Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Geology and paleontology of the Upper Jurassic (Morrison Formation: Brush Basin Member) Peterson Quarry, central New Mexico

The Upper Jurassic Peterson quarry, located in Bernalillo County, central New Mexico, is New Mexico’s most extensive and productive Jurassic dinosaur locality. The quarry is developed in the upper part of the Brushy Basin Member of the Morrison Formation, approximately 26 m below its contact with the overlying Jackpile Member. Fossil bones occur low in a 1.1-m-thick sequence of well-indurated, trough-crossbedded, subarkosic sandstone. Preserved elements range from scattered bones to articulated assemblages of bones from a single individual, and the long bones are preferentially oriented along a generally east-west-trending axis. The occurrence of associated-to-articulated bones in a trough-crossbedded sandstone underlying a fl oodplain mudstone suggest deposition of the fossils in the mixed fi ll of an abandoned channel in a typical Brushy Basin Member fl uvial system. Particularly important dinosaurs from the Peterson quarry include a large (1100 mm estimated femoral length) Saurophaganax-like allosaurid theropod and the anterior portion of a sauropod skull and lower jaws similar to Diplodocus. Camarasaurid teeth are also relatively common at the quarry and some can be assigned to Camarasaurus. Excavations at the quarry are an excellent example of partnerships between the Bureau of Land Management and a natural history museum. To date at least 6000 volunteer hours have been donated excavating the quarry, and volunteer preparation may double that total.
Theoretical and practical aspects of Cr(VI) in the South African ferrochrome industry

The production of ferrochrome alloy from chromium bearing chromite ores is conducted at high temperature under highly reducing conditions. However, albeit completely unintended, it is impossible to completely exclude oxygen from all high temperature process steps, with the corresponding possibility arising for the generation of small amounts of Cr(VI) species. Certain Cr(VI) species are regarded as a carcinogic, with specifically airborne exposure to these Cr(VI) species being associated with cancer of the respiratory system. With approximately three quarters of the world’s viable chromite ore reserves located in South Africa, and annual ferrochrome production approaching almost half of total annual global output, aspects of Cr(VI) generation and control are of particular relevance and importance to the local industry, and naturally to the global industry at large. This paper seeks to examine theoretical and practical aspects associated with Cr(VI) generation (based largely on experience within the local South African industry, but considered to be generally encountered in the broader global industry context), together with mitigating measures that can be applied within the context of the production processes. From the discussions it is clear that significant improvements with regard to various Cr(VI)-related aspects have been made by the South African ferrochrome industry. However, it is also evident that several areas of uncertainty still exist, which require further research in order to better quantify risks and enhance the efficacy of mitigating steps.
Avanafil for male erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Avanafil, a potent new selective phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, has been developed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of this drug for the treatment of ED. A literature review was performed to identify all published randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of avanafil for the treatment of ED. The search included the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. The reference lists of the retrieved studies were also investigated. Four publications, involving a total of 1381 patients, were used in the analysis, including four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared avanafil with a placebo. Among the co-primary efficacy end points indicating that avanafil 100 mg was more effective than a placebo were successful vaginal penetration (SEP2) (the odds ratio (OR) =5.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) =3.29–7.78, P< 0.00001) and successful intercourse (SEP3) (OR = 3.99, 95% CI = 2.80–5.67, P< 0.00001). Men randomized to receive avanafil were less likely than those receiving the placebo to drop out due to an adverse event (AE) (OR = 1.48, 95% CI = 0.54–4.08, P = 0.44). Specific AEs with avanafil included headache and flushing, which were significantly less likely to occur with placebo. This meta-analysis indicates that avanafil 100 or 200 mg is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for ED. Compared with avanafil 100 mg, patients who take avanafil 200 mg are more likely to experience headaches.
Tip-Clearance Flow and Losses for an Isolated Compressor Blade,

Abstract : The effect of a gap in an isolated aerofoil spanning a tunnel has been investigted both theoretically and experimentally. Two flow models have been suggested; one is valid for moderately large gap/chord ratios and the other for the small gap/chord ratios used in turbomachinery practice. The latter model takes into account the lift retained at the tip due to circulation bridging the gap. At samll gap/chord ratios the decrease in total lift and the increase in drag are very small and the flow disturbance at the tip has very little effect on the pressure distributions at small distances from the tip. Flow visualization and vorticity measurements indicate that the position and strength of the tip vortex varies with the gap size. At small gap/chord ratios, the leakage flow is very nearly perpendicular to the chord. It forms a vortex sheet which rolls up into a single discrete vortex at some distance from the suction surface and its spanwise distance from the tip is very small. At high gap/chord ratios the leakage flow takes place at an anlge to the chord. It shows a tendency to roll up into a single vortext immediately it reaches suction surface and the core of this vortex is located a little inwards from the tip.
Medicinal Plant Abundance in Degraded and Reforested Sites in Northwest Pakistan

