Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thermal History of Sedimentary Basins, Maturation Indices, and Kinetics of Oil and Gas Generation

Temperature is the most sensitive parameter in hydrocarbon generation. Thus, reconstruction of temperature history is essential when evaluating petroleum prospects. No measurable parameter can be directly converted to paleotemperature. Maturation indices such as vitrinite reflectance, Tmax from Rock-Eval pyrolysis, spore coloration, Thermal Alteration Index (TAI), or concentration of biological markers offer an indirect approach. All these indices are a function of the thermal history through rather complex kinetics, frequently influenced by the type of organic matter. Their significance and validity are reviewed. Besides the problems of identification (e.g., vitrinite) and interlaboratory calibration, it is important to simultaneously interpret kerogen type and maturation and to avoid difficult conversions from one index to another. Geodynamic models, where structural and thermal histories are connected, are another approach to temper ture reconstruction which could be calibrated against the present distribution of temperature and the present value of maturation indices. Kinetics of kerogen decomposition controls the amount and composition of hydrocarbons generated. An empirical time-temperature index (TTI), originally introduced by Lopatin, does not allow such a quantitative evaluation. Due to several limitations (no provision for different types of kerogen and different rates of reactions, poor calibration on vitrinite reflectance), it is of limited interest unless one has no access to a desk-top computer. Kinetic models, based on a specific calibration made on actual source rock samples, can simulate the evolution of all types of organic matter and can provide a quantitative evaluation of oil and gas generated. Examples from the Jurassic source rocks of the Paris basin, Monterey Formation of California, Green River shales of Utah, Paleozoic source eds of the Algerian Sahara, and Miocene rocks of the Mahakam Delta, Indonesia, illustrate various aspects of the discussion. Geological/geochemical models are the most efficient way to integrate geological, seismic, and geochemical data, and they should greatly help to reduce the risk in exploration.
Growth rate and potential climate record from a rhodolith using 14C accelerator mass spectrometry

Rhodoliths, free‐living calcareous red algae, create large and diverse habitats worldwide. Although these plants are abundant and ecologically important, little is known about their growth rate. We determined the growth rate for an individual rhodolith, Lithothamnium crassiusculum, from the southern Gulf of California through 14C analysis using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) to be 0.6 mm yr−1. This growth rate suggests large L. crassiusculum, which have been found with radii in excess of 6 cm, may live over 100 yr. Declines in the Δ14C record associated with the large El Niño events of 1957, 1982, and 1992 indicate 14C analysis may lead to identification of important climate events in the more distant past. The ability to determine changes in past ocean circulation related to changes in past climatic conditions through AMS 14C analysis of rhodoliths would increase the geographic range of available climate records from the tropical oceans to the entire global ocean and potentially allow for the determination of past climate conditions from rhodoliths in fossil beds.
Metamorphic and structural diachroneity in the Finnmarkian nappes of north Norway

Two periods of garnet growth (Gt1 and Gt2) have been found in the Finnmarkian nappes of north Norway. In the Kolvik Nappe (the lowest nappe) Gt1 has preserved an S2 syntectonic spiral inclusion fabric; in the Olderfjord Nappe an earlier S1 fabric and an interkinematic inter-D1–D2 fabric have been preserved in Gt1 whilst only the S1 fabric has been found in Gt1 in the Brennsvik Nappe (the highest nappe). In each nappe Gt2 overgrew a penetrative fabric (S2) wrapped around Gt1. In the Kolvik Nappe inclusion fabrics may be continuous from Gt1 into Gt2 but in the higher nappes there is a distinct break. Gt2 may have been partially syntectonic with D3 in the Brennsvik Nappe. Chemically Gt1 in the Kolvik Nappe and in parts of the Olderfjord and Brennsvik Nappes has antithetic Fe-Mn zoning. In all nappes XCa and XMg are weakly zoned in Gt1; XMg increases outwards and is greater in the higher nappes in Gt1 suggesting higher nucleation temperatures. In the Olderfjord and Brennsvik Nappes Gt2 is marked by increasing XCa, probably due to changing garnet-plagioclase equilibria, although the Fe/Mg ratio remains constant. XMg is higher in Gt2 than Gt1. Basement rocks within the nappe pile have an early pre-Finnmarkian growth (Gt1) and a later Finnmarkian growth (GtH) correlated with Gt2 on the basis of chemical zoning patterns. The diachroneity of Gt1 is ascribed to progressively earlier (compared to the structural development) cessation of overstepping of garnet-forming reactions before peak metamorphism in the higher nappes, resulting in earlier structural events being preserved.
HERBICIDES AND DEGRADATES IN SHALLOW AQUIFERS OF ILLINOIS: SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL TRENDS 1

