of providing a basis for choosing performance editions. Rather, it allows the researchers to weigh and ponder on many entangled issues, such as the composer's intentions, musical influences and music trends, composition habits, manuscripts chronology order, revisions to the draft, and traces of pre-composition plans. In addition, manuscripts could be situated in the network of various cultural or historical moments, and of a variety of musical styles and trends. It can be linked to a large web of associations contributing in different ways to the production of the manuscripts. Manuscripts are deeply rooted in historical processes and are essentially open text. The diversity of the twentieth century music manuscript, both in terms of musical language and medium, also raise new issues for sketch studies. Borrowing from Philip Gossett, this paper examines three areas of manuscript studies—confirmatory, suggestive, and conceptual—to ponder on the analysis of 20th century music. From this angle, the paper analyzes the manuscripts of Taiwanese composer Lu Yan. It focuses on several diagrams of integers in the composer’s sketches. In particular the paper examines how these diagrams reflect abstract conceptualization of pitch structure and harmony language, and how they are connected to his composition, “Woodwind Quintet.” These sketches of “pitch material” illustrate the profound thinking encompassing his harmony, melody and tone row and balanced relationship of sound world.Peer reviewedPrimarily in Chinese; abstract, annotations, notes, and some references in English
A Comparison of Trichordal Relations in Milton Babbitt's String Quartet No. 2 and Elliott Carter's A Symphony for Three Orchestras
No full textPeer reviewe
The Color of Music Heritage: Chinese America in American Ultra-Modern Music
No full textThis essay considers American ultra-modern music from the vantage point of Chinese America. It argues that the interiority of this racial terrain was molded by the negotiation, mimicry, and transformation necessarily attended musical activities across racial boundaries. Cowell‘s ultra-modern composition bears witness to Asian confluence in the American musical landscape at the beginning of the century, and raises the question of musical heritage. Rejecting the typical orientalist analysis and its self-other framework, this essay explores the significance of Chinatown music, and how a sonic idea that was engendered from it found expression in the dialogical space of American ultra-modern music.Peer reviewe
Cultural Boundary and National Border: Recent Works of Tan Dun, Chen Yi, and Bright Sheng
No full textPeer reviewe
Hearing Pentatonicism Through Serialism: Integrating Different Traditions in Chinese Contemporary Music
No full textCopyright 2002, Perspectives of New Music. Used by permission. This article first appeared in Perspectives of New Music vol 40 number 2, 2002.Peer reviewed
Integrated management of watersheds for agricultural diversification and sustainable livelihoods in eastern and central Africa: lessons and experiences from semi-arid south Asia: proceedings of the International Workshop
No full textThis book contains the following chapters: welcome and opening; ICRISAT in eastern and central Africa: partnerships in soil and water management to create opportunities for improving livelihoods by Silim, S.; introduction and objectives of the workshop by Shiferaw, B.; issues, concepts approaches and practices in integrated watershed management: experiences and lessons for Asia by Wani, S.P.; Ramakarishna, Y.S.; Sreedevi, T.K.; Long, T.D.; Wangkahart, T.; Pathak, P.; Kesava Rao, A.V.R.; policy and institutional issues and impacts of integrated watershed management: experiences and lessons from Asia by Shiferaw, B.; Bantilan, C.; Wani, S.P.; research on integrated soil and water management in semi-arid eastern and sourthern Africa: past experiences, current activities and future thrusts by Twomlow, S.J.; Rao, K.P.C.; watershed development and natural resources management experiences in eastern and central Africa and the need for partnerships with south Asia by Hatibu, N.; integrated watershed management experiences in eastern and central Africa: lessons from Ethiopia by Zeleke, G.; conclusion and future directions by Shiferaw, B.; Hatibu, N.; Rao, K.P.C
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