Cross-Evaluation of Reflectivity from NEXRAD and Global Precipitation Mission during Extreme Weather Events.

During extreme events such as tropical cyclones, the precision of sensors used to sample the meteorological data is vital to feed weather and climate models for storm path forecasting, quantitative precipitation estimation, and other atmospheric parameters. For this reason, periodic data comparison between several sensors used to monitor these phenomena such as ground-based and satellite instruments, must maintain a high degree of correlation in order to issue alerts with an accuracy that allows for timely decision making. This study presents a cross-evaluation of the radar reflectivity from the dual-frequency precipitation radar (DPR) onboard the Global Precipitation Measurement Mission (GPM) and the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) Next-Generation Radar (NEXRAD) ground-based instrument located in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, USA, to determine the correlation degree between these two sensors' measurements during extreme weather events and normal precipitation events during 2015-2019. GPM at Ku-band and Ka-band and NEXRAD at S-band overlapping scanning regions data of normal precipitation events during 2015-2019, and the spiral rain bands of four extreme weather events, Irma (Category 5 Hurricane), Beryl (Tropical Storm), Dorian (Category 1 hurricane), and Karen (Tropical Storm), were processed using the GPM Ground Validation System (GVS). In both cases, data were classified and analyzed statistically, paying particular attention to variables such as elevation angle mode and precipitation type (stratiform and convective). Given that ground-based radar (GR) has better spatial and temporal resolution, the NEXRAD was used as ground-truth. The results revealed that the correlation coefficient between the data of both instruments during the analyzed extreme weather events was moderate to low; for normal precipitation events, the correlation is lower than that of studies that compared GPM and NEXRAD reflectivity located in other regions of the USA. Only Tropical Storm Karen obtained similar results to other comparative studies in terms of the correlation coefficient. Furthermore, the GR elevation angle and precipitation type have a substantial impact on how well the rain reflectivity correlates between the two sensors. It was found that the Ku-band channel possesses the least bias and variability when compared to the NEXRAD instrument's reflectivity and should therefore be considered more reliable for future tropical storm tracking and tropical region precipitation estimates in regions with no NEXRAD coverage.

Impacts of short-term water restriction on Pelibuey sheep: physiological and blood parameters.

One of the projected effects of climate change is a reduction in rainfall in certain regions of the world. Hence, the agricultural and livestock sectors will have to cope with increasing incidences of water shortage while still maintaining productivity levels to feed an ever increasing global population. This short communication reports on the effect of a 2-week water stress on Pelibuey sheep in Cuba. Three treatments were compared, viz. supply of water ad libitum, water supplied once every 3 or 6 days. Following exposure to the water stress, the results showed no changes in sheep body weight or rectal temperature. However, respiration frequency was affected with water stress causing a reduction from 23.3 to 13.3 respirations per min in control and water-deprived animals, respectively. Furthermore, there was evidence for hemoconcentration in response to water stress (levels of hemoglobin increased from 9.2 to 13.1 g L-1 and hematocrits from 27.6 to 39.3% in the control group and animals restricted to water once every 6 days. The imposed water stress was also evident in the reduction of lymphocytes (from ±63 to 43%), and in increase of neutrophils (from approximately 38 to 54%) and leukocytes (from 3133 to 4933 per mm3). The results indicated a decline in the levels of antioxidants, i.e., SOD from approximately 13 to 10 U mg-1 protein and CAT activity from 23 to 9 U mg-1 protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the response of Pelibuey sheep to short-term water shortage stress under Cuban environmental conditions.

La primera reforma tributaria en la historia de la humanidad / A primeira reforma tributária na história da humanidade / The first tax reform of humanity

Resumen El presente acápite trata acerca del relato milenario de la primera reforma social, descrito por Noah Kramer en el libro La historia empieza en Sumer y que ha sido traducido por el autor directamente de las tablillas sumerias. El artículo presenta un apólogo, sobre el contexto en el cual se dio esa primera reforma social, que sin lugar a dudas fue una verdadera reforma tributaria en favor del pueblo. El texto comienza describiendo las características de la civilización sumeria, el entorno geográfico en el cual se desarrolló, sus invenciones como la escritura, la rueda, la cerveza, la organización del comercio, los sistemas políticos y los sistemas tributarios y aduaneros. Es en medio de ese auge que los sumerios terminan siendo dominados por los Acadios. Cabe anotar que en el contexto descrito en el párrafo anterior se hace alusión a que una ciudad prospera como Lagash en tiempos de los sumerios, termina empobreciendo a sus habitantes con una exagerada y desordenada carga tributaria y un sistema tributario caótico en manos de los Acadios. Es en este testimonio que se realizó una de las primeras reformas sociales, que por sus características es considerada como la primera reforma tributaria de la cual tiene conocimiento la humanidad. Clasificación JEL: N, N9, N95.

Abstract This section deals with the millennial account of the first social reform, described by Noah Kramer in the book History begins in Sumer and which has been translated by the author directly from the Sumerian tablets. The article presents an apologue; about the context in which this first social reform took place, which without a doubt was a true tax reform in favor of the people. The text begins by describing the characteristics of Sumerian civilization, the geographical environment in which it developed its inventions such as writing, wheel, beer trade organization, political systems and tax and customs systems. It is in the midst of that boom that the Sumerians end up being dominated by the Akkadians. It should be noted that the context described in the previous paragraph refers to the fact that a city prospers like Lagash in the times of the Sumerians, ends impoverishing its inhabitants with an exaggerated and disorderly tax burden and a chaotic tax system in the hands of the Akkadians. It is in this testimony that one of the first social reforms was carried out, which due to its characteristics is considered as the first tax reform of which humanity is aware. JEL Classification: N, N9, N95.

Resumo Esta seção trata do relato milenar da primeira reforma social, descrita por Noah Kramer no livro História começa na Sumeria, e que foi traduzida pelo autor diretamente das tábuas sumérias. O artigo apresenta um apologê, sobre o contexto em que esta primeira reforma social ocorreu, que sem dúvida foi uma verdadeira reforma tributária em favor do povo. O texto começa descrevendo as características da civilização suméria, o ambiente geográfico em que ela se desenvolveu, suas invenções como escrita, roda, cerveja, organização comercial, sistemas políticos e sistemas tributários e aduaneiros. É no meio desse boom que os sumérios acabam sendo dominados pelos acádios. Note-se que, no contexto descrito no parágrafo anterior referindo-se a uma cidade prospera como Lagash em tempos dos sumérios é acaba por empobrecer seu povo com um sistema de carga tributária e fiscal exagerada e desordenada caótico nas mãos dos Akkadians. É neste testemunho que se realizou uma das primeiras reformas sociais, que devido às suas características é considerada como a primeira reforma tributária da qual a humanidade está ciente. Classificações JEL: N, N9, N95.

Estudio comparativo de instalacion de una planta industrial en zona franca vs. regimen formal. Modelo fabrica de sombreros

Contenido: 1.Introduccion 2.Estudio de mercado 3.Disponibilidad de insumos 4.Tamano de la planta 5.Localizacion de la planta 6.Ingenieria del proyecto 7.Organizacion y administracion 8.Estudio economico financiero de acuerdo con el regimen formal 9.Estudio economico financiero de acuerdo con el regimen de zonas francas 10.Conclusiones.