Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early Tertiary eclogite facies metamorphism in the Monviso Ophiolite

Although crucial for the construction of tectonic models of the Alps the timing of high pressure metamorphism is still poorly determined and controversial. It is likely to vary from one tectonic unit to another depending on when each became involved in subduction. This in turn relates to palaeogeographic position with respect to the active ocean basin. Well defined, reliable geochronological data are too few to test this hypothesis. This paper extends the database by determining Sm–Nd mineral isochrons on two samples from the Monviso Ophiolite in the Piemonte Zone, carefully selected to minimize the problems of Sm–Nd dating of eclogites encountered elsewhere in the Alps. The dated samples have eclogite facies mineral assemblages typical of the Lago Superiore unit of the ophiolite; mineral compositions are similar to previously reported samples and indicate pressures of around 2 GPa and temperatures of 400–500 °C. Sm–Nd isochron ages of 60±12 and 62±9 Ma are defined by garnet and clinopyroxene, while the Rb–Sr age on phengite which is part of the high‐P assemblage is 40±1 Ma. The new data fit an emerging pattern of ages in which high‐P metamorphism in the oceanic realm is Early Tertiary, with slightly older ages in the overlying Sesia Zone and younger, Oligocene ages in the underlying internal basement massifs which only became involved in subduction when closure of the Piemont ocean was complete.
CFDRN: A Cognition-Inspired Feature Decomposition and Recombination Network for Dysarthric Speech Recognition

As an essential technology in human–computer interactions, automatic speech recognition (ASR) ensures a convenient life for healthy people; however, people with speech disorders, who truly need support from such a technology, have experienced difficulties in the use of ASR. Disordered ASR is challenging because of the large variabilities in disordered speech. Humans tend to separately process different spectro-temporal features of speech in the left and right hemispheres of their brain, showing significantly better ability in speech perception than machines, especially in disordered speech perception. Inspired by human speech processing, this article proposes a cognition-inspired feature decomposition and recombination network (CFDRN) for dysarthric ASR. In the CFDRN, slow- and rapid-varying temporal processors are designed to decompose features into stable and changeable features, respectively. A gated fusion module was developed to selectively recombine the decomposed features. Moreover, this study utilised an adaptation approach based on unsupervised pre-training techniques to alleviate data scarcity issues in dysarthric ASR. The CFDRNs were added to the layers of the pre-trained model, and the entire model is adapted from normal speech to disordered speech. The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated on the widely used TORGO and UASpeech dysarthria datasets under three popular unsupervised pre-training techniques, wav2vec 2.0, HuBERT, and data2vec. When compared to the baseline methods, the proposed CFDRN with the three pre-training techniques achieved 13.73%$\sim$16.23% and 4.50%$\sim$13.20% word error rate reductions on the TORGO and UASpeech datasets, respectively. Furthermore, this study clarified several major factors affecting dysarthric ASR performance.
Molecular Characterization and Mutational Analysis of Clarithromycin- and Levofloxacin-Resistance Genes in Helicobacter pylori from Gastric Biopsies in Southern Croatia

Point mutations in the 23S rRNA, gyrA, and gyrB genes can confer resistance to clarithromycin (CAM) and levofloxacin (LVX) by altering target sites or protein structure, thereby reducing the efficacy of standard antibiotics in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infections. Considering the confirmed primary CAM and LVX resistance in H. pylori infected patients from southern Croatia, we performed a molecular genetic analysis of three target genes (23S rRNA, gyrA, and gyrB) by PCR and sequencing, together with computational molecular docking analysis. In the CAM-resistant isolates, the mutation sites in the 23S rRNA gene were A2142C, A2142G, and A2143G. In addition, the mutations D91G and D91N in GyrA and N481E and R484K in GyrB were associated with resistance to LVX. Molecular docking analyses revealed that mutant H. pylori strains with resistance-related mutations exhibited a lower susceptibility to CAM and LVX compared with wild-type strains due to significant differences in non-covalent interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonds, ionic interactions) leading to destabilized antibiotic–protein binding, ultimately resulting in antibiotic resistance. Dual resistance to CAM and LVX was found, indicating the successful evolution of H. pylori resistance to unrelated antimicrobials and thus an increased risk to human health.
Strategies for emission controls to mitigate snowmelt acidification

