Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antarctic Zone nutrient conditions during the last two glacial cycles

In a sediment core from the Pacific sector of the Antarctic Zone (AZ) of the Southern Ocean, we report diatom-bound N isotope (δ15Ndb) records for total recoverable diatoms and two distinct diatom assemblages (pennate and centric rich). These data indicate tight coupling between the degree of nitrate consumption and Antarctic climate across the last two glacial cycles, with δ15Ndb (and thus the degree of nitrate consumption) increasing at each major Antarctic cooling event. Coupled with evidence from opal- and barium-based proxies for reduced export production during ice ages, the δ15Ndb increases point to ice age reductions in the supply of deep ocean-sourced nitrate to the AZ surface. The two diatom assemblages and species abundance data indicate that the δ15Ndb changes are not the result of changing species composition. The pennate and centric assemblage δ15Ndb records indicate similar changes but with a significant decline in their difference during peak ice ages. A tentative seasonality-based interpretation of the centric-to-pennate δ15Ndb difference suggests that late summer surface waters became nitrate free during the peak glacials.
Electron microprobe analysis of Ca in olivine close to grain boundaries: The problem of secondary X-ray fluorescence

Abstract Analysis of Ca in olivine grains close to boundaries with Ca-rich phases is inherently problematic because of the effects of secondary X-ray fluorescence of Ca from the adjoining Ca-rich phase. Commercial fluorescence-correction methods assume chemical homogeneity throughout the entire interaction volume and yield enhanced Ca concentrations for the olivine in such cases. We have determined the effects of Fe content of the olivine and Ca content of the adjoining phase on the magnitude of secondary fluorescence effects during electron microprobe analysis of Ca in olivine. Significant errors in Ca determination were observable at horizontal beam-interface distances ranging from 30 μm for an Fe-free olivine-diopside couple to 70 μm for an olivine (Fo90.7)-calcite couple. In general, the beam-interface distance required to suppress secondary fluorescence of Ca X-rays from the adjoining phase increases with increasing Fe content of the olivine and Ca content of the neighboring phase. Analysis of an olivine (Fo90.7) wedge mounted on a standard thin-section glass slide (5.06 wt% Ca) showed significant secondary fluorescence of Ca to a wedge depth approaching 20 μm. It is recommended that olivine grains be separated and remounted in a Ca-free matrix for the determination of Ca concentrations in olivine by electron microprobe analysis.
Xylanolytic enzymes production by Aspergillus niger GS1 from solid-state fermentation on corn stover and their effect on ruminal digestibility

Hemicellulosic agricultural by-products such as corn stover (CS) are highly available materials which represent an opportunity to develop value added products. Native Aspergillus niger GS1 was used for solid-state fermentation (SSF) on alkali pre-treated CS (ACS) aimed to optimize xylanolytic enzymes production, and their effect on in vitro ruminal and true digestibility of ACS. Enzyme production was empirically modelled using a fractional factorial design 2 9-5 , and the resulting significant factors were glucose, yeast extract and two mineral salts, which were arranged in a Draper-Lin optimization design at two levels. Predicted optimum xylanolytic activity of 33.6 U (mg protein) -1 was achieved at 48 hrs of SSF, and was validated by confirmatory experiments. ACS was incubated with a semipurified enzymatic extract (EE) showing a xylanolytic activity of 1600 U kg -1 dry ACS for 12 hrs before exposure to cow's ruminal liquid for 72 hrs, which led to 5% and 10% increase of in vitro ruminal and true digestibility, respectively. CS is a readily available by-product in different regions which after alkaline treatment and partial hydrolysis with the EE, may be advantageously used as supplement for ruminant feed.
A rticle A Transcriptomic Approach to Ribbon Worm Systematics ( Nemertea ) : Resolving the Pilidiophora Problem S !

