Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constraints on seismic velocities in the Earth from traveltimes

SUMMARY New empirical traveltime curves for the major seismic phases have been derived from the catalogues of the International Seismological Centre by relocating events by using P readings, depth phases and the iasp91 traveltimes, and then re-associating phase picks. A smoothed set of traveltime tables is extracted by a robust procedure which gives estimates of the variance of the traveltimes for each phase branch. This set of smoothed empirical times is then used to construct a range of radial velocity profiles, which are assessed against a number of different measures of the level of fit between the empirical times and the predictions of the models. These measures are constructed from weighted sums of L2 misfits for individual phases. The weights are chosen to provide a measure of the probable reliability of the picks for the different phases. A preferred model, ak135, is proposed which gives a significantly better fit to a broad range of phases than is provided by the iasp91 and sp6 models. The differences in velocity between ak135 and these models are generally quite small except at the boundary of the inner core, where reduced velocity gradients are needed to achieve satisfactory performance for PKP differential time data. The potential resolution of velocity structure has been assessed with the aid of a non-linear search procedure in which 5000 models have been generated in bounds about ak135. Msfit calculations are performed for each of the phases in the empirical traveltime sets, and the models are then sorted using different overall measures of misfit. The best 100 models for each criterion are displayed in a model density plot which indicates the consistency of the different models. The interaction of information from different phases can be analysed by comparing the different misfit measures. Structure in the mantle is well resolved except at the base, and ak135 provides a good representation of core velocities.
The Effect of an External Electric Field on the Supercooling of Water Drops

The effect of electric fields on the supercooling of water drops was studied by a special experimental technique which permitted the observation of the action on water drops of a dc electric field of 1 to 30 kv/cm. These experiments, documented by a motion picture film, showed that freezing could be initiated in the water drops at a temperature which was only a few degrees below 0°C by applying external electric fields which had field strengths of several kilovolts per centimeter. It was found that the electrofreezing effect was not due to an orientation of water molecules in the water sample, nor was it due to participate matter produced by sparks or corona discharges since no such discharges took place during the experiments. It was found that the effect was a consequence of the movement of the drop in the electric field along a solid surface. It was concluded from the experiments (1) that an external electric field is able to activate the ice-micleability of a solid surface and (2) that the characteristics of the effect make it very unlikely that freezing can be initiated by electric fields in atmospheric clouds since the solid surfaces with which the drops have to be in contact during their deformation are not present in mature thunderstorm clouds.
A Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) Study on Dengue among Selected

A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practices concerning dengue and its vector Aedes mosquito among selected rural communities in the Kuala Kangsar district from 16 - 25th June, 2002. It was found that the knowledge of the community was good. Out of the 200 respondents, 82.0% cited that their main source of information on dengue was from television / radio. The respondents' attitude was found to be good and most of them were supportive of Aedes control measures. There is a significant association found between knowledge of dengue and attitude towards Aedes control ( = 0.047). It was also found that good knowledge does not necessarily lead to good practice. This is most likely due to certain practices like water storage for domestic use, which is deeply ingrained in the community. Mass media is an important means of conveying health messages to the public even among the rural population, thus research and development of educational strategies designed to improve behaviour and practice of effective control measures among the villagers are recommended. Asia Pac JPublic Health 2003; 15(1): 37- 43
The Neurobiological Basis for Psychopathy: Why Current Treatment is Inadequate

Research surrounding psychopathy has progressed greatly in the last two decades firmly establishing psychopathy as a psychological condition. However, clinical practice has not altered to keep pace with current research. This paper reviews evidence from imaging, behavioural, and clinical studies of psychopathy focusing on its etiology and treatment. A neurobiological basis for psychopathy is established from this evidence, and the Somatic Marker Hypothesis, Violence Inhibition Mechanism Model, and Integrated Emotional System Model are considered. This neurobiological basis is then used as a foundation for a discussion on how clinical practice should proceed. Clinical strategies such as cognitive behavioural therapy and behavioural therapy are reviewed, and current treatments are found to be lacking in effectiveness. Finally new clinical directions such as drug treatments, targeted neuropsychological interventions based on an individual’s specific neurological deficits, and targeting youth populations are suggested in order to improve the clinical prognosis and reduce incarceration levels for psychopathic individuals.
Estimating the greenhouse gas fluxes of European grasslands with a process‐based model: 1. Model evaluation from in situ measurements

