Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conspicuous Consumption as Wasteful Advertising: a Darwinian Perspective on Spatial Patterns in Classic Maya Terminal Monument Dates

Spatial patterns in Classic Maya terminal monument dates offer clues about the processes behind the Classic “collapse” and the spatial scale of political competition that preceded it. A Darwinian theory of wasteful advertising delivers a simple model of how the collapse and political competition might map onto terminal monument dates. Modern statistical techniques provide the tools required to decompose spatial variation in terminal dates from a sample of 69 sites into the components required by the model. The large-scale trend in the cessation of dated monument construction, estimated using local robust regression (loess), supports recent evidence that the ultimate cause of the end of dated monument construction was an ecological disaster. The variogram characterizes spatial variation in residuals from this trend. The results suggest that as the collapse proceeded, monument-constructing elites, or individuals competing for that status, abandoned their original sites to enter political competition at sites on average 65 km distant, thus increasing competition, and prolonging monument construction at those recipient sites. This implies spheres of political competition in the Late Classic were small, and supports recent evidence from epigraphic sources they averaged about 50 km in diameter.
Intercalibration of LABs in Marine Sediment SRM1941a and Their Application as a Molecular Marker in Narragansett Bay Sediments

Linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) were first discharged to the environment in the early 1960s as a byproduct of linear alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) detergents. Recently there has been widespread interest in their use as markers of sewage effluent in the marine environment. However, there currently is no standard reference material that can be widely used for method development and/or quality control work by a laboratory wishing to do this type of analysis. An intercalibration study between two laboratories using marine sediment SRM1941a from the National Institute of Standards and Technology is reported. This standard was chosen because it is widely available, is homogeneous, and has certified values for many organic and inorganic components. The two laboratories used different extraction, purification, and quantification methods. Overall, agreement was good with an average relative percent difference between the laboratories of 11% for the 26 individual LAB congeners. Sediment LAB distribution in Narragansett Bay, an urban estuary that has been impacted by pollution, are reported. The concentrations of the total LABs or ΣLABs (sum of the 26 congeners) in surface sediments (0-2 cm) from throughout the bay was relatively low (median < 50 ng/g) with 8 of 41 stations having values below the detection limit (1 ng/g). In the urban rivers at the head of the bay, the Providence River, Seekonk River, and Taunton River concentrations were locally high with a few values exceeding 2000 ng/g total LABs. The I/E (internal/ external C-12 isomers) ratio, which is a measure of the degree of degradation, indicates that treated sources (i.e. sewage effluents) together with local fresh sources (e.g. combined sewer overflows and boat cleaning detergents) are major contributors of LABs to the rivers. The observed decrease in ΣLAB concentration with distance downbay suggests that most of the LABs, along with concomitant sewage particles and associated pollutants, are deposited within a few kilometers of their source. Sediment cores from a river and mid bay station both had a subsurface maximum in ΣLABs and then decreased to background concentrations corresponding to the time period before LABs were first introduced into the environment.
The oceanic zone of convergence on the eastern edge of the Pacific warm pool: A synthesis of results and implications for El Niño‐Southern Oscillation and biogeochemical phenomena

The eastern edge of the western Pacific warm pool corresponds to the separation between the warm, rainfall-induced low-salinity waters of the warm pool and the cold, high-salinity upwelled waters of the cold tongue in the central-eastern equatorial Pacific. Although not well defined in sea surface temperature (SST), this eastern edge is characterized by a sharp salinity front that is trapped to the equator. Several studies, using numerous in situ and satellite data and three classes of ocean models, indicate that this front is the result of the zonal convergence of the western and central Pacific water masses into the eastern edge of the warm pool. This occurs through the frequent encounter of the eastward jets in the warm pool and the westward South Equatorial Current in the cold tongue. The notable and alternate variations of these wind-driven zonal currents are trapped to the equator and are chiefly interannual in the vicinity of the edge. Consequently, the Eastern Warm Pool Convergence Zone (EWPCZ) is subject to eastward or westward displacements over several thousands of kilometers along the equatorial band, in synchrony with the warm phase (El Nino) and the cold phase (La Nina) of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. Zonal advection appears to be the predominant mechanism for the ENSO displacements of the eastern edge of the warm and fresh pool. The existence of the EWPCZ and its ENSO displacements have significant effects on the physics of the tropical Pacific and on related biogeochemical phenomena. The EWPCZ is important for the formation of the barrier layer in the isothermal layer of the warm pool. Its zonal displacements control SST in the central equatorial Pacific, which in turn drives the surface winds and atmospheric convection (and vice versa). Hence the central equatorial Pacific is a key region for ENSO coupled interactions. All these findings from several studies and additional analyses lead to a revision of the delayed action oscillator theory of ENSO. The existence of the EWPCZ and its zonal displacements are also reasons for the ENSO variations in production and exchange of CO2 with the atmosphere over the equatorial Pacific. The zone of one-dimensional convergence seems to congregate the world's most important tuna fishery in the western equatorial Pacific, and its displacements are likely the reason for this fishery to move zonally over thousands of kilometers in phase with ENSO.
Prediction and control of bitter pit in apples. I. Prediction based on mineral leaf composition, cropping levels and summer temperatures