Abstract Forest resources in northwest Pakistan are under severe threat, negatively affecting local people aiming to meet their subsistence needs through different types of forest use. In addition to uses such as fodder and fuelwood, medicinal plants play an important role in the livelihoods of local people. To reduce pressure and dependency on remaining old-growth forests, some deforested and degraded sites have been reforested. The objectives of the present study were to (1) compare the abundance of medicinal plants on reforested and formerly forested degraded land and (2) assess the influence of reforested stand characteristics on the abundance of medicinal plants. Five plots were randomly selected per land use type. On these plots we analyzed the abundance and other variables of 10 herbal medicinal plants common and important for the rural human population. Frequencies, densities, and cover of the 10 medicinal plants were significantly higher on reforested sites than on degraded sites. Frequencies of highly valuable species such as Valeriana jatamansi, Bergenia ciliata, and Paeonia emodi increased 16-, 8- and 6-fold on reforested sites, respectively. Moreover, density, cover and diversity of medicinal plants (in total) were 7, 5, and 2 times higher, respectively, and 3 species absent on degraded sites were encountered on reforested sites. On reforested plots, tree basal area was the most influential variable positively correlated with the abundance of the aforementioned species. Thus, our data suggest that reforestation of degraded sites can greatly increase the abundance of medicinal plants and may be an instrument for improving the livelihoods of local people and protecting remaining natural forest resources.
Temperature and composition of the Earth's core

The Earth's core is a ball of swirling hot metal at the centre of our planet, with a radius roughly one half of the Earth's radius. It is formed by two parts: a solid inner core, with a radius of 1221 km, surrounded by a shell of liquid which extends up to 3480 km from the centre. It is widely believe that the Earth's core is mainly formed by iron, or iron with up to 5 – 10% of nickel. It is also known that the core must contain a significant fraction of light impurities, in the region of 2 – 3% in the solid and 6 – 7% in the liquid. The nature of these light impurities is unknown. The temperature of the core is also inaccessible to direct probing. Here we present a theoretical study on the temperature and the composition of the Earth's core. The investigation is based on the application of the implementation of quantum mechanics known as density functional theory. We shall show that these techniques are very accurate at predicting the properties of iron, and therefore can be usefully used to study the properties of the core. We show that by combining these techniques with direct observations it is possible to predict the temperature of the core, in particular the temperature at the boundary between the solid and the liquid core (the ICB), and put constraints on its composition. The result of this study is that the temperature of the ICB is probably in the region of 5400 – 5700 K and that the outer core contains a significant fraction (8 – 13%) of oxygen. As the Earth cools down the solid core grows and expels oxygen in the liquid. Since oxygen is lighter than iron it rises in the liquid, and its gravitational energy is available to drive the convective motions in the liquid core that are responsible for the generation of the Earth's magnetic field.
Diurnal Variations in Blood Flow at Optic Nerve Head and Choroid in Healthy Eyes

AbstractTo investigate the diurnal variations of the ocular blood flow in healthy eyes using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG), and to determine the relationship of the diurnal variations between the ocular blood flow and other ocular parameters.This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at Nagoya University Hospital. We studied 13 healthy volunteers whose mean age was 33.5 ± 7.6 years. The mean blur rate (MBR), expressing the relative blood flow, on the optic nerve head (ONH) and choroidal blood flow was determined by LSFG (LSFG-NAVI) every 3 hours from 6:00 to 24:00 hours. The intraocular pressure (IOP), choroidal thickness measured by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography, systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, and heart rate (HR) in the brachial artery were also recorded. We evaluated the diurnal variations of the parameters and compared the MBR to the other parameters using a linear mixed model.The diurnal variations of the MBR on the ONH varied significantly with a trough at 9:00 hours and a peak at 24:00 hours (P < 0.001, linear mixed model). The MBR of choroid also had significant diurnal variations with a trough at 15:00 hours and a peak at 18:00 hours (P = 0.001). The IOP (P < 0.001), choroidal thickness (P < 0.001), SBP (P = 0.005), DBP (P = 0.001), and HR (P < 0.001) also had significant diurnal variations. Although the diurnal variation of the MBR on the ONH was different from the other parameters, that on the choroid was significantly and positively correlated with the DBP (P = 0.002), mean arterial pressure (P = 0.023), and mean ocular perfusion pressure (P = 0.047). We found significant diurnal variations in the ONH and choroidal blood flow. Although the ONH blood flow had its own diurnal variation because of strong autoregulation, the choroidal blood flow was more likely affected by systemic circulatory factors because of poor autoregulation.
Analysis of the relationship between random telegraph signal and negative bias temperature instability

