Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Regulating Nitrification in the Arctic Ocean: Potential Impact of Sea Ice Reduction and Ocean Acidification

Nitrification is susceptible to changes in light and pH and, thus, could be influenced by recent sea ice reductions and acidification in the Arctic Ocean. We investigated the sensitivity of nitrification to light, pH, and substrate availability in a natural nitrifier community of the Arctic Ocean. Nitrification was active near the bottom of the shelf region (<60 m) and in the halocline layer (50–200 m) of the Arctic basin, where ammonium was abundant, but was low in the ammonium‐depleted Atlantic layer (>250 m). In pH control experiments, nitrification rates significantly declined when the pH was manipulated to be 0.22 lower than the controls. However, nitrification was relatively insensitive to changes in pH compared to changes in light. Light control experiments showed that nitrification was inhibited by a light intensity above 0.11 mol photons m−2 day−1, which was presumably the light threshold. A light intensity greater than the light threshold extended to the shelf bottom and upper halocline layer, limiting nitrification in these waters. Satellite data analyses indicated that the area where light levels inhibit nitrification has increased throughout the Arctic Ocean due to the recent sea ice reduction, which may lead to a declining trend in nitrification. Our results suggest that stronger light levels in the future Arctic Ocean could further suppress nitrification and alter the composition of inorganic nitrogen, with implications for the structure of ecosystems.
Effect of industrial by-products on the strength of stabilized dispersive soil

ABSTRACT This present study deals with the enhancement of the strength of dispersive soil by adding various percentages of Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), cement clinker, and flyash. For this purpose, the mechanical properties of different mixes of GGBS, cement clinker and flyash combined as a whole are investigated by using the standard Proctor, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and California bearing ratio (CBR) tests. Significantly increase in strength under UCS test after addition of GGBS, cement clinker, and flyash with the dispersive soil. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images have indicated that the dispersive soil particles were bonded together with stabilizing materials to form hydrated particles – ettringite, C-A-S-H, C-S-H which take a vital role for development in strength because of the reaction between the soil and the stabilizing agents. Based on the results, it was observed that it could be utilized in civil engineering purposes. Abbreviations: GGBS: Ground granulated blast furnace slag; UCS: Unconfined compressive strength; CBR: California bearing ratio; SEM: Scanning electron microscope; XRD: X-ray diffraction; XRF: X-ray fluorescence; GBFS: Granulated blast furnace slag; BOFS: Basic oxygen furnace slag; MDD: Maximum dry unit weight; OMC: Optimum water content; EDX: Energy-propagating X-ray spectroscopy.
Experimental Study on the Effects of Pier Shape and Skew Angle on Pier Scour

Scouring around the bridge piers is one of the reasons for their instability, and in the absence of a suitable solution, it will eventually lead to the destruction of the structure. Therefore, studying the mechanism of scouring and effective parameters on its value is essential. In this study, using a laboratory model, this scouring phenomenon was investigated, and the effect of bridge pier shape and the skew angle between water flow and bridge pier on scouring were investigated. Experiments for four pier shapes, including a rhombus 30° inner-angle, rhombus 60° inner-angle, a cylindrical and an oblong, and three velocities include 0.191, 0.30 and 0.380 m/s, in two modes: parallel and skew-angles between stream and piers. The results show that the depth of scouring depends on the shape of the bridge pier and the angle of its placement in the flow. The best shape of the piers, the smallest scouring around it, is the rhombus 30, rhombus 60, oblong and cylindrical respectively. When the rust-shaped pier was placed in running water, in addition to less flow turbulence, the amount of scouring is also reduced. Also, due to the test with an angle between the stream and the bridge pier, the turbulence of the stream and scouring around the pier of the rhombus30 is lower than the other piers. The shape factor can be used as 1.0 for circular and oblong, and 0.9 for the shape of the rhombus 30 and the rhombus60. By analyzing the experiments, a suitable form for the bridge pier, a rhombus 30° inner-angle was proposed.
An Ecological Dynamics Approach for Movement Assessment

i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii TABLE OF CONTENTS . vi LIST OF TABLES . xi LIST OF FIGURES . xii PUBLICATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS . xiii PREFACE . xvi Background . xvi The Current Thesis . xvii Publications Resulting from this Thesis . xviii 1. CHAPTER 1: Movement and its Assessment . 1 1.1. General Introduction . 2 1.2. Movement Constructs . 5 1.2. 1. The Evolving Constructs that Define Movement Competence . 7 1.2. 2. Associations between FMS and Physical Activity . 9 1.3. Movement Assessment Batteries . 11 1.3. 1. Issues Relating to Movement Assessment Batteries . 14 1.4. Active Video Games (AVGs) . 29 1.4. 1. Impact of AVGs on Physical Activity Behaviours . 29 1.4. 2. Impact of AVGs on Movement Competence . 31 1.4. 3. Profiling an AVG System; the Microsoft Kinect . 33
The Effect of Glacier Recession on Benthic and Pelagic Communities: Case Study in Herve Cove, Antarctica

