Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controls of faulting on synrift infill patterns in the Eocene PY4 Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin, South China Sea

Abstract Tectono-stratigraphic analysis of the Eocene PY4 Sag, Pearl River Mouth Basin, reveals that the evolution of normal faulting exerted an important control on the basin infill patterns. Seismic, well log and core data jointly indicate the Eocene Wenchang Formation can be subdivided into four third-order sequences that are related to early rift (WSQ1), rift climax (WSQ2–3) and late rift (WSQ4) stages. During the early rift stage, the PY4 Sag was defined by three, small-sized depocentres; it was related to low tectonic subsidence and likely overfilled by footwall-derived fan-delta deposits. The isolated depocentres coalesced and formed a larger and more uniform depocentre during the rift climax stage. Significantly increased tectonic subsidence during the rift climax WSQ2 sub-stage gave rise to prominent deep lake deposition including nearshore subaqueous fans, turbidite fan deposits and good source rocks. Two sediment infill patterns adjacent to boundary fault are developed during the rift climax WSQ3 sub-stage: (i) a more likely sediment balance-filled pattern controlled by the low-angled fault and (ii) a sediment under-filled pattern adjacent to the relatively high-angle boundary fault. The late rift stage was characterised by a waned displacement on the NE-striking fault but an increase in displacement on E-striking rift-related faults; this non-synchronous faulting has led to the sediment overfilled pattern observed in the South Sub-sag but a more sediment balance-fill on the South-western Slope. The variability in the basin infill patterns is suggested to have resulted from the different fault displacement patterns, which are closely linked to the boundary fault angles and possible stress field transitions during the basin evolution. This study may provide potential implications for basin infill evaluations in the Eocene Pearl River Mouth Basin and other similar rift systems.
Wave Runup Over Steep Rocky Cliffs

Wave runup is known to depend on offshore wave conditions and coastal morphology. While most field studies on wave runup have focused on low-to-mild-sloping sandy beaches, runup measurements on steep and irregular rocky cliff profiles are still very scarce. Here we investigate the physical processes controlling wave runup in such environments and the range of applicability of empirical runup formula. This study focuses on the steep rocky cliffs (0.1 < tani µi»½ < 0.4) of Banneg Island, a small island located in the Molene archipelago, Brittany, France, occasionally flooded during extreme water level events. A statistical parameter for extreme runup is derived from the measurements of pressure sensors deployed in the intertidal zone. Deep water wave parameters are used to force a high-resolution wave model, and nearshore wave parameters and high-resolution topographic data are analyzed concurrently with runup time series in order to assess the dependence of the runup on hydrodynamic conditions and morphological parameters. The wave runup is shown to be strongly related to the square root of the offshore significant wave height times the offshore wavelength. The measurements also reveal the depth dependence of the runup, which is mainly attributed to the curvature of the foreshore profile. In comparison to empirical relation obtained for a mild-sloping beach, the present data show a significant reduction in normalized wave runup, that is attributed to enhanced bottom friction over the rocky bottom.
Nematicidal Activity of Phytochemicals against the Root-Lesion Nematode Pratylenchus penetrans

Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are highly damaging pests responsible for heavy losses in worldwide productivity in a significant number of important plant crops. Common pest management strategies rely on the use of synthetic chemical nematicides, which have led to serious concerns regarding their impacts on human health and the environment. Plant natural products, or phytochemicals, can provide a good source of agents for sustainable control of PPNs, due to their intrinsic characteristics such as higher biodegradability, generally low toxicity for mammals, and lower bioaccumulation in the environment. In this work, the nematicidal activity of 39 phytochemicals was determined against the root-lesion nematode (RLN) Pratylenchus penetrans using standard direct and indirect contact methodologies. Overall, the RLN was tolerant to the tested phytochemicals at the highest concentration, 2 mg/mL, seldom reaching full mortality. However, high activities were obtained for benzaldehyde, carvacrol, 3-octanol, and thymol, in comparison to other phytochemicals or the synthetic nematicide oxamyl. These phytochemicals were seen to damage nematode internal tissues but not its cuticle shape. Also, the environmental and (eco)toxicological parameters reported for these compounds suggest lower toxicity and higher safety of use than oxamyl. These compounds appear to be good candidates for the development of biopesticides for a more sustainable pest management strategy.
Flood risk assessment in South Asia to prioritize flood index insurance applications in Bihar, India