SummaryEarly prediction of the probable incidence of bitter pit is required to enable growers to identify, at harvest time, fruit with a high risk of the disorder so that it may be excluded from long-term storage. Data were collected over four years from 28 orchards to investigate the factors related to its incidence. The mineral composition of leaves sampled in August was unsuitable for forecasting bitter pit, unless the fruit/leaf ratio of the tree and regularity of cropping between trees were also taken into consideration. Bitter pit in stored apples increased with the (K+Mg)/Ca ratio in leaf and fruit, and decreased with a higher fruit/leaf ratio and more regular cropping. Clear differences in the incidence of bitter pit were recorded between years, even where cation ratios and yield levels were comparable. Part of these differences could be attributed to the unfavourable effect of high temperatures in August. However, factor analysis from trials over a 15-year period failed to show any marked associa.
Mudrock‐dominated fills formed in avulsion splay channels: examples from the Willwood Formation, Wyoming

Mudrock‐dominated channel fills are common features of the fluvial Palaeogene Willwood Formation of Wyoming. These fills are small, on average 30 m wide and 3 m deep, and they vary from simple plugs to more lithologically complex fills with internal scour surfaces. Some fills preserve plant material, and others show pedogenic modification. All fills are located within metre‐thick intervals of weakly pedogenically modified mudstones that surround ribbon sandstones. The intervals have previously been attributed to channel avulsion; the fine‐grained channel fills are interpreted as crevasse‐splay feeder channels within these avulsion deposits.Variation in fill type, particularly the presence of pedogenic features, appears to be related to floodplain drainage. Possible factors that influenced drainage were basin position of the fills and Palaeogene climate fluctuations, although the role of either is not unequivocal. In general, channel fills with sombre colours and preserved plant detritus, indicating poorly drained conditions, dominate locations that were proximal to the Palaeogene basin axes. Fills that contain root traces, red and yellow‐brown matrix colours and mottling, which indicate pedogenic modification and episodic subaerial exposure of the sediment, dominate locations that were more distal to the Palaeogene basin axes. Eocene climate fluctuations, particularly episodes of global warming, may have been a secondary control on the kind of fill that developed. Mudrock‐dominated channel fills have not been described previously from ancient avulsion deposits. Their common presence in the Willwood Formation suggests that they are a typical component of avulsion belts and that similar channel fills in other stratigraphic units should be considered with regard to channel avulsion. The variety of fills observed in the Willwood Formation indicates that avulsion belt channels can experience very different fill histories. The descriptive details of fills provided here should help in their recognition elsewhere. In addition, the nature of the channel fill provides important information on ancient drainage conditions in the avulsion belt. Pedogenically modified channel fills have been recognized only rarely from the stratigraphic record. Their presence throughout the Willwood Formation suggests that they should exist in other alluvial successions and may have been overlooked previously. They indicate that periods of sediment exposure alternated with episodic influxes of water and sediment in an active avulsion belt.
Nature, Severity and Persistence of Geomorphological Damage Caused by Armed Conflict

Proxy conflicts involving local revolutionaries and external forces during the Cold War years caused major damage to the physical landscapes and soils of South East Asia. Using a series of small case studies, this paper assesses some of these impacts of war on the geodiversity of the Lao PDR, and upon some other environmental values and ecosystem services that are dependent upon physical landforms that host or facilitate them. Satellite imagery and ground‐based surveys indicate that even after nearly four decades, bomb craters remain discernible at densities that commonly exceed 200/km2 and in some cases exceed 800/km2. This landform damage also implies major loss of soil capital, full recovery from which is likely to take millennia. Very significant damage was also caused by military engineering projects. The results of this study confirm the severe, widespread and long‐term nature of the environmental damage that can be inflicted by war. They also demonstrate the potential utility of forensic geomorphology as a tool in the investigation of potential environmental war crimes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Role of Calcining and Basal Fluidization in the Long Runout of Carbonate Slides: An Example from the Heart Mountain Slide Block, Wyoming and Montana, U.S.A.

