Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Dietary L-Methionine Requirement of the Juvenile Yellow Catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco

An 8 week feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary methionine levels on growth, feed utilization, body composition, and morphometric parameters of juvenile yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco), and to determine their dietary methionine requirement. Six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets (405.0 g/kg crude protein and 18.0 kJ/g gross energy) were formulated, and crystalline L-methionine was added to obtain dietary methionine levels of 5.5, 6.7, 7.5, 8.7, 9.5 and 11.3 g/kg dry diet. Fish with an initial weight of 1.4 g were randomly distributed into six groups and fed the respective formulated diets. Increasing amounts of dietary methionine up to 8.7 g/kg dry diet resulted in increased final body weight, rate of weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion efficiency and protein efficiency ratio however, a further increase in methionine level resulted in a decrease in these parameters. No significant difference in survival percentages was detected among the dietary treatments. A one-slope quadratic broken-line analysis model, based on specific growth rate and dietary methionine levels, indicated that the dietary L-methionine requirement of juvenile P. fulvidraco is 10.5 g/kg dry diet (accounting for 26.0 g/kg of dietary protein). The IJA appears exclusively as a peer-reviewed on-line open-access journal at http://www.siamb. org.il. To read papers free of charge, please register online at registration form. Sale of IJA papers is strictly forbidden.
Effects of Anthropogenic Disturbance and Seasonal Variation on Aerobiota in Highly Visited Show Caves in Slovenia

Aerosols in caves are natural tracers and, together with climatic parameters, provide a detailed insight into atmospheric conditions, responses to climatic changes and anthropogenic influences in caves. Microbiological air monitoring in show caves is becoming increasingly useful to understand changes in cave ecosystems and to implement and review measures for sustainable cave use and tourism development. In 2017 and 2018, air along tourist trails in caves Postojnska jama and Škocjanske jame (Slovenia) was sampled before and after tourist visits. Samples were analysed using culture-dependent methods, flow cytometry, detection of β-D-glucan and lipopolysaccharide and compared with CO2 and temperature data to measure anthropogenic influences and seasonality on aerobiota. While the presence of tourists significantly increased concentrations of airborne microorganisms (p < 0.05), β-D-glucan and CO2 did not show such a trend and were more dependent on seasonal changes. Locally, concentrations of cultivable microorganisms above 1000 CFU/m3 were detected, which could have negative effects on the autochthonous microbiota and possibly on human health. A mixture of bacteria typically associated with humans was found in the air and identified with MALDI-TOF MS. Using MALDI-TOF MS, we achieved a 69.6% success rate in identification. Micrococcus luteus, Streptococcus mitis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Moraxella spp. were recognized as good indicators of cave anthropisation.
Neogene exhumation history of the Mont Blanc massif, western Alps

The contribution of climate and tectonics to the Neogene exhumation history of the European Alps is studied in the Mont Blanc (MB) massif using low‐temperature thermochronology. Apatite fission track and (U‐Th‐[Sm])/He data suggest that the MB massif was exhumed episodically: Rapid exhumation (2.5 ± 0.5 km/Ma) before 6 Ma is followed by an episode of slow exhumation and a period of accelerated exhumation (>1 km/Ma) after ∼3 Ma. Comparing the exhumation rates of the MB massif with reported exhumation rates of all other external crystalline massifs (ECM) shows that the MB massif is the only ECM that experienced rapid exhumation before 6 Ma, which is possibly related to NW and minor SE directed thrusting of the MB massif. The data demonstrate that the Messinian base level drop (∼5.5 Ma) and the increase in atmospheric moisture caused by an intensification of the Atlantic Golf Stream (4.6 Ma) did not affect the exhumation of the external Alps. All ECM, except the Gotthard massif, show an increase in exhumation rates at ∼3 Ma. We interpret this as the result of normal faulting along orogen‐parallel faults and beginning Alpine glaciation. The relative impact of these processes on the exhumation of the ECM can vary spatially and temporally, mainly depending on differences in geology and geomorphology. In the case of the MB massif we propose that the acceleration in exhumation rates at ∼3 Ma is caused by rapid valley incision related to glaciation, and that the recent relief of the MB massif is thus a young feature.
Life Cycle Assessment of Energy and CO2 Emissions for Residential Buildings in Major Cities of Indonesia

