Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Asia: a frontier for a future supercontinent Amasia

Asia is the world’s largest but youngest continent, in which Pacific-type (P-type) and collision-type (C-type) orogenic belts coexist with numerous amalgamated continental blocks. P-type orogens represent major sites of continental growth through tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite type (TTG-type) juvenile granitoid magmatism and accretion of oceanic crust and intra-oceanic arcs. The Asian continent includes several P-type orogenic belts, of which the largest are the Central Asian and Western Pacific. The Central Asian Orogenic Belt is dominated by P-type fossil orogens arranged with a regular northward subduction polarity. The Western Pacific is characterized by ongoing P-type orogeny related to the westward subduction of the Pacific plate. Asia has a multi-cratonic structure and its post-Palaeozoic history has witnessed amalgamation of the Laurasia composite continent and Pangaea supercontinent. Nowadays, Asia is surrounded by double-sided subduction zones, which generate new TTG-type crust and supply oceanic crust and microcontinents to its active margins. The TTG-crust can be tectonically eroded and subducted down to the mantle transition zone to form a ‘second’ continent, which may generate mantle upwelling, plumes, and extensive intra-plate volcanism. Moreover, recent plate movements around Asia are dominated by northward directions, which resulted in the India–Eurasia and Arabia–Eurasia collisions beginning at 50–45 and 23–20 Ma, respectively, and will result in Africa–Eurasia collision in the near future. Therefore, Asia is the best candidate to serve as the nucleus for a future supercontinent ‘Amasia’, likely to form 200–250 Ma in the future. In this paper we unravel a puzzle of continental growth in Asia through P-type orogeny by discussing its tectonic history and geological structure, subduction polarity in P-type orogens, tectonic erosion of TTG-type crust and arc subduction at convergent margins, generation of mantle plumes, and prospects of Asia growth and overgrowth.
Offsets in Global Positioning System time series

[1] Site velocities are a common product of continuous Global Positioning System (CGPS) networks. Estimation of site velocities from their time series can be biased if offsets are present. If left uncorrected, offsets can dominate velocity uncertainties. Artificial (nontectonic) discontinuities may arise from environmental and equipment changes or human intervention and error. Analysis of present GPS data sets reveals that on a component by component basis, one offset occurs every 9 years, although it could be as frequent as one offset every 2 years. The effect offset estimation has on rate uncertainty depends on the noise characteristics in the series. If the noise is white, then estimating a single offset in the center of the series doubles the uncertainty. If the noise is random walk, then neither the position nor the number of offsets in the time series seriously alters the rate uncertainty. Undetected offsets in the time series mimic random walk noise. If an offset detection algorithm is implemented, then there is threshold size below which the algorithm can select the wrong offset epoch. Offset position uncertainty increases as offset size decreases. However, small offset position uncertainties will still result in lower rate uncertainties with respect to undetected offsets. Despite the appeal of estimating offsets by detrending and averaging data either side of the discontinuity, such a strategy only serves to increase the rate and offset uncertainties. The best strategy is still to use the maximum likelihood estimator to simultaneously estimate the linear parameters and the noise components.
Effectiveness and Safety of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Colorectal Neoplasm in Patients with High Charlson Comorbidity Index Score: A HASID Multicenter Study

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an effective method for removing early colorectal lesions. However, research on the safety and efficacy of ESD in patients with various underlying conditions remains limited. This study retrospectively examined ESD outcomes in colorectal neoplasm patients from five tertiary medical centers. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and age-adjusted CCI (ACCI) were analyzed, and the differences in complete resection and complication rates were analyzed. The CCI, ACCI, and complication rates tended to gradually increase proportionally, and the complication resection rate increased from CCI 2 to ACCI 4 as the starting point, followed by a decreasing trend. Of these, 140 patients (9.7%) had a CCI score of 3 or higher. The high CCI group was older (70.6% vs. 64.7%, p < 0.01) and had a higher proportion of men (70.7% vs. 58.7%, p < 0.01) than the low CCI group. The high CCI group had a higher incidence of cancer than the low CCI group (77.9% vs. 65.2%, p < 0.01). The en bloc resection rate (90.0% vs. 89.3%, p = 0.79) and complete resection rate (75.7% vs. 81.2%, p = 0.12) were not significantly different between the two groups. Colorectal ESD can be safely and effectively performed in patients with various underlying medical conditions.
Third Forest Vegetation Simulator Conference; 2007 February 13-15; Fort Collins, CO

The Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) is a suite of computer modeling tools for predicting the long-term effects of alternative forest management actions. FVS was developed in the early 1980s and is used throughout the United Sates and British Columbia. The Third FVS conference, held February 13-15, 2007, in Fort Collins Colorado, contains 20 papers. They describe the use of FVS on the stand and landscape scale, and to analyze fuels management in the presence of insects and fire. Several papers compare FVS predictions of the effects of insects and disease to field measurements. FVS is continually evolving and improving in technology and capability to meet the needs of its ever increasing user community. Papers describe new methods for data acquisition and preparation for input to FVS, new economic analysis capabilities within FVS, new methods for simulating forest regeneration, new developments in calculating growth and mortality, and future plans for incorporating the effects of climate change in model simulations.
Downwelling along the Northeastern Coasts of the Eastern Mediterranean

Abstract The most prominent winter storms in the eastern part of the Eastern Mediterranean are known as Cyprus cyclones. The surface wind speed is between 15–30 m s−1, and about five such cyclones occur in a typical winter. The cyclone radius is between 500 and 1500 km. The evolution of the sea structure under such atmospheric forcing is examined with a two-dimensional numerical model in the vertical cross section perpendicular to the shore line. Two distinct regions result in the sea. A downwelling zone near the coast, about 100 km wide, and a horizontally homogeneous zone in the open sea, where vertical mixing is the important dynamical process. In the open sea the final profiles turn out to be similar to those observed in the Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) in their formation region. We suggest that the LIW forms in the region under the influence of these Cyprus cyclones. In the downwelling zone the 14°–17°C isotherms decline by more than 250 m. This water has the same T-S properties as the water in.
Imaging the basin and fault geometry from the multichannel seismic reflection data in the Tekirda˘ g Basin, Marmara Sea, Turkey

SUMMARY Determination of the fault geometry in the Marmara Sea has been a major problem for the researchers after the occurrence of the 1999 August 17 Golcuk (M = 7.4) earthquake. To shed a light to the problem we applied the pre-stack Kirchhoff depth migration technique to the multichannel seismic reflection data of three profiles to investigate the basin and fault geometry in the Tekirda˘ g Basin in the western Marmara Sea. The boundary of the basin and its sediments were revealed in N‐S and NE‐SW directions in depth sections. We identify major fault types involving these structures at different locations in Tekirdag Basin showing that the basin is developed under their movement. The North Anatolian Fault is imaged and interpreted as transtensional character at the centre of the Tekirda˘ g Basin that is symmetrically divided with a large distributed zone. The fault plane is imaged through the depth of 2 km dipping to the north with 90 ◦ in the upper 350 m and 82 ◦ in the lower part. The basin thickness reaches about 2.5 km at that point. Syn-transform sediments of the basin are disturbed by some normal faults dipping to the north. These faults are represented by notable displacements of the reflections which prompted us to consider them as a potential tsunami source if they move during a large earthquake along the major fault. Another major fault is identified at the westernmost of the basin. Because it shows the same character as Ganos fault, it might be submarine part of it. It has reverse component with the dip angle of 65 ◦ to the north and trending along the western flank of the basin. A reverse fault is identified appearing in low angle (∼20 ◦ ) surrounding the edge of the submarine slide at southwest of the basin. From its geometry it is interpreted as a local fault formed between two main faults. From the sketch of the basin and the fault geometry obtained from the images we suggest that the basin should be formed by a pull-apart system.
Anthropogenic Influence on Selected Heavy Metal Contamination of Urban Soils of Akure City, Nigeria

Levels of Cd, Ni, and Pb in topsoil (0–5 cm) taken from seven different sites of the urban city of Akure, Nigeria, were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer after the wet digestion method. This was with a view to appraising the influence of various anthropogenic activities on heavy metal contamination of the urban soil. Results show that the range of Cd was 6.27–10.34 ppm, Ni 7.17–14.78 ppm, and Pb 9.22- 46.19 ppm. This analytical data indicated a significant accumulation of heavy metals above background levels, with highest concentrations found in mechanic/battery charger workshops. The level of accumulation was assessed using accumulation factor (AF), and the values obtained exceeded 4 in all sites. This implies that the heavy metals are not from the natural geochemistry of Akure but from human activities. The classes of contamination were differentiated using geoaccumulation index (I geo). The I geo performed revealed that Cd (2< I geo<3: Class 3), Ni (2< I geo<4: Class 3 and 4) and Pb (3< I geo<5: Class 4 and 5) belong to different classes of geoaccumulation index, but the contamination patterns (moderately to strongly contaminated) are similar in all sites, except the mechanic battery/charger workshop (moderately to extremely contaminated). The differences observed in the metal concentrations among the sites are statistically significant (P < 0.05).
Vegetation regrowth after a differential intensity forest fire in a Mediterranean environment, northeast Spain