In order to understand the movement of large rock masses or allochthons on low-angle surfaces, we have studied the 3400-km2 Heart Mountain slide block of northwestern Wyoming and southwestern Montana. The Heart Mountain slide block was initiated on a 2° gradient, with its toe thrust a minimum of 45 km across an early Eocene landscape. The slide block moved on a basal layer that ranges in thickness from a few tens of centimeters to several meters. This basal layer commonly has a concrete-like appearance of rounded, mixed-lithology grains in a fine-grained carbonate matrix, and in some locations it has features similar to sedimentary deposits, including both normal and inverse grading, flow banding, turbidite-like structures, and clastic dikes containing pieces of carbonized wood. Nowhere did we observe crosscutting relationships in the basal layer or overlying clastic dikes, as would be expected from incremental or noncatastrophic emplacement. Results from cathodoluminescence and &dgr;18O, &dgr;13C, and 87Sr/86Sr isotopic compositions from the basal layer support a single movement event followed by hydrothermal and meteoric fluids percolating through a permeable basal layer. These observations suggest that a catastrophic movement on the detachment resulted in frictional heating at the base of the slide. When the generated heat was at least 800°C, calcining of carbonates occurred, yielding calcium and magnesium oxide powders and carbon dioxide gas. The calcium oxide powder became mechanically fluidized by the pressurized carbon dioxide gas, leading to a reduced coefficient of friction at the base of the slide, which in turn permitted the long runout on such a low-angle surface. This mechanism might be applied to explain a wide range of catastrophic sliding events where carbonate rocks are involved.
Monthly spherical harmonic gravity field solutions determined from GRACE inter‐satellite range‐rate data alone

New monthly estimates of the Earth's gravity field determined solely from GRACE inter‐satellite range‐rate measurements using an improved method of accelerometer calibration and the use of a baseline state parameterization are presented in this paper. Our methodology exploits the inherent power of the inter‐satellite range‐rate data at the expense of the GPS data, which are used solely for establishing an accurate orbital reference and for calibrating accelerometers. Resulting gravity solutions show significantly less error than previously published GRACE solutions, especially for spherical harmonic terms of degree 2 and terms of order 15,16.
Detailed mass spectrometric U-series analyses of two teeth from the archaeological site of Pech de l'Aze II : Implications for uranium migration and dating

Abstract We report Th/U ages obtained by thermal ionization mass spectrometry of cross-sections of two teeth from the archaeological site of Pech de l'Aze II. The aim of this study is to reconstruct the pathways and time dependency of uranium uptake into different constituents of the two teeth. A previous ESR dating study of the two teeth yielded age estimates in the range of about 130,000 to 200,000 years, which was in agreement with the geological assignment of Riss for layers from which the specimens were recovered. The closed system U-series ages of all analyses range from 48 to 137 ka, thus yielding age-estimates which are between 30 and 90 ka too young. The apparent closed system U-series ages of the dentine and cement fractions at the top of the teeth are the oldest, becoming gradually younger towards the interior of the two teeth. The difference between apparent U-series ages of dentine at the outer and inner parts of the two teeth is about 35 ka. The enamel sections show the same patterns in U concentration and progression of apparent Th/U ages as the adjacent dentine samples, but with generally younger ages. Our results indicate that uranium migrates both from the top and the base into the dentine of the teeth and from there into the adjacent enamel. Depending on the position of the sample, significant uranium uptake appears to have taken place over many tens of thousands of years. Modelling the U-uptake histories using a parametric model shows that, for the cement and dentine components, uptake is intermediate between linear uptake (LU) and early uptake (EU=closed system). The enamel, although often assumed to approximate more closely a closed system, shows evidence of more recent U uptake. These results also imply that it is not possible to use a simple, single parameter U-uptake model for all components of a given tooth, either for U-series or ESR dating.
Coupled ocean‐atmosphere response to Indian Ocean warmth

The coupled ocean‐atmosphere response to Indian Ocean warmth is studied. It is shown with atmospheric models that Indian Ocean warmth forces a positive polarity phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), confirming results of previous studies. Coupled model experiments show that this NAO response forces a local air‐sea feedback over the North Atlantic Ocean, which intensifies the NAO response. This enhancement is realized through a positive feedback between the NAO atmospheric circulation anomaly and a tripolar North Atlantic SST pattern, consistent with other studies on North Atlantic air‐sea interactions. It is concluded that the North Atlantic and European climate response to Indian Ocean warming may be considerably greater than hitherto judged from the analyses of atmospheric model experiments alone.
Comparison of Lateral Cephalometry and Cone-beam Computed Tomography Techniques for Measuring Alveolar Bone Thickness around Maxillary Incisors

