Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New Directions for Top-Down Modelling: Introducing the PUB Top-Down Modelling Working Group.

There are two distinct approaches that can be taken when developing a new hydrological (or perhaps any) mathematical model. One can either take a “top-down” approach, or a “bottom-up” approach. Before describing the approach which will be taken by the new PUB Top-Down Modelling Working Group (TDWG), a definition is required for topdown modelling, and the ways in which it differs from bottom-up modelling. Most importantly, the top-down approach is data-based. That is, it involves learning about catchment functioning and deriving a model structure from the available data. In addition, model refinement is carried out through incorporating new processes only where the observed data supports such refinements in the model structure. Conversely, the bottom-up approach focuses on developing complex models describing small-scale processes operating in a catchment without consideration of the hydrological processes operating at the catchment scale. These small-scale processes are then up-scaled in an attempt to reproduce the hydrological response of the catchment as a whole. Unfortunately, processes which may be dominant at one scale may be much less important or even irrelevant at another scale. Indeed, the hypothesis that at the whole-catchment scale, much of the complexity needed to model hydrological response at finer scales is unnecessary is a fundamental tenet of topdown modelling. Much has recently been written about the top-down approach in the literature, and the interested reader is referred to the special issue of Hydrological Processes vol. 17(11) (2003), for more detail. In addition, papers by Littlewood et al. (2003), Sivapalan et al. (2003a,b), and Sivapalan & Young (2005) provide ample descriptions of the top-down approach and the ways in which it differs from the bottom-up approach. The purpose of this short chapter is to introduce the Top-Down Modelling Working Group (TDWG) which has been formed under the IAHS Predictions in Ungauged Basins (PUB) umbrella and to describe some of the approaches that will hopefully lead to progress in achieving some of the fundamental aims of PUB.
The water content of CM carbonaceous chondrite falls and finds, and their susceptibility to terrestrial contamination

CM carbonaceous chondrites can be used to constrain the abundance and H isotopic composition of water and OH in C‐complex asteroids. Previous measurements of the water/OH content of the CMs are at the higher end of the compositional range of asteroids as determined by remote sensing. One possible explanation is that the indigenous water/OH content of meteorites has been overestimated due to contamination during their time on Earth. Here we have sought to better understand the magnitude and rate of terrestrial contamination through quantifying the concentration and H isotopic composition of telluric and indigenous water in CM falls by stepwise pyrolysis. These measurements have been integrated with published pyrolysis data from CM falls and finds. Once exposed to Earth's atmosphere CM falls are contaminated rapidly, with some acquiring weight percent concentrations of water within days. The amount of water added does not progressively increase with time because CM falls have a similar range of adsorbed water contents to finds. Instead, the petrologic types of CMs strongly influence the amount of terrestrial water that they can acquire. This relationship is probably controlled by mineralogical and/or petrophysical properties of the meteorites that affect their hygroscopicity. Irrespective of the quantity of water that a sample adsorbs or its terrestrial age, there is minimal exchange of H in indigenous phyllosilicates with the terrestrial environment. The falls and finds discussed here contain 1.9–10.5 wt% indigenous water (average 7.0 wt%) that is consistent with recent measurements of C‐complex asteroids including Bennu.
Epidemiology and transmission of hepatitis A in Shaanxi (western China) after more than ten years of universal vaccination