ABSTRACT: During the fall of 2000, the occurrence was examined of 16 herbicides and 13 herbicide degradates in samples from 55 wells in shallow aquifers underlying grain producing regions of Illinois. Herbicide compounds with concentrations above 0.05 μg/L were detected in 56 percent of the samples. No concentrations exceeded regulatory drinking water standards. The six most frequently detected compounds were degradates. Water age was an important factor in determining vulnerability of ground water to transport of herbicide compounds. Unconsolidated aquifers, which were indicated to generally contain younger ground water than bedrock aquifers, had a higher occurrence of herbicides (73 percent of samples) than bedrock aquifers (22 percent). Temporal analysis to determine if changes in concentrations of selected herbicides and degradates could be observed over a near decadal period indicated a decrease in detection frequency (25 to 18 percent) between samplings in 1991 and 2000. Over this period, significant differences in concentrations were observed for atrazine (decrease) and total acetochlor (increase). The increase in acetochlor compound concentrations corresponds to an increase in acetochlor use during the study period, while the decrease in atrazine concentrations corresponds to relatively consistent use of atrazine. Changes in frequency of herbicide detection and concentration do not appear related to changes in land use near sampled wells.
Effect of Positive Rate Sensitivity and Inertia on Gas Condensate Permeability at High Velocity

The authors have previously reported that gas condensate relative permeability will increase with increasing velocity when conducting steady-state measurements. The increase in relative permeability was referred to as ‘positive rate sensitivity’ or the ‘positive coupling effect’. A systematic series of core tests has since been conducted, generating data at IFT values ranging from 0.015 to 0.78 mN m−1, using core types ranging in permeability from 11 to 350 mD. The results confirmed that the positive coupling effect existed in low permeability cores and different lithologies at low and high IFT. The maximum tested velocity was in the region of 75 m per day, which was estimated to be at the boundary above which inertia would be significant. To investigate the competition between inertia and the positive coupling effect, subsequent core tests have been conducted at velocities ranging from 7 to 700 m per day, with the higher velocity being in the region of fractions of a metre from the wellbore. The maximum test velocity was one order of magnitude above the velocity boundary with significant inertia. The test programme has generated previously unpublished data, showing that the positive coupling effect initially reduces the effect of inertia before becoming dominant in the core tests conducted using gas condensate fluids. Such unique data provide valuable information on the forces governing production at the wellbore to reservoir engineers.
Effects of LED Device Size on UV-C Short-Range LoS Optical Wireless Communication

We report systematic investigation of the device-size-dependent performance of ultraviolet C (UV-C) light emitting diodes (LEDs) for optical wireless communication (OWC). Utilizing 273 nm-wavelength devices with diameters in the range of 40 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula>m to 300 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula>m, the size-dependent electrical, optical and frequency response characteristics of AlGaN UV-C LEDs are analyzed. As the junction area scales down, the smaller devices present lower optical power but faster modulation speed. Based on a 1-m point-to-point OWC system, this study further explores the LED size effect on the communication performance including channel gain, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), theoretical Shannon capacity, achievable data transmission rate, relevant ratio, and spectral efficiency (SE). The system employing a 60 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula>m diameter (micro) LED transmitter achieves the highest average SNR and SE accompanying a data transmission rate up to a 5.53 Gbps at the forward error correction floor of 3.8<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\times 10^{-3}$</tex-math></inline-formula>. These results suggest an optimal device diameter of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim$</tex-math></inline-formula>60 <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu$</tex-math></inline-formula>m for further development of high-performance UV-C short-range line-of-sight (LoS) OWC.
Photoreceptor Outer Segment Loss at the Macular Hole Border: Clinical Characteristics and Surgical Prognosis