Elevated atmospheric deposition of strong acids contributes to short‐term/seasonal acidification of surface waters draining sensitive northern forests of North America and Europe during high flow. Reducing atmospheric deposition of NO3− and/or SO42−, therefore, could improve the health of aquatic ecosystems by mitigating episodic acidification. We used an integrated biogeochemical model (PnET‐BGC) to simulate the effects of acidic deposition on seasonal variations in surface water chemistry, and to evaluate emission control scenarios to decrease acidification during snowmelt. Model calculations suggest that historical long‐term inputs of acidic deposition have altered the seasonal patterns in surface water chemistry. Although short‐term increases in NO3− coincide with snowmelt acidification, model simulations indicate reductions in SO42− deposition result in larger benefits than an equivalent reduction in NO3− deposition. Year‐around reductions in NO3− deposition are also more beneficial to the acid‐base status of stream water than summer‐only reductions.
Morphology and classification of some Early Silurian monograptids (Graptoloidea) from the Cape Phillips Formation, Canadian Arctic Islands

Exquisitely preserved early to mid-Llandovery monograptids have been chemically isolated from calcareous concretions sampled from the Cape Phillips Formation, central Canadian Arctic Archipelago. They provide morphological information critical in refining the definition of four of the earliest known monograptid genera, and in the elucidation of their phylogenetic dispersal through the Llandovery monograptid radiation. These primitive monograptid genera are defined primarily on the basis of derived thecal form. The specific, derived thecal and thecal apertural character states used in generic diagnoses are as follows: species of Atavograptus possess simple, geniculate to slightly sigmoidal thecae with a large dorsoventral overlap; species of Pribylograptus possess thecae bearing lateral apertural lappets that may occur with Atavograptus-style thecae proximally; species of Coronograptus possess flared thecal apertures at least part way along the rhabdosome; species of Lagarograptus have conspicuous, tongue-.
Shear‐wave velocity variations in the upper mantle beneath central Europe

SUMMARY A new model, EUR-S91, of shear-wave velocity variations in the upper mantle beneath central Europe and surrounding regions, down to a depth of 670km, is presented. The model is derived from the inversion of the waveforms of 217 seismograms, using the partitioned waveform-inversion method for the seismogram in the time window from the S-wave arrival to the fundamental mode of the Rayleigh wave. The seismograms were mostly assembled from digitally recording long-period and broad-band stations in Europe. The resulting 3-D model accurately predicts most of the observed waveforms, in a wide band of frequencies. Body waves were fit for frequencies up to 60mHz. The fundamental Rayleigh mode, which at high frequencies is more prone to scattering and multipathing, was generally low passed at 25 mHz. The resolving power of the data set depends strongly on the density of available wave paths and varies as a function of geographical position. Small-scale heterogeneities like the subducted lithosphere in the Hellenic collision zone were imaged in the region with the highest density of wave paths, which indicates an optimum resolution of better than 200 km. The main new results of this study pertain to the transition between east and central Europe. We present new information about the structure below the Tornquist-Teisseyre Zone (TTZ). The TTZ is generally regarded as the boundary between the Precambrian crust of the Baltic Shield/Russian Platform and the younger crust of central Europe. Our 3-D S-velocity model reveals that below this line a sharp lateral boundary extends down to at least 140 km depth, with high velocities beneath the Baltic Shield and Russian Platform contrasting to the low velocities beneath the younger regions of Europe. The observed velocity contrast across the TTZ is largest between the Pannonian Basin and the Russian Platform, where it is equal to 12 per cent at 80 km depth. At depths of 300–400 km, the TTZ is underlain by a zone of low S velocity, which indicates a local thinning of the deeply rooted high-velocity structure or tectosphere that underlies most of eastern Europe. In addition to these new results on the transition region between east and central Europe, a number of features that are present in other tomographic results have been confirmed: the Precambrian provinces of Europe are characterized by high S velocities; low velocities are found beneath the Pannonian Basin, the western Mediterranean, northern Aegean Sea/Turkey and a small region south-west of the Massif Central. The lithosphere beneath the Paris Basin has a positive S-velocity anomaly. The resolution of all these anomalies has been established with sensitivity tests.
Classification of paleosols: Discussion and reply

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A theoretical framework for upscaling species distribution models

Species distribution models (SDM) have become one of the most popular predictive tools in ecology. With the advent of new computation and remote sensing technology, high‐resolution environmental data sets are becoming more and more common predictors in these modelling efforts. Understanding how scaling affects their outputs is therefore fundamental to understand their applicability. Here, we develop a theoretical basis to understand the consequences of aggregating occurrence and environmental data at different resolutions. We provide a theoretical framework, along with numerical simulations and a real‐world case study, to show how these scaling rules influence predictive outputs. We show that the properties of the environment–occurrence relationships change when the data are aggregated: the mean probability of occurrence and species prevalence increases, the optimal environmental values shift and classification rates increase at coarser resolutions up to a certain level. Furthermore, and contrary to the widespread expectation that high‐resolution data would produce better predictions, we show here that model performance may increase using coarser resolution data sets rather than the inverse. Finally, we also show that model performance depends not only on the environment–occurrence relationship but also on the interaction between this and the geography and distribution of the available environment. This theoretical framework helps understanding previously incoherent results regarding SDM upscaling and model performance, and illustrates how theoretical and empirical results can provide important feedbacks to advance in understanding scaling issues in macroecology. The interaction between the shape of the environment–occurrence relationship and the rates of change of the environment is fundamental to understand the effects of upscaling in model performance, and may explain why some models are more difficult to transfer to different regions. Most importantly, we argue that there are conceptual choices related to scaling and SDM fitting that require expert knowledge and further explorations between theory and practice in macroecology.
Dynamiques spatiales de la production agricole en France