Background Hepatitis A (HepA) vaccination and economic factors can change the epidemiology of HepA. In China, the implementation of free vaccination for children under 1.5 years of age in 2008 has resulted in a decline in the overall incidence of HepA. Nevertheless, further investigation is required to comprehensively understand the epidemiological patterns of HepA in economically disadvantaged regions of China. Method In this study, we evaluated the incidence, seroprevalence, and transmission characteristics of HepA in Shaanxi with less economically developed. We obtained data on reported cases of HepA from 2005 to 2020. Blood samples from 1,559 individuals aged 0 to 60 years were tested for anti-hepatitis A (HAV) antibodies. A questionnaire survey and blood sample collection were conducted in two sentinel sites from 2019 to 2021. Result Between 2008 to 2020, the number of reported cases of HepA decreased from 3.44/100,000 person-years to 0.65/100,000 person-years, indicating an 81.1% decrease, which was particularly pronounced among younger age groups (0–19 years). From 2015–2020, infections were more likely to occur in people in their 40s and those over the age of 60. Farmers were still the most common occupation of HepA in the last decade. The results of the serological investigation showed the highest anti-HAV seroprevalence was observed in adults aged 39–60 years (94.6%) and those aged 28–38 years (87.8%). The 10–15 years group had the lowest seroprevalence at 49.3%. During the study period, a total of 22 cases were reported by sentinel sites, but the common risk factors (like raw food exposure, travel history, and closed contact with patients) were not identified. Conclusion Given the greater severity of illness in the adult population and the ambiguous transmission routine, enhanced surveillance for HepA and evaluations that identify feasible approaches to mitigate the risk of HAV transmission are urgent priorities.
Effects of Cationic and Anionic Surfaces on the Perpendicular and Lateral Forces and Binding of Aspergillus niger Conidia

The binding of conidia to surfaces is a prerequisite for biofouling by fungal species. In this study, Aspergillus niger subtypes 1957 and 1988 were used which produced differently shaped conidia (round or spikey respectively). Test surfaces were characterised for their surface topography, wettability, and hardness. Conidial assays included perpendicular and lateral force measurements, as well as attachment, adhesion and retention assays. Anionic surfaces were less rough (Ra 2.4 nm), less wettable (54°) and harder (0.72 GPa) than cationic surfaces (Ra 5.4 nm, 36° and 0.5 GPa, respectively). Perpendicular and lateral force assays demonstrated that both types of conidia adhered with more force to the anionic surfaces and were influenced by surface wettability. Following the binding assays, fewer A. niger 1957 and A. niger 1988 conidia bound to the anionic surface. However, surface wettability affected the density and dispersion of the conidia on the coatings, whilst clustering was affected by their spore shapes. This work demonstrated that anionic surfaces were more repulsive to A. niger 1998 spores than cationic surfaces were, but once attached, the conidia bound more firmly to the anionic surfaces. This work informs on the importance of understanding how conidia become tightly bound to surfaces, which can be used to prevent biofouling.
Is Airborne 2,4,6-Trichloroanisole (TCA) a Threat for Bottled Wine?

Background and Aims. This work investigated the TCA permeability of twelve types of commercial bottle closures during 24 months of bottle storage in the d5-TCA-contaminated atmosphere: medium pollution (max. ∼50 ng/L of d5-TCA in the air) and high pollution (max. ∼500 ng/L of d5-TCA in the air). Methods and Results. The d5-TCA content of wine samples and bottle closures was monitored by GC-MS analysis, and the closures of one group (comprising natural corks, agglomerated stoppers, and BVS Tin Saran™ screw caps) were found to be excellent barriers against airborne d5-TCA, i.e., no contaminant was detected in wine under any storage conditions. In contrast, a second group of closures (synthetic stoppers with low OTR, BVS Saranex™, and plastic body screw caps) allowed permeation of d5-TCA, polluting the wine when air contamination was high, albeit no d5-TCA was detected in wines following storage under medium air contamination conditions. A third group of closures (synthetic stoppers with medium and medium + OTR, MCA screw caps, and glass stoppers) allowed d5-TCA to accumulate in wine under both medium and high contamination environments. Conclusions. Some commercial bottle closures were found to permeate airborne d5-TCA, thereby contaminating bottled wine under certain storage conditions. Significance of the Study. This work provides the wine industry with insight into the potential for postbottling contamination of wine by airborne TCA.
Mechanical Properties of Cross Section of Lower Limb Long Bones in Jomon Man