Introduction: During macular hole (MH) formation, the vitreofoveal traction may lead to foveal neural tissue avulsion and consequent photoreceptor loss. However, the clinical significance of the photoreceptor outer segment disruption at the MH border remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the clinical features and surgical outcomes of MHs with photoreceptor outer segment disruption at the MH border. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 86 eyes from 85 patients who underwent vitrectomy combined with internal limiting membrane peeling for idiopathic MHs. Baseline and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and foveal microstructure on optical coherence tomography images were compared between eyes with smooth and bumpy morphology, the latter of which was defined as those with an uneven and irregular surface with evident lumps and indentations at the MH border. Results: The bumpy morphology was identified in 59 of 86 eyes (68.9%). At baseline, eyes with a bumpy MH morphology had a significantly larger minimum linear diameter (p = 0.043), a longer external limiting membrane defect (p = 0.013), and a worse baseline BCVA (p = 0.017) than those with a smooth morphology. Postoperatively, in a multivariate regression model adjusting preoperative confounding effects, eyes with bumpy borders were associated with a longer ellipsoid zone defect (p = 0.006) and a thinner central fovea (p = 0.002) at 1 month, and a thinner central fovea (p = 0.005) and a worse BCVA (p = 0.015) at 10 months. Conclusion: A severe photoreceptor outer segment loss is common at the MH border, which represents a chronic pathogenic process and may be an independent predictor for an incomplete photoreceptor recovery and worse long-term visual outcomes after surgery.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG HUE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Emotional intelligence improves mental health and reduces the risk of mental disorders, especially among youth. Therefore, basic studies about emotional intelligence and its correlation with mental health in students are necessary for Vietnam to fulfill the overall picture of emotional intelligence and mental health. It also provides theoretical and practical evidence for developing intervention studies related to emotional intelligence in the future. This study was conducted among 484 Hue university students. Findings show that the prevalence of students with symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and distress was relatively high. Emotional intelligence is strongly negatively correlated and could predict depression, anxiety, stress, and distress. Emotional intelligence also positively correlated with and predicted life satisfaction among participants in this study. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future investigation are discussed.
Radiofrequency ablation of the pallidothalamic tract and ventral intermediate nucleus for dystonic tremor through the parietal approach

Background: The thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) and globus pallidus internus are far apart and cannot be captured using a single electrode. Case Description: We describe our experience with a patient with dystonic tremors of the head and upper and lower extremities who showed symptomatic improvement after radiofrequency (RF) ablation using a parietal lobe approach with a single trajectory to capture the pallidothalamic tract and Vim. A 46-year-old man developed head tremors at 41 and a right-sided neck tilt three years later. Five years after the onset of the head tremors, tightness of the larynx during speech and tremors in both the upper and lower limbs also appeared. The Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) score was 24, and the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale (FTM) score was 48. We captured the pallidothalamic tract and Vim along a single trajectory by locating the entry point in the inferior parietal lobule. One week after treatment, the TWSTRS and FTM scale scores were 9 (62.5%) and 30 (37.5%), respectively. No adverse events were observed. Conclusion: This case suggests that in dystonic tremors involving abnormalities of the basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical and cerebello-thalamo-cortical circuits, a single electrode can be used to approach both circuits through the parietal lobe approach.
Drought variability, changes and hot spots across the African continent during the historical period (1928–2017)

The spatiotemporal variability of meteorological droughts, its changes and hot spots location across Africa are analysed for the period spanning 1928–2017 using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) applied to the precipitation products from the Climatic Research Unit (CRU), University of Delaware (UDEL) and Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC). Spatially, an analysis based on rotational empirical orthogonal function identifies five regions of similar drought variability, namely the Sahel, East Africa, East Southern Africa, West Southern Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. Temporally, the most common periods of drought occurrence are the 1970s, the 1980s and, to a lesser extent, the 1990s. Changes in drought characteristics for the intermediate past (1958–1987) and recent past (1988–2017) compared to the far past (1928–1957) indicate robust increases of drought duration, frequency and severity in the Sahel, and to a lower extent in the Gulf of Guinea, some areas of Central Africa, part of Southern Africa and over Madagascar. These changes are stronger (weaker) along the Sahel during the intermediate past (recent past) and stronger (weaker) over Central and Southern Africa and Madagascar during the recent past (intermediate past). As a consequence, drought hot spots, mostly driven by severity during the regions' wet season, are identified in areas confined in the Sahel during the intermediate past and in regions mainly over Central and Southern Africa and Madagascar during the recent past. Our results are useful for drought disaster risk management across Africa and provide a valuable reference for future drought analysis under global warming conditions.
Ramadan intermittent fasting and its association with health-related indices and exercise test performance in athletes and physically active individuals: an overview of systematic reviews