iv Acknowledgements . vii List of figures . viii List of tables . xiii List of acronyms . xv List of nomenclature . xix List of publications . xxi Chapter 1 Introduction . 1 1.1 Background . 1 1.2 Research objectives . 3 1.2 Major contributions . 4 1.3 Thesis organization . 4 Chapter 2 – Literature Review . 7 2.
Substorm onset times as derived from geomagnetic indices

New magnetic parameters, dAE and dAO, are introduced to determine the preferential times for substorm onsets. dAE and dAO are time derivatives of the standard AE and AO indices. By analyzing long series of dAE and dAO we reveal their seasonal and diurnal variations, which, unlike those of the original AE and AO, show reasonable similarity. The preferential periods of substorm onsets are shifted from the spring and fall equinoxes; they occur around 0900–1800 UT for the winter months with maxima of occurrence in October‐November and February‐March. Substorms are rarer during summer months at all UT hours, which is in agreement with the results of Newell et al. [1996] that aurora are suppressed in sunlight. The substorm suppression during summer months corresponding to large total conductance of conjugate ionospheres is consistent with one of the potential substorm triggering mechanisms, the magnetosphere‐ionosphere feedback instability.
The contemporaneous phase of GRB afterglows — application to GRB 221009A

The TeV observations of GRB 221009A provided us with a unique opportunity to analyze the contemporaneous phase in which both prompt and afterglow emissions are seen simultaneously. To describe this initial phase of Gamma-Ray Burst afterglows, we suggest a model for a blast wave with an intermittent energy supply. We treat the blast wave as a two-element structure. The central engine supplies energy to the inner part (shocked ejecta material) via the reverse shock. As the shocked ejecta material expands, its internal energy is transferred to the shocked external matter. We take into account the inertia of the shocked external material so that the pressure difference across this region determines the derivative of the blast wave’s Lorentz factor. Applied to GRB 221009A, the model yields a very good fit to the observations of the entire TeV lightcurve except for three regions where there are excesses in the data with respect to the model. Those are well correlated with the three largest episodes of the prompt activity and thus, we interpret them as the reverse shock emission. Our best-fit solution for GRB 221009A is an extremely narrow jet with an opening angle θj ≈ 0.07○(500/Γ0) propagating into a wind-like external medium. This extremely narrow angle is consistent with the huge isotropic equivalent energy of this burst, and its inverse jet break explains the very rapid rise of the afterglow. Such inverse jet break occurs in an accelerating blast wave when the relativistic beaming becomes narrower that the jet’s opening angle. Interestingly, photon-photon annihilation doesn’t play a decisive role in the best-fit model.
Oxygen Isotopes and Human Residential Mobility in Central Western Argentina

Stable oxygen isotopes (d 18 O) from human bone apatite from central western Argentina (30o-37oS latitude) were analysed to understand changes in human residential mobility during the Late Holocene. This region contains evidence for the use of domesticated plants over the last 2000years (Zea mays, Cucurbita sp. and Phaseolus sp., among others), and previous models of prehistoric occupation have suggested a distinct change in mobility and population movement associated with their incorporation. The importance of these domesticates also seems to have varied geographically, being greater in the northern part of the region and declining as one moves south toward the limit with Patagonia. Expectations about patterns of residential mobility have varied accordingly. To better evaluate these models, we analysed carbonate d 18 O from the bone apatite of 71 individuals with radiocarbon dates spanning the last 6000years. Given the existing evidence, we expected to see temporal and geographic differences in their oxygen isotope values associated with changes in residential mobility and the incorporation of different sources of drinking water available within the region. These expectations were not met. Significant variations were seen across all samples compared, both temporal and geographic, with no discernible differences among them. The data suggest that populations throughout the area were all highly mobile, and that this did not change with the incorporation of domesticates. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impurity influence on normal grain growth in the GISP2 ice core, Greenland