Resolving the deep relationships of ancient animal lineages has proven difficult using standard Sanger-sequencing approaches with a handful of markers. We thus reassess the relatively well-studied phylogeny of the phylum Nemertea (ribbon worms)—for which the targeted gene approaches had resolved many clades but had left key phylogenetic gaps—by using a phylogenomic approach using Illumina-based de novo assembled transcriptomes and automatic orthology prediction methods. The analysis of a concatenated data set of 2,779 genes (411,138 amino acids) with about 78% gene occupancy and a reduced version with 95% gene occupancy, under evolutionary models accounting or not for site-specific amino acid replacement patterns results in a well-supported phylogeny that recovers all major accepted nemertean clades with the monophyly of Heteronemertea, Hoplonemertea, Monostilifera, being well supported. Significantly, all the ambiguous patterns inferred from Sanger-based approaches were resolved, namely the monophyly of Palaeonemertea and Pilidiophora. By testing for possible conflict in the analyzed supermatrix, we observed that concatenation was the best solution, and the results of the analyses should settle prior debates on nemertean phylogeny. The study highlights the importance, feasibility, and completeness of Illumina-based phylogenomic data matrices.
On the absence of solar evolution‐driven warming through the Phanerozoic

Reconstructed temperatures through the Phanerozoic indicate a gradual cooling or, at best, no significant temperature trend, despite a 4.4% increase in solar heating. It is possible that an underlying warming trend has simply been swamped by ‘noise’ due to significant data‐errors and/or natural fluctuations. Alternatively, the lack of warming may indicate cooling by biological and/or geological processes, which happen to have the right amplitude to cancel the effects of solar warming. This paper demonstrates that the absence of Phanerozoic warming cannot be explained as a warming trend hidden by noise. It also shows that, given widely accepted estimates of climate sensitivity, it cannot be explained as cancellation by negative feedback in the climate system. The Gaia hypothesis, anthropic selection or some other unconventional mechanism may therefore have to be invoked to explain the absence of long‐term warming through the Phanerozoic.
The Role of Amygdala in Conditioned Cue Preference Learning

The Conditioned Cue Preference (CCP) task, which requires rats to differentiate between two widely separated locations on an 8-arm radial maze, was used to show that this ability is determined by a complex interaction between pre-exposure to the maze (without a reinforcer) and number of training trials (with a reinforcer). Lesion data suggested that the discrimination is learned by two parallel information processes involving different parts of the amygdala (together with other parts of the brain). When the rat has been pre-exposed to the maze, basolateral amygdala (BLA) mediates the CCP by associating neutral stimuli with the rewarding properties of the reinforcer (stimulusoutcome learning). When the rat has not been pre-exposed, the central amygdala (CeA) mediates the CCP by associating neutral stimuli with the responses elicited by the reinforcer (stimulus-response learning). Both of these pavlovian associations result in the identical arm discrimination in the CCP task.
Assessing 5 years of GOSAT Proxy XCH 4 data and associated uncertainties

Abstract. We present 5 years of GOSAT XCH4 retrieved using the "proxy" approach. The Proxy XCH4 data are validated against ground-based TCCON observations and are found to be of high quality with a small bias of 4.8 ppb (∼ 0.27 %) and a single-sounding precision of 13.4 ppb (∼ 0.74 %). The station-to-station bias (ameasure of the relative accuracy) is found to be 4.2 ppb. For the first time the XCH4 / XCO2 ratio component of the Proxy retrieval is validated (bias of 0.014 ppb ppm−1 (∼ 0.30 %), single-sounding precision of 0.033 ppb ppm−1 (∼ 0.72 %)). The uncertainty relating to the model XCO2 component of the Proxy XCH4 is assessed through the use of an ensemble of XCO2 models. While each individual XCO2 model is found to agree well with the TCCON validation data (r = 0.94–0.97), it is not possible to select one model as the best from our comparisons. The median XCO2 value of the ensemble has a smaller scatter against TCCON (a standard deviation of 0.92 ppm) than any of the individual models whilst maintaining a small bias (0.15 ppm). This model median XCO2 is used to calculate the Proxy XCH4 with the maximum deviation of the ensemble from the median used as an estimate of the uncertainty. We compare this uncertainty to the a posteriori retrieval error (which is assumed to reduce with sqrt(N)) and find typically that the model XCO2 uncertainty becomes significant during summer months when the a posteriori error is at its lowest due to the increase in signal related to increased summertime reflected sunlight. We assess the significance of these model and retrieval uncertainties on flux inversion by comparing the GOSAT XCH4 against modelled XCH4 from TM5-4DVAR constrained by NOAA surface observations (MACC reanalysis scenario S1-NOAA). We find that for the majority of regions the differences are much larger than the estimated uncertainties. Our findings show that useful information will be provided to the inversions for the majority of regions in addition to that already provided by the assimilated surface measurements.
Addition of Green Pepper Enhanced Antioxidant Potential and Overall Acceptance of Beer