Objective To systematically review, summarise and appraise findings of published systematic reviews, with/without meta-analyses, examining associations between Ramadan fasting observance (RO), health-related indices and exercise test performances in athletes and physically active individuals. Design Overview of systematic reviews with assessment of reviews’ methodological quality. Data sources PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest, PsycINFO and SciELO. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Systematic reviews with/without meta-analyses examining associations of RO with health-related indices and exercise performances in athletes and physically active individuals. Results Fourteen systematic reviews (seven with meta-analyses) of observational studies, with low-to-critically-low methodological quality, were included. Two reviews found associations between RO and decreased sleep duration in athletes and physically active individuals. One review suggested athletes may experience more pronounced reductions in sleep duration than physically active individuals. One review found associations between RO and impaired sleep quality in athletes and physically active individuals. RO was associated with decreased energy, carbohydrate and water intake in adult-aged athletes, but not adolescents. One review suggests RO was associated with athletes’ increased feelings of fatigue and decreased vigour. No association was found between RO and athletes’ lean mass or haematological indices. RO was unfavourably associated with changes in athletes’ performance during high-intensity exercise testing. Conclusion Continuance of training during RO could be associated with athletes’ mood state disturbances, decreased sleep duration and performance decline during high-intensity exercise testing, while preserving lean mass. However, careful interpretation is necessary due to the low-to-critically-low methodological quality of the included reviews.
Agriculture and tourism linkage constraints in the Siem Reap-Angkor region of Cambodia

Building on previous research on agriculture and tourism linkages in developing countries, this study investigates such linkages in Cambodia's Siem Reap region, exploring whether local farmers have benefitted from the influx of tourists. While other studies have tended to focus on the demand side, the approach in this study is from the supply side, taking mainly the perspective of local farmers. A two-step qualitative methodology was used. In the first stage, officials and informal leaders identified key factors constraining such linkages and in the second stage a questionnaire was administered to individual farmers, asking them to rate constraints identified in the first step. The market, institutional and supply driven constraints encountered by local farmers in gaining entry to the tourism market are similar to those faced by farmers in other developing countries. These multi-dimensional limitations are interwoven in that the inability of farmers to supply the tourism market was found to be a function of both demand and supply factors, the latter mainly structural. The significance of this study is that it complements the existing literature with the perspective of farmers, giving a different angle in the study of tourism and agriculture linkages, and expands the geography where such linkages have been studied; a different country and a world renowned cultural heritage site. The findings provide useful insights for policy makers in Cambodia and beyond in their endeavours to improve agriculture–tourism linkages, thereby benefitting local farmers and assisting in poverty alleviation.
A survey on goat production in a semi-arid smallholder farming area situated in the north of Zimbabwe

A survey was carried out to evaluate goat production in a crop-livestock farming area in the north of Zimbabwe. The objectives of the study were to determine goat production systems and productivity. Qualitative information was obtained using participatory rural appraisal techniques (PRA) while quantitative data was obtained through administration of a structured questionnaire to 317 households. The major finding of the survey indicated that the predominant goat breed found was the small indigenous Mashona goat. The goats were reared exclusively through extensive foraging during the dry season but were herded, tethered or a combination was used during the cropping season. Flock sizes were small, averaging 12 goats/household resulting in few goats available for sale or slaughter. All goat sales were informal. Ninety one percent of farmers indicated interest in cross breeding Mashona does with Boer bucks to improve the size of the Mashona.
IWRM/IWRAM: a new sanctioned discourse?

Water policy has been subject to a sequence of preferred and changing driving ideas for two centuries. The integrated water resources management (IWRM) approach has been in currency for over a decade. Hydrologically inspired river basin management approaches were introduced in the 1960s and had very limited impact on policy making because they focused narrowly on the water resource and hydraulic interventions. There is a danger that the recent IWRM approach will also not serve well the needs of water policy-makers unless it escapes the assumptions of those parts of the water managing profession who believe that the river basin is the fundamental system. It will also fail if it is not recognized by practitioners and policy-makers that sustainability is as much about the social and economic as about water in the environment. It is suggested that IWRM should be re-named integrated water resources allocation and management (IWRAM) in order to capture the unavoidable conflictual nature of water allocation and management in water scarce regions. IWRAM is a political process; integration is political and management is political.
Velocity Profiles of Developing and Developed Open Channel Flow

Using a Laser-Doppler anemometer, mean velocities are measured in developing and fully developed turbulent subcritical smooth open channel flows. Experiments are conducted in a rectangular laboratory channel for 12 different test conditions with Reynolds number ranging from 28,026 to 136,842. From the experiments it is found that the boundary layer along the centerline of the channel develops up to the free surface for a flow aspect ratio b/h≥ 3. Shear velocities are calculated using the measured velocity profiles in the viscous sublayer of the boundary flow. The experiments show that shear velocity varies in an oscillatory manner across the flow section around b/h= 3. In the turbulent inner regions of developing and fully developed boundary flows, the measured velocity profiles agree well with the logarithmic “law of the wall” distribution when the coefficients in the expression are 2.44 and 5.5, respectively. The “wake” effect becomes important in the velocity profiles of the fully developed boundary la.