Abstract Floods cause catastrophic destruction to life and livelihood in South Asia than any other parts of the world. This research assessed long term (2001 to 2015) flood risk at South Asia level using eight-day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data and subsequently expanded this methodology to identify potential zones for piloting flood index insurance scheme in Bihar, India. Bihar was further assessed for sub-regional segmentation of its 37 districts into four flood risk zones based on k-means clustering and Getis-Ord Gi* analysis of multi-modal dataset consisting of demographics, meteorological, agricultural, flood characteristics and economic loss from floods. Satellite based risk assessment identified parts of Indus basin in Pakistan, Ganges basin in North India and majority of Bangladesh as flood hotspots. Site prioritization for flood index insurance in Bihar identified Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi districts as very high flood risk districts by both methods signifying large impact of any potential interventions implemented in these districts.
Postbiotics: emerging therapeutic approach in diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a prevalent microvascular complication in diabetic patients that poses a serious risk as it can cause substantial visual impairment and even vision loss. Due to the prolonged onset of DR, lengthy treatment duration, and limited therapeutic effectiveness, it is extremely important to find a new strategy for the treatment of DR. Postbiotic is an emerging dietary supplement which consists of the inactivate microbiota and its metabolites. Numerous animal experiments have demonstrated that intervention with postbiotics reduces hyperglycemia, attenuates retinal peripapillary and endothelial cell damage, improves retinal microcirculatory dysfunction, and consequently delays the progression of DR. More strikingly, unlike conventional probiotics and prebiotics, postbiotics with small molecules can directly colonize the intestinal epithelial cells, and exert heat-resistant, acid-resistant, and durable for storage. Despite few clinical significance, oral administration with postbiotics might become the effective management for the prevention and treatment of DR. In this review, we summarized the basic conception, classification, molecular mechanisms, and the advances in the therapeutic implications of postbiotics in the pathogenesis of DR. Postbiotics present great potential as a viable adjunctive therapy for DR.
Trends in the market structure of US residential solar PV installation, 2000 to 2016: An evolving industry

The US residential solar photovoltaic (PV) installation grew from fewer than 100 firms in 2000 to about 3000 firms by 2016. The rapid expansion of this emerging industry prompts questions about the installation industry's market structure, such as how market shares are distributed among installers and how interinstaller competition affects PV deployment. This article leverages a rich dataset to describe trends in the evolution of the US residential PV installation industry. The data show that most residential PV installers are relatively small companies, with about half of installers installing fewer than 5 systems. At the same time, a subset of high‐volume installers have accumulated market share, especially from 2010 to 2016. Causes of this recent market concentration are explored, with an emphasis on the role of the emergence of alternative customer financing options in the United States.
Renewables vs. energy efficiency: the cost of carbon emissions reduction in Spain

— While support instruments have succeeded to largely deploy renewables during the 1996-2008 period, little at tention has been paid to energy efficiency measures, resulting in a high energy intensity and large growth of energy demand. Energy-related CO2 emissions have in creased significantly. At the same time, important investments in combined cycle gas turbines have taken place.This paper analyses whether, from a cost minimization view point, renewable supporth as been the best policy for reducing emissions, when compared to the promotion of energy efficiency in sectors such as transportation or buildings. We use a model of the Spanish energy sector to examine its evolution in the time period considered under different policies. It is a bottom-up, static, partial equilibrium, linear programming model of the complete Spanish energy system. We conclude that demand side management (DSM) clearly dominates renewable energy (RE) support if the reduction of emissions at minimum cost is the only concern. We also quantify the savings that could have been achieved: a total of €5 billion per year, mainly in RE subsidies and in smaller costs of meeting the reduced demand (net of DSM implementation cost).
Self-potential response to periodic pumping test: a numerical study

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Self-potential response to periodic pumping test: a numerical study Pavel Konosavsky, Alexis Maineult, Mikhail Narbut, Konstantin Titov
Network modeling of aesthetic effect for Chinese Yue Opera costume simulation images

In the digital age, virtual simulation images have become an important communication form of Chinese traditional Yue Opera costumes and their culture. Focusing on the lay viewers’ aesthetic experience, we collected 16 subjective evaluations, including favorites of basic design elements, semantic impressions, and high-level aesthetic experience, of 257 participants on 5 virtual simulation pictures of Yue Opera costumes for different characters and used network analysis to explore the possible relationship of the variables. The inferred networks showed that the archetypal aesthetic was more relevant to the costume design elements, emotions, interests, and the sense of high level. The conspicuous clothing, understanding of creative intent, and the desire for cultural knowledge were key “bridges” in the aesthetic process. Although the aesthetic network of each costume varied partially based on character differences, it showed more similarities overall. On the basis of the findings, we discuss the possible theoretical basis of the networks and make practical suggestions for the virtual dissemination of Yue Opera costumes.
Effects of acute cannabidiol on behavior and the endocannabinoid system in HIV-1 Tat transgenic female and male mice