Beer is one of the most widely consumed alcoholic beverages all over the world. Different studies have been carried out to enhance the quality and acceptance of beer. Various raw materials including herbs and spices have been used as a beer adjunct or flavoring for centuries, especially for specialty beer. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of green pepper on antioxidant potential and quality characteristics of beer. Addition of green pepper enhanced the antioxidant potential and the overall acceptance of the beer brewed with different proportion of pepper without deteriorating its basic chemical properties. Based on the overall acceptance as well as the antioxidant potential, the optimum proportion of green pepper to be added was 60 g in 10 L of water. Results of the present study imply that green pepper could be used as an effective enhancer for antioxidant potential and overall acceptance of beer.
The Functional Method for the Domain-Wall Partition Function

We review the (algebraic-)functional method devised by Galleas and further developed by Galleas and the author. We first explain the method using the simplest example: the computation of the partition function for the six-vertex model with domain-wall boundary conditions. At the heart of the method lies a linear functional equation for the partition function. After deriving this equation we outline its analysis. The result is a closed expression in the form of a symmetrized sum - or, equivalently, multiple-integral formula - that can be rewritten to recover Izergin's determinant. Special attention is paid to the relation with other approaches. In particular we show that the Korepin-Izergin approach can be recovered within the functional method. We comment on the functional method's range of applicability, and review how it is adapted to the technically more involved example of the elliptic solid-on-solid model with domain walls and a reflecting end. We present a new formula for the partition function of the latter, which was expressed as a determinant by Tsuchiya-Filali-Kitanine. Our result takes the form of a 'crossing-symmetrized' sum with 2(L) terms featuring the elliptic domain-wall partition function, which appears to be new also in the limiting case of the six-vertex model. Further taking the rational limit we recover the expression obtained by Frassek using the boundary perimeter Bethe ansatz.
MODIFIED BIOPHYSICAL PROFILE AS AN ANTEPARTUM SURVEILLANCE TEST IN HIGH RISK PREGNANCY : A PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH CONVENTIONAL BIOPHYSICAL PROFILE

Assessment of foetal wellbeing is important to arrive at a timely diagnosis of foetal compromise and management to achieve optimal perinatal outcome. By biophysical profile five different parameters are there to assess foetal well being. To achieve the same goal by modification with only two parameters like amniotic fluid index to assess the long-term adequacy of placental function and non-stress test to look into the immediate foetal status. OBJECTIVES Is to detect and determine the severity of acute and chronic asphyxia, by using bio physical and modified biophysical profiles as antepartum tests in high-risk pregnancies. We want to compare perinatal outcome with the test results obtained from both profiles. MATERIAL AND METHODS We at our hospital have undertaken a prospective clinical study in 200 high-risk pregnant patients. The two tests, biophysical profile and modified biophysical profile were compared in terms of test results, obstetric management based on test results and perinatal outcome. DISCUSSION On analysis of above parameters, when both profiles were compared in terms of thick meconium, morbidity and Apgar score, biophysical profile has higher diagnostic value and accuracy compared to modified biophysical profile. CONCLUSION This study has given us an insight to use this modified biophysical profile as a routine for antepartum foetal surveillance and reserve the standard biophysical profile as a confirmatory test when the modified biophysical profile reveals poor results.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York Staff Reports Would Protectionism Defuse Global Imbalances and Spur Economic Activity ? A Scenario Analysis