Dans cet article, nous analysons les dynamiques de localisation de la production agricole en France entre 1990 et 2006. L’analyse menee pour les principaux secteurs agricoles au niveau departemental montre que les dynamiques spatiales sont globalement regionales et que des effets d’agglomeration existent entre les departements. Le Grand Ouest de la France est le seul espace qui beneficie d’une dynamique locale positive dans plusieurs secteurs de production.
Building Coastal Landscapes: Zooarchaeology and Geoarchaeology of Brazilian Shell Mounds

ABSTRACT Brazilian shell sites are largely considered to have been multifunctional and the location of both sacred and secular activities. This article explores the joint contribution that zooarchaeological and geoarchaeological analysis can bring to understanding the depositional history of shell sites and their functions. This combined approach is applied to the study of two shell mounds that represent important aspects of the diverse array of shell sites found along the southern Brazilian coast. Jabuticabeira II is a monumental shell mound that has shown unquestionable evidence of being used mainly as a cemetery, and Encantada III is a smaller shell deposit whose function is more difficult to define. Research focusing on formation processes at Jabuticabeira II played an important role in developing a better understanding of the mortuary rituals performed at the site. In Encantada III, zooarchaeology and geoarchaeology contribute to a better characterization of its role as a short-term deposit of long-lasting permanence. Both shell sites and their practical and symbolical attributes represent examples of the complex dynamics of the anthropic construction of a landscape.
Vibration damping microcontroller architecture for multifunctional systems with stochastic input time

The design of vibration damping controllers for uncertain mechanical systems with time-varying input delays is the main topic of this work. First, a state-space model based on matrix transformations is used to characterise the mechanical system. The uncertain system model is then created by adding parameters with linear variation. Second, by employing LMI technology, it is possible to derive LMI-based necessary requirements for system stability. A controller that is stable for the closed-loop system and has the desired amount of disturbance attenuation is realised by solving the obtained LMI. Finally, numerical examples are provided to show how well the suggested theorems work.
Hydrologic Comparison of Four Types of Permeable Pavement and Standard Asphalt in Eastern North Carolina

A permeable pavement parking lot in eastern North Carolina consisting of four types of permeable pavement and standard asphalt was monitored from June 2006 to July 2007 for hydrologic differences in pavement surface runoff volumes, total outflow volumes, peak flow rates, and time to peak. The four permeable sections were pervious concrete (PC), two types of permeable interlocking concrete pavement (PICP) with small-sized aggregate in the joints and having 12.9% (PICP1) and 8.5% (PICP2) open surface area, and concrete grid pavers (CGP) filled with sand. The site was located in poorly drained soils, and all permeable sections were underlain by a crushed stone base layer with a perforated underdrain. All permeable pavements significantly reduced surface runoff volumes and peak flow rates from those of asphalt (p<0.01) . Of the permeable pavements, CGP generated the greatest surface runoff volumes (p<0.01) . The PICP1 and CGP cells generated significantly lower total outflow volumes than all other sections ev.
Late Pleistocene megafauna site at Black Creek Swamp, Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island, South Australia

The occurrence of fossil vertebrate remains at Black Creek Swamp at the western end of Kangaroo Island, South Australia, along with reports of ‘primitive’ stone implements in the vicinity has, for more than seventy years, fuelled speculation that this site would reveal a definitive relationship between humans and megafauna. Radiocarbon dating in the 1970s and again in 2004 suggested accumulation at around the last glacial maximum, making it potentially the youngest megafaunal deposit in Australia. Our excavations produced no artefacts and no evidence of butchering. Taphonomic evidence indicates three phases of drought accumulation around an ephemeral water source. These droughts may have been induced by climate, sinkhole drainage, or both. The fauna includes 29 species; one third of the species are extinct. This component is represented by browsing herbivores and their putative predator, Thylacoleo carnifex. The extant species indicate a mosaic of habitats including open sclerophyll forest, grassy patches, areas of shrubby understorey and semi-permanent water sources. The occurrence of two dwarfed species is suggestive of isolation and resource depletion. Multiple dating techniques (OSL, ESR, U-series and C) revealed a complex geochemical history for this site. New age estimates place the fossil accumulation between 110 and 45 ka.
Three‐dimensional preservation of arthropod integument from the Middle Cambrian of Australia