Abstract Intercept analysis of approximately bi-yearly vertical thin sections from the upper part of the GISP2 ice Core, central Greenland, shows that grain-size ranges increase with increasing age. This demonstrates that something in the ice affects grain-growth rates, and that grain-size cannot be used directly in paleothermometry as has been proposed. Correlation of grain-growth rates to chemical and isotopic data indicates slower growth in ice with higher impurity concentrations, and especially slow growth in “forest-fire” layers containing abundant ammonium; however, the impurity/grain-growth relations are quite noisy. Little correlation is found between growth rate and isotopic composition of ice.
The surface geology and geomorphology around gobabeb, namib desert, namibia

Abstract This paper serves as a brief review and overview of the surface geology and geomorphology around obabeb in the entral amib esert. It introduces the major lithologies associated with the amara rogen of Precambrian and ambrian age, followed by ertiary sandstones and conglomerates and uaternary uiseb valley conglomerates, silts and gravels. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the obabeb research station and the recent designation of the amib and ea as a world heritage site, we are presenting a map to inform and guide future research and educational activities around obabeb. The contrast between an ancient gravel plain to the north, a dynamic aeolian sand sea to the south and ephemeral river environments in between become apparent. These natural laboratories have attracted investigations of contemporary sand dune movement, hyper saline waters, evaporites and duricrusts and ephemeral flooding and recharge processes as well as environmental change and human impacts.
Evaluation of Serum Level of CXCL12 in Correlation with Several Clinical and Hematological Parameters in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic leukemia

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the commonest leukemia in western countries. The disease typically occurs in elderly patients and has a highly variable clinical course, transformation is initiated by specific genomic changes that impair apoptosis of clonal B‐cells. C-X-C Motif chemokine Ligand 12(CXCL12) is a chemotactic factor for T cells and monocytes, and in B cell lymphopoiesis and bone marrow myelopoiesis. CXCL12 is a 68-amino acid small (8 kDa) cytokine that belongs to the CXC chemokine family. It had been reported as key mediator for angiogenesis and inflammation, also it expressed by bone marrow stromal cells in CLL patients and it is responsible for CLL cells chemotaxis in to the tissue microenvironments.Aims of the study: To assess CXCL12 expression in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and to correlate their expression with different clinicopathological and hematological parameters . Materials and Methods: the study included 80 subjects divided in to two groups: Patient group included 40 adult patients with CLL and control group included 40 healthy age and gender-matched controls. All hematological parameters were done by automated hematological analyzer.Serum CXCL12 was estimated in both patients and control subjects by ELISA technique. Analysis of data was carried out using the available statistical package of SPSS-25 (Statistical Packages for Social Sciences-version 25). Results: Serum CXCL12 expression was significantly higher in CLL patients compared to controls . There was significant inverse correlation between CXCL12 expression and hemoglobin level and significant direct correlation between its expression and total W.B.C. Count and absolute lymphocyte count , significant direct correlation had been also found between CXCL12 expression and advanced Ria stage .
Review of published export coefficient and event mean concentration (EMC) data

Abstract : This technical note summarizes and reviews published export coefficient and event mean concentration (EMC) data for use in estimating pollutant loading into watersheds. These numbers can be used to measure pollutant loadings into wetlands having their own defined catchment. This can be useful for regulatory and planning purposes, such as estimating the impact of changing land use on wetlands, or analyzing the effects of wetlands on mitigating pollutant loads into water bodies. This note also discusses possible regional trends in export coefficients and EMCs, and the utility of "regionalized" values.
On the averaging area for incident power density for human exposure limits at frequencies over 6 GHz