The cross sections at the mid-length of the Jomon lower limb bones, that is, the femur, the tibia and the fibula, were measured to obtain their geometric and mechanical properties, such as the cross-sectional area and the moment of inertia of area. The Jomon bones were compared with those of the recent Japanese which were reported already. The cross section of the Jomon bones resisted strongly against the bending moment in the anteroposterior direction without changing greatly the volume of the bone substance. The flatness and the robusticity of the bone were discussed in regard to the difference between the measurements from the outside and from the distribution of the substance inside the bone. The importance of the inside measurement was pointed out.
EEG-Based Target Detection Using an RSVP Paradigm under Five Levels of Weak Hidden Conditions

Although target detection based on electroencephalogram (EEG) signals has been extensively investigated recently, EEG-based target detection under weak hidden conditions remains a problem. In this paper, we proposed a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm for target detection corresponding to five levels of weak hidden conditions quantitively based on the RGB color space. Eighteen subjects participated in the experiment, and the neural signatures, including P300 amplitude and latency, were investigated. Detection performance was evaluated under five levels of weak hidden conditions using the linear discrimination analysis and support vector machine classifiers on different channel sets. The experimental results showed that, compared with the benchmark condition, (1) the P300 amplitude significantly decreased (8.92 ± 1.24 μV versus 7.84 ± 1.40 μV, p = 0.021) and latency was significantly prolonged (582.39 ± 25.02 ms versus 643.83 ± 26.16 ms, p = 0.028) only under the weakest hidden condition, and (2) the detection accuracy decreased by less than 2% (75.04 ± 3.24% versus 73.35 ± 3.15%, p = 0.029) with a more than 90% reduction in channel number (62 channels versus 6 channels), determined using the proposed channel selection method under the weakest hidden condition. Our study can provide new insights into target detection under weak hidden conditions based on EEG signals with a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm. In addition, it may expand the application of brain–computer interfaces in EEG-based target detection areas.
Toward physically realistic vision in teleoperation: A user study with light‐field head mounted display and 6‐DoF head motion

Besides haptics, the visual channel provides the most essential feedback to the operator in teleoperation setups. For optimal performance, the view on the remote scene must provide 3D information, be sharp, and of high resolution. Head‐mounted displays (HMD) are applied to improve the immersion of the operator into the remote environment. Still, so far, no near‐eye display technology was available that provides a natural view on objects within the typical manipulation distance (up to 1.2 m). The main limitation is a mismatch of the 3D distance and the focal distance of the visualized objects (vergence‐accommodation conflict) in displays with fixed focal distance. This conflict potentially leads to eye strain after extended use. Here, we apply a light‐field HMD providing close‐to‐continuous depth information to the user, thus avoiding the vergence‐accommodation conflict. Furthermore, we apply a time‐of‐flight sensor to generate a 2.5D environment model. The displayed content is processed with image‐based rendering allowing a 6 degree‐of‐freedom head motion in the visualized scene. The main objective of the presented study is evaluating the effects of view perspective and light‐field on performance and workload in a teleoperation setup. The reduction of visual effort for the user is confirmed in an abstract depth‐matching task.
Trust in the police and affective evaluation of police faces: a preliminary study

Introduction A study was conducted to investigate if an individual’s trust in law enforcement affects their perception of the emotional facial expressions displayed by police officers. Methods The study invited 77 participants to rate the valence of 360 face images. Images featured individuals without headgear (condition 1), or with a baseball cap (condition 2) or police hat (condition 3) digitally added to the original photograph. The images were balanced across sex, race/ethnicity (Asian, African American, Latine, and Caucasian), and facial expression (Happy, Neutral, and Angry). After rating the facial expressions, respondents completed a survey about their attitudes toward the police. Results The results showed that, on average, valence ratings for “Angry” faces were similar across all experimental conditions. However, a closer examination revealed that faces with police hats were perceived as angrier compared to the control conditions (those with no hat and those with a baseball cap) by individuals who held negative views of the police. Conversely, participants with positive attitudes toward the police perceived faces with police hats as less angry compared to the control condition. This correlation was highly significant for angry faces (p < 0.01), and stronger in response to male faces compared to female faces but was not significant for neutral or happy faces. Discussion The study emphasizes the substantial role of attitudes in shaping social perception, particularly within the context of law enforcement.
Improved Basic Locomotor Movements of Children through the Multiple Intelligence-Based Perceptual Motor Activity Model