Random telegraph signal (RTS) is shown to be an intrinsic component of the shift in MOSFET threshold voltage (Vth) due to bias temperature instability (BTI). This is done by starting from a well-known model for negative BTI (NBTI), to derive the formula for RTS-induced Vth shift. Based on this analysis, RTS simply contributes an offset in NBTI degradation, with an acceleration factor that is dependent on the gate voltage and temperature. This is verified by 3-dimensional (3-D) device simulations and measurements of 45 nm-node bulk-Si PMOS transistors. It has an important implication for design of robust SRAM arrays in the future: design margin for RTS should not be simply added, because it is already partially accounted for within the design margin for NBTI degradation.
Soil Loss Estimation Based on the USLE/GIS Approach Through Small Catchments - A Minor Field Study in Tunisia

A USLE/GIS approach was applied to estimate soil loss for the two catchments ‘Mrichet’ and ‘Sadine2’ in the semi-arid Tunisian Dorsal. The approach is inspired by the doctoral thesis ‘Water erosion modeling using fractal rainfall disaggregation – A study in semiarid Tunisia’ by Dr. Sihem Jebari. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) was applied to predict soil loss magnitude and Geographic Information System (GIS) software ArcView and ArcMap was used to simulate the soil loss in spatial distribution. Each one of the USLE-parameters (rainfall erosivity R, soil Erodibility K, topography LS, conservation practice P and land use C) were represented by a thematic raster layer in the GIS. The thematic layers were defined from available data such as satellite images (C and P), pedological maps (K), rainfall intensity records (R) and topographic maps (LS). The model was calibrated primarily considering the grid cell size resolution of the raster layers. The estimated soil loss was, depending on the grid cell dimension used, estimated at approximately 12-16% of the observed soil loss for both catchments. The underestimation of the soil loss is most likely due to underestimated K- and R-factor values. Also the USLE is restricted to rill and inter rill erosion while the comparative observed erosion is likely to include all types of water erosion within the catchment. This implies that the modeled values could be expected lower than the observed. In addition some soil samples were analyzed and K-factor values experimentally determined for comparison with the theoretical. These values were in the same order of magnitude as the theoretically determined.
Structural and Functional Evidence for Discrete Exit Pathways That Connect the Canine Sinoatrial Node and Atria

Surface electrode recordings cannot delineate the activation within the human or canine sinoatrial node (SAN) because they are intramural structures. Thus, the site of origin of excitation and conduction pathway(s) within the SAN of these mammals remains unknown. Canine right atrial preparations (n=7) were optically mapped. The SAN 3D structure and protein expression were mapped using immunohistochemistry. SAN optical action potentials had diastolic depolarization and multiple upstroke components that corresponded to the separate excitations of the node and surface atrial layers. Pacing-induced SAN exit block eliminated atrial optical action potential components but retained SAN optical action potential components. Excitation originated in the SAN (cycle length, 557±72 ms) and slowly spread (1.2 to 14 cm/sec) within the SAN, failing to directly excite the crista terminalis and intraatrial septum. After a 49±22 ms conduction delay within the SAN, excitation reached the atrial myocardium via superior and/or inferior sinoatrial exit pathways 8.8±3.2 mm from the leading pacemaker site. The ellipsoidal 13.7±2.8/4.9±0.6 mm SAN structure was functionally insulated from the atrium. This insulation coincided with connexin43-negative regions at the borders of the node, connective tissue, and coronary arteries. During normal sinus rhythm, the canine SAN is functionally insulated from the surrounding atrial myocardium except for 2 (or more) narrow superior and inferior sinoatrial exit pathways separated by 12.8±4.1 mm. Conduction failure in these sinoatrial exit pathways leads to SAN exit block and is a modulator of heart rate.
A study of older adults: Observation of ranges of life satisfaction and functioning

Levels of daily functioning and life satisfaction in older people are investigated in this study. Surveys and interviews included 425 people aged 65+ and comparisons were made between three age groups (ages 65-74, 75-84, 85 +) on levels of activity, independence and social support; satisfaction with levels of independence, activity and social support and overall life satisfaction, Results indicated that those aged 85+ had significantly lower levels of activity and independence than those in the two younger age groups. Differences were found in 8 of 12 domains of independence and in outdoor work and mobility activities. The oldest age group was also found to be significantly less satisfied with their levels of independence and activity than were the younger age groups. No significant differences were found between the groups in overall life satisfaction. Levels of activity and independence, satisfaction with social support and satisfaction with independence were found to make unique contributions to t to the prediction of variance in overall life satisfaction. Findings are important in understanding what to expect of ourselves and others as we age, which daily activities are likely to be most difficult for older people and what factors are predictors of overall life satisfaction.
Gulf Stream meanders in the South Atlantic Bight: 1. Scaling and energetics