Changes in macrobenthic and pelagic communities in the postglacial, partially isolated, lagoon Herve Cove in Admiralty Bay, King George Island, were investigated 15 years after the first comprehensive studies had been conducted in this region. The bottom area of the cove has enlarged from approximately 12 ha to 19 ha after the retreat of the Dera Icefall. Based on a photographic survey of the benthos and taxonomic composition of zooplankton, ecological succession and the colonization of new species have been observed. Several new species occur such as gastropods, seastars, sea urchins and isopods, and their presence in different parts of the cove, as well as breeding aggregations suggests that they reproduce there. The influence of glacial streams is notable in bottom assemblages. We propose that Herve Cove is a good research area for studies on ecological succession in newly opened areas. The colonization of this lagoon has been recognized to be in its developing stage, and research should be continued.
Mask Sparse Representation Based on Semantic Features for Thermal Infrared Target Tracking

Thermal infrared (TIR) target tracking is a challenging task as it entails learning an effective model to identify the target in the situation of poor target visibility and clutter background. The sparse representation, as a typical appearance modeling approach, has been successfully exploited in the TIR target tracking. However, the discriminative information of the target and its surrounding background is usually neglected in the sparse coding process. To address this issue, we propose a mask sparse representation (MaskSR) model, which combines sparse coding together with high-level semantic features for TIR target tracking. We first obtain the pixel-wise labeling results of the target and its surrounding background in the last frame, and then use such results to train target-specific deep networks using a supervised manner. According to the output features of the deep networks, the high-level pixel-wise discriminative map of the target area is obtained. We introduce the binarized discriminative map as a mask template to the sparse representation and develop a novel algorithm to collaboratively represent the reliable target part and unreliable target part partitioned with the mask template, which explicitly indicates different discriminant capabilities by label 1 and 0. The proposed MaskSR model controls the superiority of the reliable target part in the reconstruction process via a weighted scheme. We solve this multi-parameter constrained problem by a customized alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) method. This model is applied to achieve TIR target tracking in the particle filter framework. To improve the sampling effectiveness and decrease the computation cost at the same time, a discriminative particle selection strategy based on kernelized correlation filter is proposed to replace the previous random sampling for searching useful candidates. Our proposed tracking method was tested on the VOT-TIR2016 benchmark. The experiment results show that the proposed method has a significant superiority compared with various state-of-the-art methods in TIR target tracking.
Foraminiferal Ultrastructure: A perspective From Fluorescent and Fluorogenic Probes

Microscopy techniques have been widely applied to observe cellular ultrastructure. Most of these techniques, such as transmission electron microscopy, produce high‐resolution images, but they may require extensive preparation, hampering their application for in vivo examination. Other approaches, such as fluorescent and fluorogenic probes, can be applied not only to fixed specimens but also to living cells when the probes are nontoxic. Fluorescence‐based methods, which are generally relatively easy to use, allow visual and (semi)quantitative studies of the ultrastructural organization and processes of the cell under natural as well as manipulated conditions. To date, there are relatively few published studies on the nearly ubiquitous marine protistan group Foraminifera that have used fluorescent and fluorogenic probes, despite their huge potential. The aim of the present contribution is to document the feasible application of a wide array of these probes to foraminiferal biology. More specifically, we applied fluorescence‐based probes to study esterase activity, cell viability, calcium signaling, pH variation, reactive oxygen species, neutral and polar lipids, lipid droplets, cytoskeleton structures, Golgi complex, acidic vesicles, nuclei, and mitochondria in selected foraminiferal species.
Possible use of oil-degrading microorganisms for protection of plants growing under conditions of oil pollution

When entering soil, oil-degrading microorganisms come into contact with plants growing in polluted areas. We have studied the protective effect of oil-degrading microorganisms on plants growing under the conditions of model oil pollution. It has been shown that the treatment of the studied plants’ seeds with a suspension of Rhodococcus at a concentration of 107 CFU eliminates the negative effect of oil and restores germination and morphological parameters of their seedlings. The content of chlorophyll a and b as well as carotenoids increased in plants treated with a suspension of Rhodococcus cells. That indicates the ability of Rhodococcus strain obtained to synthesize substances similar to cytokinins.
Mechanisms of Methane Hydrate Formation in Geological Systems