Kindergarten is a period of basic movement development. Basic locomotor movements are the basis of various skills that require training and guidance that will be able to develop in the child so that the child can perform well. This study aimed to determine the improvement of basic locomotor movements of kindergarten children through motor perception activities based on multiple intelligence. This research is pre-experimental research, with a one-group pre-test and post-test design. The subjects of this research were 2kindergarten’s students. The research instrument used the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) from Ulrich (2000). Data analysis used the t-test, by comparing the average pre-test results with the average post-test results. The results of the research on basic locomotor movements, which include: run, gallop, hop, leap, horizontal jump, and slide, show the value of sig. 0.000 0.05 and there was an increase in the post-test mean of each basic locomotor movement. The application of the model of perceptual motor activity based on multiple intelligences can improve basic locomotor movements, so kindergarten teachers can apply the model of perceptual motor activity based on multiple intelligences to improve basic locomotor movements.
Shear‐Enhanced Electrical Conductivity of Synthetic Quartz‐Graphite Gouges: Implications for Electromagnetic Observations in Carbonaceous Shear Zones

Graphite is considered as a material that promotes fault weakening and electrical conductivity (σ) enhancement at fault zones. We studied how shear deformation may affect the evolution of friction and electrical conductivity of synthetic quartz (Qz)‐graphite (Gr) mixtures and, more importantly, whether the σ of the mixtures present visible changes at the beginning of the simulated fault slip. Long‐displacement friction experiments were performed on 1.2–2.3 mm‐thick gouge specimens of varied Gr volume fraction (XGr = 0–100 vol.%) under identical normal stress (2 or 5 MPa), slip rate (∼1.0 mm/s), and N2‐flushing conditions. The experimental results suggested that the σ of the specimens with ≥4.6 vol.% XGr abruptly increased under limited shear displacement. With continued shear, the steady‐state electrical conductivity (σss) increased by more than seven orders of magnitude when XGr > 3.4 vol.%, while the steady‐state frictional coefficient remained high (0.54–0.80) except for the specimens with XGr > 13.6 vol.%. The post‐mortem microstructures revealed that the high σss observed in the intermediate Gr content specimens (3.4–13.6 vol.%) is associated with an ad‐hoc fabric (graphite–cortex clasts) present in the principal slip zone. For high Gr content, excess Gr flakes fill the pores and help develop mechanically lubricated surfaces. We propose that low Gr content (i.e., as low as 3.4 vol.%) can cause high conductivity anomalies in natural shear zones. Overall, the findings suggest that the initiation of slips within carbonaceous shear zones can be detected by identifying unusual temporal signals using electromagnetic stations.
Dual RNA-Seq Analysis Pinpoints a Balanced Regulation between Symbiosis and Immunity in Medicago truncatula-Sinorhizobium meliloti Symbiotic Nodules

Legume–rhizobial symbiosis initiates the formation of root nodules, within which rhizobia reside and differentiate into bacteroids to convert nitrogen into ammonium, facilitating plant growth. This process raises a fundamental question: how is plant immunity modulated within nodules when exposed to a substantial number of foreign bacteria? In Medicago truncatula, a mutation in the NAD1 (Nodules with Activated Defense 1) gene exclusively results in the formation of necrotic nodules combined with activated immunity, underscoring the critical role of NAD1 in suppressing immunity within nodules. In this study, we employed a dual RNA-seq transcriptomic technology to comprehensively analyze gene expression from both hosts and symbionts in the nad1-1 mutant nodules at different developmental stages (6 dpi and 10 dpi). We identified 89 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to symbiotic nitrogen fixation and 89 DEGs from M. truncatula associated with immunity in the nad1-1 nodules. Concurrently, we identified 27 rhizobial DEGs in the fix and nif genes of Sinorhizobium meliloti. Furthermore, we identified 56 DEGs from S. meliloti that are related to stress responses to ROS and NO. Our analyses of nitrogen fixation-defective plant nad1-1 mutants with overactivated defenses suggest that the host employs plant immunity to regulate the substantial bacterial colonization in nodules. These findings shed light on the role of NAD1 in inhibiting the plant’s immune response to maintain numerous rhizobial endosymbiosis in nodules.
Effectiveness and implementation costs of overland skid trail closure techniques in the Virginia Piedmont