Incident power density is used as the dosimetric quantity to specify the restrictions on human exposure to electromagnetic fields at frequencies above 3 or 10 GHz in order to prevent excessive temperature elevation at the body surface. However, international standards and guidelines have different definitions for the size of the area over which the power density should be averaged. This study reports computational evaluation of the relationship between the size of the area over which incident power density is averaged and the local peak temperature elevation in a multi-layer model simulating a human body. Three wave sources are considered in the frequency range from 3 to 300 GHz: an ideal beam, a half-wave dipole antenna, and an antenna array. 1D analysis shows that averaging area of 20 mm × 20 mm is a good measure to correlate with the local peak temperature elevation when the field distribution is nearly uniform in that area. The averaging area is different from recommendations in the current international standards/guidelines, and not dependent on the frequency. For a non-uniform field distribution, such as a beam with small diameter, the incident power density should be compensated by multiplying a factor that can be derived from the ratio of the effective beam area to the averaging area. The findings in the present study suggest that the relationship obtained using the 1D approximation is applicable for deriving the relationship between the incident power density and the local temperature elevation.
An equivalent viscoelastic model for rock mass with parallel joints

An equivalent viscoelastic medium model is proposed for rock mass with parallel joints. A concept of "virtual wave source (VWS)'' is proposed to take into account the wave reflections between the joints. The equivalent model can be effectively applied to analyze longitudinal wave propagation through discontinuous media with parallel joints. Parameters in the equivalent viscoelastic model are derived analytically based on longitudinal wave propagation across a single rock joint. The proposed model is then verified by applying identical incident waves to the discontinuous and equivalent viscoelastic media at one end to compare the output waves at the other end. When the wavelength of the incident wave is sufficiently long compared to the joint spacing, the effect of the VWS on wave propagation in rock mass is prominent. The results from the equivalent viscoelastic medium model are very similar to those determined from the displacement discontinuity method. Frequency dependence and joint spacing effect on the equivalent viscoelastic model and the VWS method are discussed.
Chronologies of sedimentary changes in the south Bohai Sea, China: constraints from luminescence and radiocarbon dating

The alternation of terrestrial and marine deposits is an indicator of past environmental and sea‐level changes. The age of deposition is usually dated by means of radiocarbon. However, radiocarbon dates of molluscan shells from coastal areas may be complicated by various sources of carbon, and problematic for deposits of 40–50 ka or older. Herein, we apply the Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating method to date samples from terrestrial and marine/coastal sediments extracted from three cores in the south Bohai Sea, China. Multiple‐ and single‐aliquot regenerative‐dose procedures using OSL signals from fine‐silt (4–11 μm), coarse‐silt (38–63 μm) and fine‐sand (63–90 or 90–125 μm) quartz were employed to determine the equivalent dose (D e). The results showed that: (i) OSL ages from quartz of different grain sizes and different protocols are consistent with each other; (ii) for Holocene samples, most of the radiocarbon dates agree well with OSL ages; (iii) for pre‐Holocene samples, radiocarbon dates cluster at 40–50 14 C ka BP, whereas OSL ages are in stratigraphic order from 11 ka to 176 ka. Because of the self‐consistency of the quartz OSL ages, the stratigraphic agreement in the three cores, and the clustering of the radiocarbon dates, we suggest that the quartz OSL ages are more reliable with respect to dating the samples from the south Bohai Sea. Finally, the four marine strata identified in the south Bohai Sea are likely to have formed during the Holocene, Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS) 3–5, MIS 6 and probably MIS 7, respectively.
Seismic properties of the supra‐subduction mantle: Constraints from peridotite xenoliths from the Avacha volcano, southern Kamchatka