Three-dimensional preservation of arthropod soft integument occurs in Middle Cambrian sediments of the Georgina Basin, western Queensland, Australia. The beds are referred to the Monastery Creek Phosphorite Formation, Gowers Formation, Inca Shale Formation and Devon-court Limestone Formation. The finds include arthropod type-A larvae previously described by Muller & Walossek and several complete appendages, possibly of early Palaeozoic ‘ostracodes’, as well as indeterminable cuticular remains. The Australian sediments were in part deposited under high water-energy conditions, whereas previously known occurrences of three-dimensional soft-integument preservation have been from environments of lower water energy. Such preservation may thus be more widespread in the Early Paleozoic than hitherto known. □Phosphatization, arthropods, type-A larvae, appendages, Middle Cambrian, Geogina Basin, Australia, three-dimensional preservation.
Specialty Impact on Patient Outcomes: Paving a Way for an Integrated Approach to Spinal Disorders

Spinal surgical procedures are steadily increasing globally due to broad indications of certain techniques encompassing a wide spectrum of conditions, including degenerative spine disorders, congenital anomalies, spinal metastases, and traumatic spinal fractures. The two specialties, neurosurgery (NS) and orthopedic surgery (OS), both possess the clinical adeptness to perform these procedures. With the advancing focus on comparative effectiveness research, it is vital to compare patient outcomes in spine surgeries performed by orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons, given their distinct approaches and training backgrounds to guide hospital programs and physicians to consider surgeon specialty when making informed decisions. Our review of the available literature revealed no significant difference in postoperative outcomes in terms of blood loss, neurological deficit, dural injury, intraoperative complications, and postoperative wound dehiscence in procedures performed by neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons. An increase in blood transfusion rates among patients operated by orthopedic surgeons and a longer operative time of procedures performed by neurosurgeons was a consistent finding among several studies. Other findings include a prolonged hospital stay, higher hospital readmission rates, and lower cost of procedures in patients operated on by orthopedic surgeons. A few studies revealed lower sepsis rates unplanned intubation rates and higher incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and pneumonia postoperatively among patient cohorts operated by neurosurgeons. Certain limitations were identified in the studies including the use of large databases with incomplete information related to patient and surgeon demographics. Hence, it is imperative to account for these confounding variables in future studies to alleviate any biases. Nevertheless, it is essential to embrace a multidisciplinary approach integrating the surgical expertise of the two specialties and develop standardized management guidelines and techniques for spinal disorders to mitigate complications and enhance patient outcomes.
Impact of Paleo Diet on Body Composition, Carbohydrate and Fat Metabolism of Professional Handball Players

The Paleo diet (PD) involves a restriction of carbohydrates and increased fat content (35% energy from carbohydrates, 35% energy from fats and 30% energy from protein). The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the PD on body composition, concentration of carbohydrates and lipids, as well as insulin, irisin, adiponectin and leptin in the blood. A total of 25 handball players were assigned to two groups: 14 in the experimental group (PD) and 11 in the control group (CD), using a PD and a rational diet, respectively. Analysis of body mass and body composition (body mass index, fat mass, lean body mass, fat-free mass, muscle mass, bone mineral content and bone mineral density), as well as blood concentration of metabolism markers (glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids, β-hydroxybutyrate, irisin, adiponectin and leptin), were determined at the beginning and after 4 and 8 weeks of nutritional intervention. Body mass was lower (p < 0.01), and adiponectin blood concentration was higher (p = 0.03) in the PD group at the end of the intervention. There were no changes (p ≥ 0.05) in body composition and blood levels of other biochemical markers in either group.
Middle Triassic chirotherid trackways on earthquake influenced intertidal limulid reproduction flats of the European Germanic Basin coasts

Chirotherid footprints of Synaptichnium, Chirotherium and Isochirotherium appeared during the late Early (Aegean) to early Late (Carnian) Triassic in central Europe. These taxa are partly revised herein, using both perfect and variably preserved tracks, and very long trackways from an upper Pelsonian intertidal-flat megatracksite of the Germanic Basin coast Pelsonian (Karlstadt Formation). The global Middle Triassic distribution of those footprints suggests seasonal migrations across Pangaea of possible archosauriform reptile trackmakers, such as Euparkeria, Ticinosuchus, Arizonasaurus and Batrachotomus, caused by horseshoe-crab mass migrations into tidal-flat beach reproductive zones in the Germanic Basin. Such seasonal migrations may even suggest a Pangaea-wide food-chain reaction, possibly including the mobilization of fish, marine and terrestrial reptiles, and of which situation the Germanic Basin intertidal-flats is a globally unique example.