We improved a process‐oriented biogeochemical model of carbon and nitrogen cycling in grasslands and tested it against in situ measurements of biomass and CO2 and CH4 fluxes at five European grassland sites. The new version of the model (PASIM) calculates the growth and senescence of aboveground vegetation biomass accounting for sporadic removals when the grassland is cut and for continuous removals when it is grazed. Limitations induced by high leaf area index (LAI), soil water deficits and aging of leaves are also included. We added to this a simple empirical formulation to account for the detrimental impact on vegetation of trampling and excreta by grazing animals. Finally, a more realistic methane emission module than is currently used was introduced on the basis of the quality of the animals' diet. Evaluation of this improved version of PASIM is performed at (1) Laqueuille, France, on grassland continuously grazed by cattle with two plots of intensive and extensive grazing intensities, (2) Oensingen, Switzerland, on cut grassland with two fertilized and nonfertilized plots, and (3) Carlow, Ireland, on grassland that is both cut and grazed by cattle during the growing season. In addition, we compared the modeled animal CH4 emissions with in situ measurements on cattle for two grazing intensities at the grazed grassland site of Laqueuille. Altogether, when all improvements to the PASIM model are included, we found that the new parameterizations resulted into a better fit to the observed seasonal cycle of biomass and of measured CO2 and CH4 fluxes. However, the large uncertainties in measurements of biomass and LAI make simulation of biomass dynamics difficult to make. Also simulations for cut grassland are better than for grazed swards. This work paves the way for simulating greenhouse gas fluxes over grasslands in a spatially explicit manner, in order to quantify and understand the past, present and future role of grasslands in the greenhouse gas budget of the European continent.
The indigenous farm genetic resources of Somalia: Preliminary phenotypic and genotypic characterization of cattle, sheep and goats

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to improve food security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for better and more sustainable use of livestock. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR Consor tium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has t wo main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and Southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. ilri.org
Rapid weight loss and the body fluid balance and hemoglobin mass of elite amateur boxers.

CONTEXT Dehydration is assumed to be a major adverse effect associated with rapid loss of body mass for competing in a lower weight class in combat sports. However, the effects of such weight cutting on body fluid balance in a real-life setting are unknown. OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of 5% or greater loss of body mass within a few days before competition on body water, blood volume, and plasma volume in elite amateur boxers. DESIGN Case-control study. SETTING Sports medicine laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Seventeen male boxers (age = 19.2 ± 2.9 years, height = 175.1 ± 7.0 cm, mass = 65.6 ± 9.2 kg) were assigned to the weight-loss group (WLG; n = 10) or the control group (CON; n = 7). INTERVENTION(S) The WLG reduced body mass by restricting fluid and food and inducing excessive sweat loss by adhering to individual methods. The CON participated in their usual precompetition training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) During an ordinary training period (t-1), 2 days before competition (t-2), and 1 week after competition (t-3), we performed bioelectrical impedance measurements; calculated total body water, intracellular water, and extracellular water; and estimated total hemoglobin mass (tHbmass), blood volume, and plasma volume by the CO-rebreathing method. RESULTS In the WLG, the loss of body mass (5.6% ± 1.7%) led to decreases in total body water (6.0% ± 0.9%), extracellular water (12.4% ± 7.6%), tHbmass (5.3% ± 3.8%), blood volume (7.6% ± 2.1%; P < .001), and plasma volume (8.6% ± 3.9%). The intracellular water did not change (P > .05). At t-3, total body water, extracellular water, and plasma volume had returned to near baseline values, but tHbmass and blood volume still were less than baseline values (P < .05). In CON, we found no changes (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS In a real-life setting, the loss of approximately 6% body mass within 5 days induced hypohydration, which became evident by the decreases in body water and plasma volume. The reduction in tHbmass was a surprising observation that needs further investigation.
Knowledge Management Goals Revisited – A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Social Software Adoption in Corporate Environments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide both practice‐oriented researchers and practitioners with detailed insights into the social software goals and implementation strategies for corporate environments. Also, to illustrate the novelty and specificity of corporate social software (CSS) compared to other groupware or knowledge management systems.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is grounded in the ongoing discussion on differences and commonalities of knowledge management and Enterprise 2.0 applications and motivated by the lack of scientific studies on this topic. The authors have therefore made a comprehensive study of social software adoption in corporate environments, performing a cross‐case analysis of 23 enterprises. The study was meant to enable researchers and practitioners to acquire a better understanding and appropriate related explanations of the relatively new phenomenon of CSS appropriation and use.Findings – From the cross‐case analysis, six main goals of CSS adoption were d.
Bacterial infections in dogs with special reference to urinary tract infections, surgical site infections and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius

An increase in antimicrobial resistance in canine bacterial pathogens, including multidrug-resistance, has been reported worldwide. Increasing antimicrobial resistance is of concern, not only as it complicates therapy in dogs, but also as it is a public health problem when the pathogens are zoonotic, or the location of resistance genes enables transfer between bacteria of animal and human origin. The overall aims of this thesis were to gain knowledge of bacterial infections in dogs with special reference to urinary tract infections (UTI), surgical site infections (SSI) and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, and of carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP). The results were intended to aid in choice of antimicrobial treatment of canine UTI and SSI, and in designing recommendations on prevention and control of carriage of MRSP. First-line antimicrobials were found to be a rational empirical antimicrobial therapy for the studied dog population. In total three percent of detected Escherichia coli isolates were resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins. Less than 3% of S. pseudintermedius isolates were methicillin resistant. No methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates were found. Dogs carried MRSP for several months without clinical signs. Systemic treatment for three weeks or longer with antimicrobials to which the bacterium was resistant was associated with prolonged carriage compared to shorter treatment periods. Three of five dogs treated with an antimicrobial to which the MRSP-isolates were susceptible remained MRSP-carriers. These findings support restricted use of systemic antimicrobial treatment in dogs with possible or confirmed MRSP carriage or infection. The risk of MRSP-colonization in dogs living in a household with an MRSP-infected dog might be lowered if the clinically infected dog (index dog) becomes MRSP -negative. Furthermore, all contact dogs in the family might not carry MRSP continuously during the time the index dog is MRSP-positive. The results of the evaluation of five body sites for MRSP carriage screening suggests that simultaneous sampling of pharynx, perineum and the corner of the mouth, as well as wounds when present, should be recommended. Furthermore, the results suggest that sampling of nostrils is not a priority when screening dogs for MRSP.
Taxonomy, Evolution, and Biostratigraphy of Conodonts from the Kechika Formation, Skoki Formation, and Road River Group (Upper Cambrian to Lower Silurian), Northeastern British Columbia

Conodonts, the tiny, phosphatic, toothlike remains of an extinct group of early vertebrates, are the most important fossil group for biostratigraphy throughout their stratigraphic range from Late Cambrian to Late Triassic. The monograph presents the results of a significant project in remote regions of northeastern British Columbia. It extends the knowledge of the stratigraphic framework and conodont faunas into a region where information of this kind is largely unknown. Complete stratigraphic sections exposed in the high alpine of the Northern Rocky Mountains allowed examination of strata across a platform-shelfbreak-basin transect. The conodont faunas from the Kechika Formation, Skoki Formation, and Road River Group are described from an extensive collection of nine stratigraphic sections (over 9000 m measured) that yielded abundant conodont elements (38 600 total). This monograph represents a benchmark study of these important zonal fossils. The detailed paleontological work not only provides a taxonomic basis for future studies on early Paleozoic conodonts but also focuses on the evolution of conodonts in the early Ordovician, a time of extraordinary adaptive radiation. The taxonomic work provides detailed descriptions and illustrations of 185 species representing 69 genera. Seven new genera and 39 new species are described. The high diversity of taxa across the platform-to-basin transect shows the biogeographic differentiation and spatial ecological partitioning of conodonts through time. The taxonomy permits the refinement to the biostratigraphic zonation within two faunal realms for British Columbia that can be correlated with schemes elsewhere in North America and also internationally.
E-government Diffusion: A Comparison of Adoption Constructs

Purpose – E‐government adoption is the focus of many research studies. However, few studies have compared the adoption factors to identify the most salient predictors of e‐government use. The purpose of this paper is to compare popular adoption constructs to identify the most influential.Design/methodology/approach – A survey was administered to elicit citizen perceptions of e‐government services.Findings – The results of stepwise regression indicate perceived usefulness, trust of the internet, previous use of an e‐government service and perceived ease of use all have a significant impact on one's intention to use an e‐government service. Perceived usefulness emerges as the most important factor in predicting e‐government adoption. This factor alone explains 74.8 percent of the variance in intention to use.Research limitations/implications – In light of these findings, researchers should still explore the role of adoption factors in e‐government diffusion. The proposed model is a robust, yet parsimonious .
Iron Deficiency in Cyanobacteria Causes Monomerization of Photosystem I Trimers and Reduces the Capacity for State Transitions and the Effective Absorption Cross Section of Photosystem I in Vivo1