In the evolving analysis of global imbalances, the possibility that countries will resort to increased protectionism is often mentioned but rarely analyzed. This paper attempts to fill that gap, examining the macroeconomic implications of a shift to protectionist policies through the lens of a dynamic general equilibrium model of the world economy that encompasses four regional blocs. Simulation exercises are carried out to assess the consequences of imposing uniform and discriminatory tariffs on trading partners as well as the consequences of tariff retaliation. We also discuss a scenario in which a “globalization backlash” lowers the degree of competition in import-competing sectors, and compare the implications of higher markups in the product and labor markets. Key words: current account deficit, multicountry dynamic general equilibrium models, net asset positions, trade policy Faruqee: International Monetary Fund (e-mail: hfaruqee@imf.org). Laxton: International Monetary Fund (e-mail: dlaxton@imf.org). Muir: Bank of Canada (e-mail: dmuir@ bank-banque-canada.ca). Pesenti: Federal Reserve Bank of New York (e-mail: paolo.pesenti@ ny.frb.org). The authors thank Matt Canzoneri, Mick Devereux, Dale Henderson, Christina Knowles, Gian Maria Milesi-Ferretti, Stephen Tokarick, and Dietrich Vollrath, as well as two anonymous referees, for helpful comments and suggestions. They also thank Susanna Mursula and Chris Tonetti for invaluable assistance. The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the International Monetary Fund, its Executive Board or its management, the Bank of Canada, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Federal Reserve System, or any other institution with which the authors are affiliated. Should globalization be allowed to proceed and thereby create an ever more exible international nancial system, history suggests that current imbalances will be defused with little disruption. I say this with one major caveat. Some clouds of emerging protectionism have become increasingly visible on todays horizon.The costs of any new such protectionist initiatives, in the context of wide current account imbalances, could signi cantly erode the exibility of the global economy.   Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.1
Karst evolution of the Garraf Massif (Barcelona, Spain): Doline formation, chronology and archaeopalaeontological archives

This paper forms part of two research projects, Humans, Carnivors i medi natural al Garraf and El Plistoce Superior i l’Holoce a Catalunya, supported by 2014SGR-108 and 2009ACOM00090 (Generalitat de Catalunya), HAR2011-26193, CGL2010-18616 and CGL2009-07392 projects (MI-CINN-FEDER). Fieldwork was supported by Servei d’Arqueologia i Paleontologia (Generalitat de Catalunya) and Ajuntaments de Vallirana i Begues. J. Daura has been supported by a postdoctoral grant (Juan de la Cierva Subprogram, JCI-2011-09543)
Effects of the interactions between glutaraldehyde and the polymeric matrix on the efficacy of the biocide against pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms

Glutaraldehyde (GTA) is a widely used biocide due to its high effectiveness. The experimental work reported here was carried out to assess the effectiveness of GTA in controlling biofilms formed by Pseudomonas fluorescens on stainless steel slides, and to compare efficacy against both planktonic and sessile micro‐rganisms. The tests were performed using two concentrations of GTA (50 and 100mg 1‐1), biofilms of two ages (7 and 15 d), several pH values (5,7 and 9) and a range of exposure times (from 0 (control) to 1,3,7 and 24 h). The action of GTA on biofilm and planktonic populations was assessed by means of activity tests, zeta potential, and the wet weight of the biofilms. Biofilms were not completely removed after treatment with GTA in any of the conditions studied. The higher GTA concentration was more effective in reducing the bacterial activity of the biofilm. The biocide proved to be more effective for longer exposure times. GTA showed good antimicrobial activity against P. fluorescens in suspension, with higher activity at pH 9. The findings of this study suggest that when GTA is used to control biofilms, it reacts with one of the components of the matrix, the proteins, thereby reducing its antimicrobial action.
Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure and Attractiveness Bias: Directionality of Bias and Influence of Gender of Participants