As the Gulf Stream flows along the outer edge of the southeastern United States` continental shelf, it meanders on and offshore, creating frontal eddies which influence the exchange of water between the shelf and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean on weekly timescales. The dynamics controlling the development of such features in this region, the {open_quotes}South Atlantic Bight{close_quotes} or SAB, is the subject of this pair of papers. In the present paper the authors provide the background on the subject, summarize the length, time, and velocity scales associated with these features, and discuss meander energetics as simulated by a numerical model. The scaling indicates that significant ageostgrophic dynamics may be crucial to the development of these flows and that the semigeostrophic equations may provide the simplest description of the system. These nonlinear dynamics may permit complex interactions among meander modes and with topography resulting in the observed behavior of the Gulf Stream in the SAB. The Princeton Ocean Model was tuned for conditions which prevail in the southern South Atlantic Bight, and idealized numerical simulations of Gulf Stream meanders and associated frontal eddies were performed. The system was found to be sensitive to both the amplitude and period of a small perturbationmore » applied at the southern boundary. The energetics indicate that the development of these features is controlled by a mixture of both baroclinic and barotropic instabilities of the mean Gulf Stream flow. Tantalizing hints of a period-doubling phenomenon are present in the energy conversion time series. 47 refs., 12 figs., 4 tabs. « less
A comparative analysis of nuclear DNA content and N‐myc gene amplification in neuroblastoma

Nuclear DNA content and N‐myc amplification have been found to have prognostic significance in neuroblastoma. To investigate the interrelationships between these two parameters, tumor samples from 18 patients with neuroblastoma were analyzed for both total DNA and N‐myc gene content. Quantitative DNA analysis was performed by image analysis. Quantitative Southern blot hybridization was used to determine N‐myc gene copy number and to distinguish between low level gene amplification or excess gene copies secondary to aneuploidy. Six of the 18 patients have died. Five of the six had nonaneuploid tumors, but only two of the six exhibited major N‐myc amplification. Low‐level amplification was detected in one Stage II patient. The authors' results suggest that neuroblastomas with N‐myc amplification are a subset of nonaneuploid tumors.
Net biological oxygen production in the ocean: Remote in situ measurements of O2 and N2 in surface waters

We describe a method for determining net annual biological oxygen production in the euphotic zone of the ocean using remote in situ measurements of oxygen and nitrogen gas. Temperature, salinity, oxygen, and total dissolved gas pressure were measured every 2 hours at 10‐m depth on a mooring at the Hawaii Ocean time series during the year 2005. Since dissolved N2 is effectively inert to biological processes it can be used as a tracer for the physical mechanisms affecting the O2 concentration in an upper ocean model of gas concentrations. We determine a net biological oxygen production in the surface mixed layer of 4.8 ± 2.7 mol m−2 yr−1. The most important term in the mixed‐layer mass balance other than biological oxygen production is the flux of oxygen across the air–water interface to the atmosphere. Simultaneous glider surveys of the O2 field measured in a companion paper (Nicholson et al., 2008) yield net biological oxygen production below the mixed layer of 0.9 ± 0.1 mol O2 m−2 yr−1. The upper‐ocean mass balance also includes a potential contribution from diapycnal mixing of O2 into the pycnocline of 0–0.8 mol O2 m−2 yr−1. Assuming that the net biological oxygen production over a period of a year or longer is stoichiometrically related to net biological carbon production and export via ΔO2/ΔC = 1.45, the biological carbon flux from the euphotic zone at HOT is 4.1 ± 1.9 mol C m−2 yr−1 in 2005, with roughly 80% of the carbon production originating in the mixed layer. Annual estimates of this flux (the ocean's “biological carbon pump”) have been determined experimentally in only a few locations of the ocean because of the labor and expense involved in repeated ship board measurements. With this new in situ method, it may now be possible to better quantify the global distribution of the net annual biological carbon export, a prominent mechanism of carbon cycle feedback in response to climate change, both in the past and future.
On the Existence of Monotone Pure Strategy Equilibria in Bayesian Games

We generalize Athey's (2001) and McAdams' (2003) results on the existence of monotone pure strategy equilibria in Bayesian games. We allow action spaces to be compact locally-complete metrizable semilattices and type spaces to be partially ordered probability spaces. Our proof is based upon contractibility rather than convexity of best reply sets. Several examples illustrate the scope of the result, including new applications to multi-unit auctions with risk-averse bidders.