Natural gas hydrate is ice‐like mixture of gas (mostly methane) and water that is widely found in sediments along the world's continental margins and within and beneath permafrost and glaciers in a near‐surface depth interval where the pressure is sufficiently high and temperature sufficiently low for gas hydrate to be stable. We categorize the myriad of geological gas hydrate deposits into five characteristic types. We then review the multiple quantitative models that have proposed to describe the genesis of these deposits and describe how each may have formed. We emphasize the importance of coupling multiphase flow (free gas and liquid water) and multicomponent reactive transport with geological history to describe the dynamical processes of gas hydrate formation and evolution in geological systems. A better insight into the kinetics of methane formation from microbial biogenesis and the processes of multiphase flow at the pore scale will advance our knowledge of how these systems form. By understanding the generation and evolution of gas hydrate through time, we will better decipher the role of gas hydrate in the carbon cycle, its potential to contribute to climate change and geohazards, and how to design optimal strategies for gas production from hydrate reservoirs.
High-Resolution Tropical Channel Model Simulations of Tropical Cyclone Climatology and Intraseasonal-to-Interannual Variability

We tailored a tropical channel configuration of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model to study tropical cyclone (TC) activity and associated climate variabilities. This tropical channel model (TCM) covers from 30°S to 50°N at 27-km horizontal resolution, with physics parameterizations carefully selected to achieve more realistic simulations of TCs and large-scale climate mean states. We performed 15-member ensembles of retrospective simulations from 1982 to 2016 hurricane seasons. A thorough comparison with observations demonstrates that the TCM yields significant skills in simulating TC activity climatology and variabilities in each basin, as well as TC physical structures. The correlation of the ensemble averaged accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) with observations in the western North Pacific (WNP), eastern North Pacific (ENP), and North Atlantic (NAT) is 0.80, 0.64, and 0.61, respectively, but is insignificant in the north Indian Ocean (NIO). Moreover, the TCM-simulated modulations of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on the large-scale environment and TC genesis also agree well with observations. To examine the TCM’s potential for seasonal TC prediction, the model is used to forecast the 2017 and 2018 hurricane seasons, using bias-corrected sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from the CFSv2 seasonal prediction results. The TCM accurately predicts the hyperactive 2017 NAT hurricane season and near-normal WNP and ENP hurricane seasons when initialized in May. In addition, the TCM accurately predicts TC activity in the NAT and WNP during the 2018 season, but underpredicts ENP TC activity, in association with a poor ENSO forecast.
Crustal imaging of northern Harrat Rahat, Saudi Arabia, from ambient noise tomography

Harrat Rahat is a volcanic field located in west-central Saudi Arabia and is the site of the most recent eruption in the country (1256 CE). An earthquake swarm at a nearby volcanic field in 2009 prompted the need for new hazard models for this region, which includes the holy city of Medina. Tomography studies can be used to infer material properties of the subsurface such as partial melt, and are instrumental for volcanic hazard assessment. Regional earthquakes have been used to determine mantle structure, but such crustal models are often hindered by an insufficient number of earthquakes in the plate interior. We use ambient seismic noise to compute Rayleigh and Love surface-wave dispersion maps between 5 and 12 s for northern Harrat Rahat. The surface-wave maps are inverted to produce shear-wave velocities using a neighbourhood algorithm and interpolated into a pseudo-3-D model. The distributions of surface-wave and shear-wave velocities are heterogenous, varying between ±3 and 8 per cent. However, low velocities are not restricted to the Harrat. We observed a difference between Rayleigh- and Love-wave velocities that extends north from the site of the 1256 CE eruption and coincides with a low gravity anomaly. We obtain a shear-wave velocity increase of 10–15 per cent between 15 and 25 km depth consistent with the Conrad discontinuity, the interface between andesitic upper crust and the mafic lower crust of the Arabian Shield. The average velocities of the upper and lower crust are estimated to be 3.64 and 3.95 km s–1 using Rayleigh waves and 3.53 and 4.16 km s–1 using Love waves, which are in good agreement with the results of other geophysical studies of this area. The magnitude of the low-velocity anomalies, their location away from the Harrat, and the lack of reversals in the shear-velocity inversions suggest that the presence of a crustal magma chamber is not likely. If a magma chamber exists, it is smaller than can be imaged with a secondary microseism source (approximately 15 km wavelength), deeper than 30 km, or shallower than 5 km with a small velocity contrast.
Assessing the impact of discharged effluents on water quality and food safety in Beni-Suef Governorate