Background Some evidence suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) has potential to help alleviate HIV symptoms due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Here we examined acute CBD effects on various behaviors and the endocannabinoid system in HIV Tat transgenic mice. Methods Tat transgenic mice (female/male) were injected with CBD (3, 10, 30 mg/kg) and assessed for antinociception, activity, coordination, anxiety-like behavior, and recognition memory. Brains were taken to quantify endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors, and cannabinoid catabolic enzymes. Additionally, CBD and metabolite 7-hydroxy-CBD were quantified in the plasma and cortex. Results Tat decreased supraspinal-related nociception and locomotion. CBD and sex had little to no effects on any of the behavioral measures. For the endocannabinoid system male sex was associated with elevated concentration of the proinflammatory metabolite arachidonic acid in various CNS regions, including the cerebellum that also showed higher FAAH expression levels for Tat(+) males. GPR55 expression levels in the striatum and cerebellum were higher for females compared to males. CBD metabolism was altered by sex and Tat expression. Conclusion Findings indicate that acute CBD effects are not altered by HIV Tat, and acute CBD has no to minimal effects on behavior and the endocannabinoid system.
Didactic dimensions of teaching content for and with students with intellectual disabilities (ID): a scoping review

Decisions schools make about teaching content fundamentally shape students’ educational experience and their later life. These decisions often take a particular shape for students with intellectual disabilities. Although such decisions for this group are a prime concern in the governing and practice of education, they have gained little attention in research. Research that does investigate teaching content for students with intellectual disabilities often makes a distinction between Life Functional skills (LFS) and Academic Content (AC) and treats these as being quite separate. The study at hand explores the nuances of and relationship between the two through a scoping review, and contributes knowledge on didactical aspects and the how and why of teaching content as depicted in research. Results indicate that research on teaching content entails a complex process of valuing the content in which AC and LFS often overlap. Results also illustrate that students and teachers are absent from the research on teaching content and not included as active participants; researchers’ meth-ods often take precedence over teachers’ and students’ valuing of teaching content or methods.
Effect of Seasonal Changes in Heavy Metals on the Histomorphology of the Liver and Gills of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) in Burullus Lake, Egypt

HIS study aimed to assess the impact of seasonal changes on heavy metal concentrations in water and their effects on Nile Tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) liver and gill histomorphology in Burullus Lake, Egypt in 2021. Six designated points were selected for water and fish (length ±5cm) sampling in both summer and winter. The results indicated that Iron (f.e) had the highest overall levels across all seasons and sites, while Zinc (Zn), Lead (Pb), Copper (Cu), and Cadmium (Cd) showed variations. Notably, Pb, Cu, and Cd exhibited the widest ranges in concentration. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in O. niloticus muscles revealed that Zinc concentrations were significantly highest in summer and winter at Site 3 (p < 0.05), while Iron levels were significantly highest in winter and lowest in summer (p < 0.05). Cadmium content varied, and lead concentrations remained low level. Histomorphological analysis of Nile tilapia liver and gills showed significant differences between summer and winter months. In summer, the liver exhibited severe hepatocyte degeneration, pancreatic blood vessel congestion, and pancreatic acinar cell degeneration, affecting liver development stages. Winter liver histomorphology was comparatively better than summer but showed some signs of central vein congestion, mononuclear cell infiltration, vacuolar degeneration, hypertrophy, and pancreatic acinar cell degeneration. Gill histomorphology in summer showed mild to severe congestion, hyperplasia, desquamation, edema, fusion, and degenerative changes, while winter gills displayed mild degeneration in secondary lamellae, hyperplasia of the epithelial lining, congested branchial blood vessels, and interstitial edema. Conclusively, these findings highlight the impact of seasonal changes on the health of Nile tilapia, with more severe consequences observed during the summer months.
Unraveling the skin; a comprehensive review of atopic dermatitis, current understanding, and approaches

Atopic dermatitis, also known as atopic eczema, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by red pruritic skin lesions, xerosis, ichthyosis, and skin pain. Among the social impacts of atopic dermatitis are difficulties and detachment in relationships and social stigmatization. Additionally, atopic dermatitis is known to cause sleep disturbance, anxiety, hyperactivity, and depression. Although the pathological process behind atopic dermatitis is not fully known, it appears to be a combination of epidermal barrier dysfunction and immune dysregulation. Skin is the largest organ of the human body which acts as a mechanical barrier to toxins and UV light and a natural barrier against water loss. Both functions face significant challenges due to atopic dermatitis. The list of factors that can potentially trigger or contribute to atopic dermatitis is extensive, ranging from genetic factors, family history, dietary choices, immune triggers, and environmental factors. Consequently, prevention, early clinical diagnosis, and effective treatment may be the only resolutions to combat this burdensome disease. Ensuring safe and targeted drug delivery to the skin layers, without reaching the systemic circulation is a promising option raised by nano-delivery systems in dermatology. In this review, we explored the current understanding and approaches of atopic dermatitis and outlined a range of the most recent therapeutics and dosage forms brought by nanotechnology. This review was conducted using PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases.
Congruent Bifurcation Angles in River Delta and Tributary Channel Networks