Soil erosion is influenced by factors such as soil properties, slope, ground cover, climatic conditions, and forest management activities, including skid trails. Skid trails typically represent 2% to 10% of a timber harvest's area; therefore, the potential to negatively affect site productivity and water quality as a result of harvesting is of concern. Soil erosion can reduce site nutrient reserves and increase sedimentation of nearby streams. Forestry best management practices (BMPs) are designed to provide effective techniques for maintaining environmental stability. Although BMPs are widely implemented, few data exist regarding the efficacy and costs of different BMP options for skid trail closure. The study objectives were to evaluate erosion control effectiveness and implementation costs of five overland skid trail closure techniques. The closure techniques were (1) waterbar only (Control), (2) waterbar plus seed (Seed), (3) waterbar plus seed and mulch (Mulch), (4) waterbar plus hardwood slash (Hardwood), and (5) waterbar plus pine slash (Pine). Each treatment was installed following harvesting and replicated on four trails to provide twenty experimental erosion plots. Geotextile sediment traps (Dirtbags) were used to filter skid trail sediment. Accumulated sediments were weighed monthly for one year, and erosion rates were determined for each treatment. Two commonly used erosion models, Universal Soil Loss Equation as modified for forests (USLE-Forest) and Water Erosion Prediction Project for Forest Roads (WEPP-Roads), were also applied to each treatment. Sediment collected from traps indicated that the Mulch treatment was the most effective for reducing erosion (3.29 Mg ha−1 y−1 [1.47 tn ac−1 yr−1]), followed by Hardwood (5.08 Mg ha−1 y−1 [2.27 tn ac−1 yr−1]), Pine (5.40 Mg ha−1 y−1 [2.41 tn ac−1 yr−1]), Seed (13.57 Mg ha−1 y−1 [6.06 tn ac−1 yr−1]), and Control (24.24 Mg ha−1 y−1 [10.82 tn ac−1 yr−1]). Overall, WEPP-Roads estimates were more similar to measured erosion than USLE-Forest estimates, but both models generally agreed with actual erosion trends. The Seed treatment was the least expensive beyond waterbars alone, but it was only moderately effective at limiting erosion. Incorporating slash dispersal and compaction onto overland skid trails during harvesting activities may be the best option for reducing BMP costs and long term soil stability on disturbed soils associated with log skidding.
The impact of conservation agriculture on food security in three low veldt districts of Zimbabwe.

Conservation agriculture (CA) is not a new technology and there is extensive literature on the agronomic, economical and environmental benefits of CA, however the impact of CA on the livelihoods and food security of smallholder farmers has largely been assumed. This paper presents results from evaluations of Concern Worldwide’s CA programme in three semi-arid districts of Zimbabwe to demonstrate the impact that CA has made on food security at household and village levels. For substantial and equitable progress towards food security, increased attention to and investment in agricultural development is required, with a focus on poverty reduction, mitigated global warming emissions, resilience to the effects of climate change and the rights and education of women farmers. Based on both agronomic and livelihoods research, investment in CA by both national governments and donors has the potential to meet these conditions, and so contribute towards rural poverty reduction and an increase in food supply, while at the same time maintaining or improving soil fertility and providing a range of environmental goods and services.