The induction of the isiA (CP43′) protein in iron-stressed cyanobacteria is accompanied by the formation of a ring of 18 CP43′ proteins around the photosystem I (PSI) trimer and is thought to increase the absorption cross section of PSI within the CP43′-PSI supercomplex. In contrast to these in vitro studies, our in vivo measurements failed to demonstrate any increase of the PSI absorption cross section in two strains (Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803) of iron-stressed cells. We report that iron-stressed cells exhibited a reduced capacity for state transitions and limited dark reduction of the plastoquinone pool, which accounts for the increase in PSII-related 685 nm chlorophyll fluorescence under iron deficiency. This was accompanied by lower abundance of the NADP-dehydrogenase complex and the PSI-associated subunit PsaL, as well as a reduced amount of phosphatidylglycerol. Nondenaturating polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis separation of the chlorophyll-protein complexes indicated that the monomeric form of PSI is favored over the trimeric form of PSI under iron stress. Thus, we demonstrate that the induction of CP43′ does not increase the PSI functional absorption cross section of whole cells in vivo, but rather, induces monomerization of PSI trimers and reduces the capacity for state transitions. We discuss the role of CP43′ as an effective energy quencher to photoprotect PSII and PSI under unfavorable environmental conditions in cyanobacteria in vivo.
Impact erosion of terrestrial planetary atmospheres

The idea that planetary atmospheres can erode as a result of impact, and thus lose mass along with solid and molten high velocity ejecta during accretional infall of planetesimals follows from such early thoughtful works as that of Arrhenius et al (1974), Benlow & Meadows (1977), Ringwood (1979), and Cameron (1983). Ahrens et al (1989) describe how planetary impact accretion (and impact erosion) concepts lead naturally, from the idea that atmospheres form and erode during planetary growth.
The rock physics and geochemistry of carbonates exposed to reactive brines

When carbonate‐rich rocks are brought into contact with an acidic brine their mechanical and acoustic responses depend on many factors including pH, porosity, permeability, effective stress, and time. These complexities hinder the understanding of processes such as hydrothermal fluid circulation, seismicity, and deep burial diagenesis. The present study addresses how different lithofacies exposed to the same reactive brine undergo varying degrees of transformation and whether it is possible to remotely detect these phenomena in the Earth. Results are presented from fluid injections carried out on a large and varied set of calcareous rocks under hydrostatic stress. The output brine was analyzed for dissolved mineral concentrations and the rock porosity, permeability, axial strain, ultrasonic velocity, and images from electron microscopy were contrasted before and after injection. Microbialites were found to be the lithofacies most vulnerable to changes in their transport properties. However, all samples irreversibly compacted with the greatest strain in the most porous and permeable cores. The most extreme structural changes discovered through imaging were the welding of microporous zones, grain sliding, and the fracturing of various phases. Observations are consistent with a chemically enhanced weakening of the rock frame that generated compliant pores. The associated decrease in velocity of the dry rock can be approximated with linear relations that depend on both porosity and effective stress.
Quorum-sensing acts at initiation of chromosomal replication in Escherichia coli.

Chromosomal replication in Escherichia coli was studied by flow cytometry and was found to be inhibited by an extracellular factor present in conditioned media collected during late exponential and early stationary phase, i.e., via a quorum-sensing mechanism. Our results suggest that the inhibitory activity of the extracellular factor is exerted during initiation of DNA replication rather than during elongation. Furthermore, we present evidence that this interaction may occur directly at each of the replication forks. Unlike other quorum-sensing systems described so far for Gram-negative bacteria, this inhibitory activity does not require transcription or translation to be effective. Implications of quorum-sensing regulation of DNA replication are discussed.
The provenance of Middle Jurassic sandstones in the Scotian Basin: petrographic evidence of passive margin tectonics

The tectonic and geomorphological evolution of the Scotian margin and its hinterland is poorly known between Late Triassic rifting and the Early Cretaceous progradation of major deltas. This study determined sedimentary provenance of Middle Jurassic Mohican Formation sandstones from three wells using heavy minerals and mineral chemistry. Indicator minerals such as xenotime, altered ilmenite, and varietal types of garnet and tourmaline are similar to those in Hauterivian-Barremian sandstones in the western Scotian Basin, which are almost exclusively derived from the Meguma terrane. The wells adjacent to the Canso Ridge have more zircon and less ilmenite, indicating a greater contribution of polycyclic reworking, but with an ultimate source in the Meguma terrane. Zircon and ilmenite were likely derived in part from Carboniferous sandstones in eastern mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island. Any river drainage from the inboard terranes of the Appalachians either was diverted through the Fundy Basin or entered the easternmost Scotian Basin, where the Mohican Formation is 5.5 km thick, along the linear continuation of the southwest Grand Banks transform. Such sediment did not reach the Canso Ridge, suggesting that the Cobequid-Chedabucto fault zone in Orpheus graben was not a significant physiographic feature. This tectonically controlled paleogeography in the Middle Jurassic is quite different from that during active rifting in the Late Triassic - Early Jurassic. Middle Jurassic quiescence was followed in the Tithonian - Early Cretaceous by renewed tectonic uplift associated with rifting of Grand Banks from Iberia and Labrador from Greenland.