We show that distributary channels on river deltas exhibit a mean bifurcation angle that can be understood using theory developed in tributary channel networks. In certain cases, tributary network bifurcation geometries have been demonstrated to be controlled by diffusive groundwater flow feeding incipient bifurcations, producing a characteristic angle of 72∘. We measured 25 unique distributary bifurcations in an experimental delta and 197 bifurcations in 10 natural deltas, yielding a mean angle of 70.4∘±2.6∘ (95% confidence interval) for field‐scale deltas and a mean angle of 68.3∘±8.7∘ for the experimental delta, consistent with this theoretical prediction. The bifurcation angle holds for small scales relative to channel width length scales. Furthermore, the experimental data show that the mean angle is 72∘ immediately after bifurcation initiation and remains relatively constant over significant time scales. Although distributary networks do not mirror tributary networks perfectly, the similar control and expression of bifurcation angles suggests that additional morphodynamic insight may be gained from further comparative study.
Hydraulic Causes for Basin Hydrograph Skewness

It has been suggested that hydrograph skewness depends on the relative dominance between hillslope and channel network transport processes, where the former ones make the hydrograph positively skewed while the latter tends to make it negatively skewed. More recently, however, the role of river hydraulics in shaping the hydrograph has been highlighted. We present a set of numerical modeling experiments using a hydrodynamic model of river networks in which we investigate how channel hydraulics influence the shape of the hydrograph, particularly its skewness. We further investigate the influence of base flow, rainfall intensity, cross section geometry, and basin scale on unit hydrograph response. We show that river hydraulics has a decisive role because positively skewed hydrographs may occur even when water inputs to the river network are negatively skewed, and in catchments whose width function is also negatively skewed. We show additional results related to the effect of the degree of nonlinearity in the relationship between celerity and discharge, the effects of base flow and rainfall intensity. These further confirm that hydraulic factors may be decisive in determining hydrograph shape.
The Effect of Game-Based Technology on Students’ Learning Anxiety, Motivation, Engagement and Learning Experience: Case Study Kahoot!

Traditional learning method encounters main difficulties around student motivation, anxieties, concentration and engagement. Game-based learning, Kahoot! has a significant role in the educational process and has become an essential alternative to traditional education, where statistics indicate that there are more than 1.3 billion active users account from more than 200 countries. Therefore, this study examines the influence of employing Kahoot! on students' experience. A qualitative method was employed, whereas a semi-structured interview approach was conducted to examine the scope to which Kahoot! effect learning anxiety, motivation, engagement, learning experience and classroom dynamics. The findings indicated that Kahoot! decreases learning anxiety, enhances learning experience, improves value of students learning in the classroom, enhances motivation and encourages engagement. As well as offers chances for teachers to adapt their tutoring established on student knowledge. Other findings showed the students welcome the use Kahoot! tool and found the use of Kahoot! was funny and reduce distractions and enhance focus.
Maximum Likelihood Temperature/Emissivity Separation of Hyperspectral Images with Gaussian Distributed Downwelling Radiance

Maximum Likelihood Temperature/Emissivity Separation of Hyperspectral Images with Gaussian Distributed Downwelling Radiance by David A. Neal, Doctor of Philosophy Utah State University, 2017 Major Professor: Todd K. Moon, Ph.D. Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering Hyperspectral images contain information regarding temperature and emissivity of the materials in the images. Temperature/emissivity separation describes a class of algorithms that extract this information from the hyperspectral data. These algorithms are often only accurate to within a scaling or shift parameter due to the bi-linearity of the hyperspectral measurement model. A new hyperspectral image model is developed to resolve this ambiguity. By modeling the downwelling radiance as Gaussian distributed, emissivity is introduced into the variance of the observations separate from temperature. It is demonstrated that this indeed reduces ambiguity in the estimates. A maximum likelihood approach is used to estimate the temperature and emissivity. In characterizing the objective function and testing traditional algorithms, a ridge feature is identified, upon which the likelihood must be maximized. A new optimization approach is developed, not existing in the current body of literature, to find the optimal value along such a ridge which can be applied to both this problem and any other problem with an optimal value located on a ridge. This new optimization approach forms the basis for an algorithm that quickly finds temperature and emissivity estimates. Algorithm performance is characterized and estimator bias is considered. (196 pages)