ARTICLE INFO The objective of this study was to evaluate the impacts of discharged waste effluent into water sources on heavy metals content in water, sediment and fish. A pilot study was carried out during the period from (March to May 2014). Samples were collected from water, sediment and fish (Oreochromis niloticus) from five fish farms and River Nile in Beni-Suef governorate to estimate Lead, Cadmium, Zinc and Copper. The results revealed a significant increase in Pb and Cd in water, sediment and fish samples collected from fish farms and these metals were within the permissible limits in River Nile samples. Zn and Cu in all samples of water and muscle of (farms and River Nile) were lower than permissible limits of WHO. The results of this study indicate that high levels of some heavy metals present in fish collected from the fish farms in Beni-Suef governorate are not accepted as food for human purposes. Article history:
Arabian Plate Sequence Stratigraphy – revisions to SP2

The publication of Arabian Plate Sequence Stratigraphy (Sharland et al., 2001), commonly referred to as SP2, provided a unifying stratigraphic interpretation of the Arabian Plate within a modern sequence stratigraphic framework. In 2002 revisions to the stratigraphic positions of some SP2 Cretaceous maximum flooding surfaces (MFS), and some resulting new interpretations, were presented by Davies et al. (2002). New interpretations of mixed carbonate-clastic systems presented by these authors have application to other parts of Middle East stratigraphy.
Assessing Water Risks in the Mining Industry using Life Cycle Assessment Based Approaches

Recent advances life cycle assessment methodology provide an opportunity to gain a more holistic understanding of how the mining industry interacts with water resources. A detailed review of assessment methodology and water management in the mining industry was undertaken to identify research needs. Global datasets of water use statistics for mining operations were also developed, and an exhaustive analysis of how global mineral resources and production are spatially distributed across local water and climate contexts was performed. The project has made a significant advance in our understanding of how the global minerals industry interacts with water resources.
Life after Upper Extremity Replantation: An Examination of the Experiences of an Adolescent Male, his Family, and the Treating Certified Hand Therapist

The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth perspective on the experience of replantation of a traumatically amputated upper extremity and the subsequent rehabilitation process through the point of view of a 15 year old patient, his parents, his sister, and the treating Certified Hand Therapist (CHT). As an occupational therapist it is important to understand the family relationships, support networks, and the role of the patient in the family. The therapist is in a unique position to provide treatment and emotional support that the patient and family need after experiencing trauma. This case study appraisal using a qualitative design included an exploration of the hand therapy chart (including the surgical report) and audio recorded interviews with the patient, each parent separately, the patient‟s sister, and the CHT. A three interview structure for indepth phenomenological interviewing was used with the patient. The results of the chart review explain the surgical procedures, the therapeutic interventions, and the process of healing. The results of the thematic analysis of the interviews revealed three salient themes: pain (i.e. emotional and physical), transformation (i.e. transformation of self and roles), and miracles (i.e. surviving, retention of the limb, and retention of the family). The findings suggest that coping after a traumatic accident is a family process and all of the family members will experience this process differently. Running Head: ABOVE-ELBOW REPLANTATION 4 Life after Upper Extremity Replantation: An Examination of the Experiences of an Adolescent Male, his Family, and the Treating Certified Hand Therapist Survival rates after upper extremity replantation have greatly increased since the first successful replantation of an amputated limb in 1962 by Malt and McKahnn (as cited in Silverman, Willette-Green, & Petrilli, 1989). Unfortunately, the survival of a replanted limb is not a direct indicator of the restoration of function (Garner, 1988). The ultimate measure of success of a replanted limb is the patient‟s ability to use that limb for activities of daily living (Russell, O‟Brien, Morrison, Pamamull, & Macleod, 1984). Successful functional use of the replanted limb is dependent on post-operative management. Cooperation among the patient, the family, the orthopedic surgeon, and the rehabilitation team is also crucial for a successful functional outcome (Chew & Tsai, 2001; Koul, Cyriac, Khaleel, & Vinodan, 2004). A Certified Hand Therapist has the skills to provide a comprehensive treatment for the client with an upper extremity replantation which includes addressing the physical, psychological, social, and work problems that may arise after replantation (Vennelle, 1988). A deeper understanding of the lived experiences of the replantation patient, the family, and the Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) may provide a unique perspective of this process.
Particle size effects on the water retention properties of colluvial sediments

This paper explores the influence of the particle size on the water retention properties of a colluvial deposit derived from banded iron formations in the Pilbara region in Western Australia. A small-scale experimental program aimed at evaluating the water retentions curve of four particle fractions (1.18 2.36 mm, 0.60 1.18 mm, 75600 μm and < 75 μm) is described. Water retention curves, defined in terms of the gravimetric water content vs total suction, were obtained by exposing the specimens to a controlled wetting path using the vapour transfer technique. Total suction was measured using a dew-point psycrometer. The experimental results show an important increase in the maximum water retention capacity with decreasing the particle size. Finally, the influence of the water storage of each particle fraction on the water retention curve of mixed specimens, i.e. those composed by several fractions, is discussed.