Inventories of vegetation were collected in a burnt area located in Cadiretes massif, Catalan Coastal Ranges, northeast Spain. The burnt forest primarily consisted of pine plantation (Pinus pinaster) with a large number of cork trees (Quercus suber). The burnt area was divided into three zones based on fire intensity. Data from three different periods after the fire (six, ten and twenty‐four months) showed differences between the recovering vegetation and that in a control forest area. Numbers and types of resurgent vegetation species following the fire were different in each area. Regeneration of vegetation is important not only in terms of plant regrowth but also for protecting the soil surface from rainfall impact. During the research period the burnt area was managed homogeneously by the forestry authorities. Management operations, among others, involved tree felling, construction of terraces, with dead trees to control erosion, and reforestation of some species. Some of these operations, such as tree felling and the creation of terraces which were carried out one year after the fire, were implemented too late, since the most serious erosion had already taken place. Some operations, such as reforestation in some low intensity burnt areas, are unnecessary due to the profuse recovery of Pinus and Quercus suber. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gene Expression and Interaction Analysis of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 in Forsythia suspensa

Forsythia suspensa is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the family Myrtaceae, and its dried fruits are used as medicine. F. suspensa contains several secondary metabolites, which exert pharmacological effects. One of the main active components is forsythin, which exhibits free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPKs) can increase the activity of WRKY family transcription factors in a phosphorylated manner, thereby increasing the content of secondary metabolites. However, the mechanism of interaction between MAPKs and WRKYs in F. suspensa remains unclear. In this study, we cloned the genes of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3, and performed a bioinformatics analysis. The expression patterns of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 were analyzed in the different developmental stages of leaf and fruit from F. suspensa using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Subcellular localization analysis of FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 proteins was performed using a laser scanning confocal microscope. The existence of interactions between FsWRKY4 and FsMPAK3 in vitro was verified by yeast two-hybridization. Results showed that the cDNA of FsWRKY4 (GenBank number: OR566682) and FsMAPK3 (GenBank number: OR566683) were 1587 and 522 bp, respectively. The expression of FsWRKY4 was higher in the leaves than in fruits, and the expression of FsMAPK3 was higher in fruits but lower in leaves. The subcellular localization results indicated that FsWRKY4 was localized in the nucleus and FsMAPK3 in the cytoplasm and nucleus. The prey vector pGADT7-FsWRKY4 and bait vector pGBKT7-FsMAPK3 were constructed and co-transferred into Y2H Glod yeast receptor cells. The results indicated that FsWRKY4 and FsMAPK3 proteins interact with each other in vitro. The preliminary study may provide a basis for more precise elucidation of the synthesis of secondary metabolites in F. suspensa.
Fork- and Comb-like Lipophilic Structures: Different Chemical Approaches to the Synthesis of Oligonucleotides with Multiple Dodecyl Residues

Lipophilic oligonucleotide conjugates represent a powerful tool for nucleic acid cellular delivery, and many methods for their synthesis have been developed over the past few decades. In the present study, a number of chemical approaches for the synthesis of different fork- and comb-like dodecyl-containing oligonucleotide structures were performed, including use of non-nucleotide units and different types of phosphate modifications such as alkyl phosphoramidate, phosphoryl guanidine, and triazinyl phosphoramidate. The influence of the number of introduced lipophilic residues, their mutual arrangement, and the type of formed modification backbone on cell penetration was evaluated. The results obtained indicate great potential in the developed chemical approaches, not only for the synthesis of complex oligonucleotide structures but also for the fine-tuning of their properties.
Downstream Development of Baroclinic Waves As Inferred from Regression Analysis