Abstract Purpose: It is valuable to detect whether bone thickness measurements performed on lateral cephalograms re ﬂ ect the values obtained from three-dimensional images. The present study compared lateral cephalometry and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) for evaluating alveolar bone thickness surrounding maxillary central incisors. Methods: The study included the records of 55 patients who had both lateral cephalograms and CBCT scans of the maxilla. In cephalograms, the alveolar bone thickness was measured at the crestal, middle, and apical levels of maxillary incisors at the buccal and lingual sides. Bone thickness was also measured at the corresponding points on CBCT images, and the data were compared by paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. The correlation between the two techniques was determined. Results: The buccal bone thickness was signi ﬁ cantly greater in cephalometry than CBCT at the middle and apical root areas (P < 0.05). There was no signi ﬁ cant difference in the thickness of buccal alveolar bone at the crest, and lingual alveolar bone at all root levels between the two techniques (P < 0.05). A strong to very strong correlation was observed between the two techniques for measuring bone thickness on the palatal side (P < 0.001), but no signi ﬁ cant correlation was found at the buccal side of the middle and apical root areas (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Maxillary bone thickness values are overestimated in 2-dimensional as compared to 3-dimensional im-ages. Lateral cephalometry provides bone thickness measurements that are highly correlated with the actual values obtained from the CBCT examination at the palatal side, but it is not reliable for buccal bone assessments.
SUBAUDIBLE NOISE DURING COMPRESSION OF ROCKS

Acoustical monitoring of rock specimens during cyclic compression tests has allowed recognition of similar patterns of behavior for dissimilar types of rock. During first loading of sandstone and quartz diorite cylinders, oscillations in the audio-frequency range emanate from the specimens throughout the test. Upon repetition of loading, the number of sonic disturbances decreases. However up to 60 per cent of the initial high rate of sonic activity during compression is recovered by the rock after a period of rest. After several cycles of loading, the attainment of particular levels of stress is consistently accompanied by sonic disturbances.
Microbiotic crusts as biomarkers for surface stability and wetness duration in the Negev Desert

Microbiotic crusts play an important role in arid and semi‐arid regions. Yet, very little information exists regarding the factors that impact their development. In an attempt to assess the main factors that may determine their growth, measurements of the amount of fines (silt and clay), rain, moisture content, wetness duration and wind erosion and deposition were carried out along a 12 station transect within a partially crusted dune field in the western Negev Desert and compared to the crust cover and chlorophyll content. Surface stability was the only variable that exhibited significant relationship with crust cover while daylight wetness duration exhibited strong positive relationship (r2 = 0·92–0·99) with the crust's chlorophyll content. The data point out that microbiotic crusts may serve as a useful biomarker for surface stability. While wetness duration and wind will control crust cover and the crust chlorophyll content in semi‐stable habitats (with absolute annual change in sand level of 2–3 mm), stable habitats (absolute change <1 mm) will be controlled primarily by moisture, while habitats with low surface stability (absolute change of tens and hundreds of millimeters) will be primarily controlled by wind. Furthermore, owing to the strong positive relationship between daylight wetness duration and the crust's chlorophyll content, the crust may serve as a useful biomarker for the quantification of surface wetness duration. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Safety and Efficacy of Uninterrupted Oral Anticoagulation in Patients Undergoing Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation with Different Techniques

Background. The safety and efficacy of an uninterrupted direct anticoagulation (DOAC) strategy during catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) has not been fully investigated with different ablation techniques. Methods. We evaluated consecutive AF patients undergoing catheter ablation with three different techniques. All patients were managed with an uninterrupted DOAC strategy. The primary endpoint was the rate of periprocedural thromboembolic and bleeding events. The secondary endpoints of the study were the rate of MACE and bleeding events at one-year follow-up. Results. In total, 162 patients were enrolled. Overall, 53 were female and the median age was 60 [55.5–69.5] years. The median CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were 2 [1–4] and 2 [1–2], respectively. In total, 16 patients had a past stroke or TIA while 11 had a predisposition or a history of bleeding. The CA procedure was performed with different techniques: RF 43%, cryoballoon 37%, or laser–balloon 20%. Overall, 35.8% were on rivaroxaban, 20.4% were on edoxaban, 6.8% were on apixaban, and 3.7% were on dabigatran. All other patients were all naïve to DOACs; the first anticoagulant dose was given before the ablation procedure. As for periprocedural complications, we found three groin hematomas not requiring interventions, one ischemic stroke, and one systemic air embolism (the last two likely due to several catheter changes through the transeptal sheath). Five patients reached the secondary endpoints: one patient for a myocardial infarction while four patients experienced minor bleeding during 1-year follow-up. Conclusions. Our results corroborate the safety and the efficacy of uninterrupted DOAC strategy in patients undergoing CA for AF, regardless of the ablation technique.