This work presents seismic properties derived from a detailed microstructural study of supra‐subduction mantle xenoliths extracted by the active Avacha volcano in the southern Kamchatka arc. These peridotites underwent low‐stress deformation and syn‐ to late‐kinematic reactive percolation of hydrous melts or fluids leading to local orthopyroxene enrichment and dispersion of the olivine CPO in the shallow mantle wedge. All samples show an axial [100] olivine CPO implying fast S‐wave polarization parallel to the flow direction in the mantle. Orthopyroxene‐enrichment by reactive fluids/melts percolation lowers the Vp/Vs ratio, but cannot explain the Vp/Vs ratios <1.7 mapped in the Japan and Andes forearc mantle. These low Vp/Vs ratios may however be explained by considering the intrinsic anisotropy of the peridotites.
Program on Education Policy and Governance Working Papers Series the Impact of a Universal Class-size Reduction Policy: Evidence from Florida's Statewide Mandate the Impact of a Universal Class-size Reduction Policy: Evidence from Florida's Statewide Mandate

Class-size reduction (CSR) mandates presuppose that resources provided to reduce class size will have a larger impact on student outcomes than resources that districts can spend as they see fit. I estimate the impact of Florida's statewide CSR policy by comparing the deviations from prior achievement trends in districts that were required to reduce class size to deviations from prior trends in districts that received equivalent resources but were not required to reduce class size. I use the same comparative interrupted time series design to compare schools that were differentially affected by the policy (in terms of whether they had to reduce class size) but that did not receive equal additional resources. The results from both the district-and school-level analyses indicate that mandated CSR in Florida had little, if any, effect on cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes.
Profile Distribution of Physical and Chemical Properties in Soils of a Toposequence in Benin, Rainforest of Nigeria

The experiment was carried out along a toposequence to study some physical and chemical properties of soils from three pedons at three topographic positions representing, Rhodic Paleuults (pedon 1) in the Upper Slope (US), Typic Udipsamment (pedon 2) in the Middle slope (MS) and Typic Psammaquents (pedon 3) in the Bottomland (BL). Soil samples collected were analyzed for pH, organic carbon content, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable cations (Ca, Mg, Na and K) and particle size distribution. The trend of change and difference in soil properties down the profiles and across the landscapes position were also studied. Results showed that BL had the highest organic carbon content with a range values of (6.00 – 30.30g/kg ) and US had the lowest organic carbon content (5.40 - 9.70g/kg). The variation of the soil chemical properties showed that available phosphorus varied highly across the landscape with MS having highest P value of 14.72mg/kg and highest CV of 137.47%. CEC is low across the landscape, The trend of change and difference in soil properties across the slope shows that soil properties differs at these three positions, it was observed that soils of the bottomland were more fertile than those of the Upper slope. The results generated in this study could provide useful information for effective land use planning and land management.
Sorting of MHC class II molecules and the associated invariant chain ( Ii ) in polarized MDCK cells

Epithelial cells have been found to express MHC class II molecules in vivo and are able to perform class II-restricted antigen presentation. The precise intracellular localization of these molecules in epithelial cells has been a matter of debate. We have analyzed the polarized targeting of human MHC class II molecules and the associated invariant chain (Ii) in stably transfected MDCK cells. The class II molecules are located at the basolateral surface and in intracellular vesicles, both when expressed alone or together with Ii. Ii is located in basolateral endosomes and can internalize through the basolateral plasma membrane domain. We show that the cytoplasmic tail of Ii contains information for basolateral targeting as it is sufficient to redirect the apical protein neuraminidase (NA) to the basolateral surface. We find that the two leucine-based motifs (LI and ML) in the cytoplasmic tail of Ii are individually sufficient for endosomal sorting and basolateral targeting of Ii in MDCK cells. In addition, basolateral sorting information is located within the 10 membrane-proximal residues of the Ii cytoplasmic tail. As several different signals mediate basolateral sorting of the class II/Ii complex, a polarized distribution of these molecules may be an essential feature of antigen presentation in epithelial cells.