Abstract The structure and evolution of transient disturbances in the Northern Hemisphere winter season are examined using one-point regression maps and longitude-height sections derived from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) operational analyses for seven winter seasons. With the use of unfiltered time series of normalized 300-mb meridional wind perturbations at a grid point in the Pacific storm track as the reference time series, regression statistics for perturbations in the horizontal wind, geopotential height, temperature, and vertical velocity are derived. The resulting perturbation fields exhibit characteristics of midlatitude baroclinic waves, such as a westward tilt with height in the velocity and height fields and eastward tilt in the temperature field, with typical wavelengths of 4000 km and periods of around 4 days. The main difference between the results of this work and previous similar analyses is in the propagation characteristics of the baroclinic wave trains.
Platinum enrichment at low temperatures and related microstructures, with examples of hongshiite (PtCu) and empirical ‘Pt2HgSe3’ from Itabira, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Low‐temperature Pt enrichment is illustrated with reference to two hypogene platiniferous minerals: (i) a Pd–Cu‐bearing ‘Pt2HgSe3’, an unnamed phase; and (ii) hongshiite, PtCu, with up to 0.7 wt% Hg. The former has patches oxidized to a Pt–O species with curvilinear microcracks originated by desiccation. The latter displays parallel sets of Cu‐depleted, Pt–Hg‐enriched patches, along which microfractures occur. Such microstructures are interpreted to arise from two processes: (i) oxidation and formation of a hydrated Pt–O compound, which tends to succumb to a Pt‐rich alloy by deoxygenation and dehydration, leaving behind curvilinear desiccation cracks; (ii) metal leaching conducive to native Pt by removal of Cu from hongshiite via micropores that coalesce along crystallographic planes to result in reticulated microcracks. Platinum enrichment either by oxidation or metal leaching ideally produces characteristic microcracks, which may be indicative of the origin, i.e. detrital vs. supergene, of alluvial and eluvial Pt‐rich alloys.
Simulation of the Tropical Pacific Climate with a Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere General Circulation Model. Part I: The Seasonal Cycle

Abstract A multiyear simulation with a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model (GCM) is presented. The model consists of the UCLA global atmospheric GCM coupled to the GFDL oceanic GCM; the latter is dynamically active over the tropical Pacific, while climatological time-varying sea surface temperatures (SST) are prescribed elsewhere. The model successfully simulates the main climatological features associated with the seasonal cycle, including the east-west gradient in SST across the equatorial Pacific. The most apparent deficiencies include a systematic cold bias (∼2 K) across most of the tropical Pacific and underestimated wind stress magnitudes in the equatorial band. Multichannel singular spectrum analysis is used to describe the multivariate structure of the seasonal cycle at the equator in both the model and observed data. The annual harmonic in equatorial SST is primarily wind driven, while air-sea interaction strongly affects the semiannual harmonic.
Automatic Variable Selection Algorithms in Prognostic Factor Research in Neck Pain

This study aims to compare the variable selection strategies of different machine learning (ML) and statistical algorithms in the prognosis of neck pain (NP) recovery. A total of 3001 participants with NP were included. Three dichotomous outcomes of an improvement in NP, arm pain (AP), and disability at 3 months follow-up were used. Twenty-five variables (twenty-eight parameters) were included as predictors. There were more parameters than variables, as some categorical variables had >2 levels. Eight modelling techniques were compared: stepwise regression based on unadjusted p values (stepP), on adjusted p values (stepPAdj), on Akaike information criterion (stepAIC), best subset regression (BestSubset) least absolute shrinkage and selection operator [LASSO], Minimax concave penalty (MCP), model-based boosting (mboost), and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MuARS). The algorithm that selected the fewest predictors was stepPAdj (number of predictors, p = 4 to 8). MuARS was the algorithm with the second fewest predictors selected (p = 9 to 14). The predictor selected by all algorithms with the largest coefficient magnitude was “having undergone a neuroreflexotherapy intervention” for NP (β = from 1.987 to 2.296) and AP (β = from 2.639 to 3.554), and “Imaging findings: spinal stenosis” (β = from −1.331 to −1.763) for disability. Stepwise regression based on adjusted p-values resulted in the sparsest models, which enhanced clinical interpretability. MuARS appears to provide the optimal balance between model sparsity whilst retaining high predictive performance across outcomes. Different algorithms produced similar performances but resulted in a different number of variables selected. Rather than relying on any single algorithm, confidence in the variable selection may be increased by using multiple algorithms.
Exploratory compositional data analysis

Abstract This paper presents the first steps that should be performed whenever the study of a compositional dataset is initiated. Centre, variation matrix and total variance of a compositional dataset are introduced. In addition the biplots are also introduced as a powerful tool to analyse and discover special features related to subcompositions. The exploratory methodology is applied to a dataset consisting of the major, minor and trace elements composition of soil samples from several places in Tuscany (Italy). The structure of the data, collected from three different known country rocks of ophiolitic nature (basic and ultrabasic rocks), represent an interesting case study for experimenting on new methodologies of statistical investigation and for pointing out differences related to parental chemistry and mineralogy as well as the nature of processes to be related to the subsequent evolution.