The behaviorally-based Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) was used for the Arst time in the area of attractiveness bias with adult participants (=47). Alternate IRAP trial-blocks required participants to afArm relations consistent (attractive-successful) and inconsistent (unattractive-successful) with attractiveness bias; shorter mean response latencies (faster responding) across consistent trial-blocks were interpreted in terms of implicit stereotype. Participants also completed a Likert-type scale rating of the successfulness of attractive versus unattractive individuals. Statistical analyses were conducted with implicit and explicit data, and both indicated attractiveness bias for male and female participants. Directionality of implicit bias was analyzed via the IRAP 4 trial-type methodology to determine if bias was pro-attractive or anti-unattractive, or if it was evident in both directions; a statistically signiAcant implicit proattractive and antiunattractive bias was shown for male and female participants, and the effect was greater for male participants. Modest correlations were found between implicit and explicit data. Findings are discussed regarding a comprehensive and nuanced account of attractiveness bias, directionality, and contextual inAuences.
Uncertainty, Imperfect Information, and Learning in the International Market

This paper uses a unique dataset of Japanese multinational affiliates, which contains information on sales forecasts, to detect information imperfection and learning in the international market. We document three stylized facts concerning affiliates' forecasts. First, forecast errors (FEs) of sales decline with the affiliate's age. Second, if the parent firm has previous export experience to the region where its affiliate is set up, the entering affiliate starts with a smaller absolute value of FEs. Third, FEs of sales are positively correlated over time and this positive correlation becomes stronger when the affiliates are located further away from Japan. In total, we view these facts as direct evidence for the existence of imperfect information and learning in the international market. We then build up and quantify a dynamic industry equilibrium model of trade and foreign direct investment (FDI), which features information rigidity and learning, in order to explain the documented facts. Counterfactual analysis shows that the variance of time-invariant demand draws and that of transitory shocks have qualitatively different and quantitatively important implications for dynamic patterns of trade/multinational production, dynamic selection, and aggregate productivity.
ACCURATE ATMOSPHERIC PARAMETERS AT MODERATE RESOLUTION USING SPECTRAL INDICES: PRELIMINARY APPLICATION TO THE MARVELS SURVEY

Studies of Galactic chemical, and dynamical evolution in the solar neighborhood depend on the availability of precise atmospheric parameters (effective temperature Teff, metallicity [Fe/H], and surface gravity log g) for solar-type stars. Many large-scale spectroscopic surveys operate at low to moderate spectral resolution for efficiency in observing large samples, which makes the stellar characterization difficult due to the high degree of blending of spectral features. Therefore, most surveys employ spectral synthesis, which is a powerful technique, but relies heavily on the completeness and accuracy of atomic line databases and can yield possibly correlated atmospheric parameters. In this work, we use an alternative method based on spectral indices to determine the atmospheric parameters of a sample of nearby FGK dwarfs and subgiants observed by the MARVELS survey at moderate resolving power (R ∼ 12,000). To avoid a time-consuming manual analysis, we have developed three codes to automatically normalize the observed spectra, measure the equivalent widths of the indices, and, through a comparison of those with values calculated with predetermined calibrations, estimate the atmospheric parameters of the stars. The calibrations were derived using a sample of 309 stars with precise stellar parameters obtained from the analysis of high-resolution FEROS spectra, permitting the low-resolution equivalent widths to be directly related to the stellar parameters. A validation test of the method was conducted with a sample of 30 MARVELS targets that also have reliable atmospheric parameters derived from the high-resolution spectra and spectroscopic analysis based on the excitation and ionization equilibria method. Our approach was able to recover the parameters within 80 K for Teff, 0.05 dex for [Fe/H], and 0.15 dex for log g, values that are lower than or equal to the typical external uncertainties found between different high-resolution analyses. An additional test was performed with a subsample of 138 stars from the ELODIE stellar library, and the literature atmospheric parameters were recovered within 125 K for Teff, 0.10 dex for [Fe/H], and 0.29 dex for log g. These precisions are consistent with or better than those provided by the pipelines of surveys operating with similar resolutions. These results show that the spectral indices are a competitive tool to characterize stars with intermediate resolution spectra.