Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Debris flows as a factor of hillslope evolution controlled by a continuous or a pulse process?

Abstract Flood effectiveness observations imply that two families of processes describe the formation of debris flow volume. One is related to the rainfall–erosion relationship, and can be seen as a gradual process, and one is related to additional geological/geotechnical events, those named hereafter extraordinary events. In order to discuss the hypothesis of coexistence of two modes of volume formation, some methodologies are applied. Firstly, classical approaches consisting in relating volume to catchments characteristics are considered. These approaches raise questions about the quality of the data rather than providing answers concerning the controlling processes. Secondly, we consider statistical approaches (cumulative number of events distribution and cluster analysis) and these suggest the possibility of having two distinct families of processes. However the quantitative evaluation of the threshold differs from the one that could be obtained from the first approach, but they all agree in the sense of the coexistence of two families of events. Thirdly, a conceptual model is built exploring how and why debris flow volume in alpine catchments changes with time. Depending on the initial condition (sediment production), the model shows that large debris flows (i.e. with important volume) are observed in the beginning period, before a steady-state is reached. During this second period debris flow volume such as is observed in the beginning period is not observed again. Integrating the results of the three approaches, two case studies are presented showing: (1) the possibility to observe in a catchment large volumes that will never happen again due to a drastic decrease in the sediment availability, supporting its difference from gradual erosion processes; (2) that following a rejuvenation of the sediment storage (by a rock avalanche) the magnitude–frequency relationship of a torrent can be differentiated into two phases, the beginning one with large and frequent debris flow and a later one with debris flow less intense and frequent, supporting the results of the conceptual model. Although the results obtained cannot identify a clear threshold between the two families of processes, they show that some debris flows can be seen as pulse of sediment differing from that expected from gradual erosion.
TOPLESS co-repressor interactions and their evolutionary conservation in plants

Large-scale protein-protein interaction studies recently demonstrated that the Arabidopsis TPL/TPR family of transcriptional co-repressors is involved in a broad range of developmental processes. TPL/TPRs predominantly interact with transcription factors that contain repression domain (RD) sequences. Interestingly, RDs reported in the literature are quite diverse in sequence, yet TPL/TPRs interact with proteins containing all of the known motifs. These data lead us to conclude that the TPL/TPRs act as general repressors of gene transcription in plants. To investigate this further, we examined interactions between TPL/TPR proteins encoded by the moss Physcomitrella patens genome and components of the auxin signaling pathway. As in Arabidopsis, moss TPL proteins interact with AUX/IAA and ARF proteins, suggesting that they act in both forms of ARF-mediated transcriptional repression. These data suggest that the involvement of TPL in auxin signaling has been conserved across evolution, since mosses and angiosperms diverged approximately 450 million years ago.
Late Oligocene-Miocene sedimentary evolution of the critical Alps/Apennines junction: the Monferrato area. Northwestern Italy

The Monferrato is a key area of the Alps-Apennine junction. It consists of a Tertiary succession, resting on Apennine-related units, in turn overridden by the Alpine basement. The superficial expression of this crustal discontinuity is the Rio Freddo deformation zone, separating the Alpine-related Torino hill domain from the Monferrato. Stratigraphic analyses allow the recognition of different fault-bounded Oligo-Miocene successions, interpreted as tectonostratigraphic units. Some of these corresponded to high-standing blocks, others to subsiding basins. The facies distribution reflects a transpressional tectonic regime. In this general framework of wrench tectonics, sedimentation was influenced by palaeoceanographic factors during the early and latest Burdigalian, while tectonics played the dominant role during the Aquitanian and the late Burdigalian. The uniform extent and the unconformable basal boundary of the Langhian deposits suggest that the different tectonostratigraphic units presently composing the Monferrato area were in place by Langhian times.
Palaeomagnetic Studies in the British Caledonides—I Igneous Rocks of the Builth Wells-Llandridnod Wells Ordovician Inlier, Radnorshire, Wales

Summary Comprehensive sampling of intrusive and extrusive volcanic rocks in Radnorshire, Wales (52.1" N, 3.3" W) leads to two new estimates of Ordovician palaeomagnetic field directions. The mean direction of magnetization for the Builth Volcanic Series of Upper Llanvirn age is B = 177", f = +39" (ag5 = 8.9") based on 15 sites. In minor basic intrusions of early Ashgillian age two mutually antiparallel groups of three sites yield a mean direction irrespective of polarity of D = 174", I' = +55" (ag5 = 11.2") which is regarded as a best estimate although results from five other statistically significant sites have to be explained as transitional during polarity change or disregarded as anomalous. The polarity transition recorded in the intrusives is likely to be R+N as inferred from the probable sequence of intrusion. All results are presented after magnetic cleaning and correction for the regional westward tilt of the inlier. Supporting thermal demagnetization data are presented. Small scale folding in the vicinity of the Welfield intrusion is shown to have originated as part of the intrusion process, and the data are compatible with the postulate that the Welfield intrusion is laccolithic. Pole positions from the volcanics and intrusives are respectively 359"E, 16" S (d$ = 6", dX = 11") and 2"E, 2" S (d$ = ll", dX = 16"). The results are significantly different at the 95 per cent confidence level but discussion of this difference is deferred to Paper VI.
Climatology of upward propagating diurnal and semidiurnal tides in the thermosphere

[1] A major challenge in delineating and understanding the “space weather” of the ionosphere-thermosphere system is the lack of global tidal observations in the 120–400 km “thermospheric gap” between satellite remote-sensing and in-situ tidal diagnostics. This paper aims to close this gap by presenting an observation-based Climatological Tidal Model of the Thermosphere (CTMT) of self-consistent upward propagating migrating and nonmigrating diurnal and semidiurnal tides from 80–400 km and pole-to-pole for moderate (F10.7 = 110 sfu) solar flux conditions. CTMT includes the 6 (8) most important diurnal (semidiurnal) tidal components for temperature, density, and zonal, meridional and vertical winds and is based on Hough Mode Extension fits to 2002–2008 mean TIMED satellite tidal diagnostics in the mesosphere/lower thermosphere (MLT). Validation with independent 2002–2008 CHAMP tidal diagnostics (F10.7 = 105 sfu) around 400 km proves that the approach captures nonmigrating tides well, indicating that these waves propagate directly upward without significant tidal forcing occurring in the thermosphere. Notable exceptions are the DW2 and D0 components that are most likely generated in-situ by nonlinear interaction forcing in the upper thermosphere. CTMT is suitable for driving upper atmosphere models that require self-consistent tidal fields in the MLT region as a lower boundary condition. It does not include migrating tides due to in-situ EUV absorption in the upper thermosphere but allows us to quantitatively assess thermospheric variability due to tides from the lower atmosphere. This is done by discussing longitude/latitude maps of reconstructed diurnal and semidiurnal tidal variations as function of altitude and local time.
Uppermost Lower Cambrian biostratigraphy in Scania, Sweden

Abstract The Lower Cambrian strata above the Rispebjerg Sandstone in Scania (Skane), southern Sweden are briefly described and the term Gislov Formation is introduced for them. The vertical distribution of the faunal elements is described for the first time. Holmia sulcata, a member of the Holmia kjerulfi group, and Proampyx cf. linnarssoni are taken to indicate the presence of the Holmia kjerulfi-group Zone and the Proampyx linnarssoni Zone. The correlation is discussed, inter alia on the basis of a specimen which may belong to Calodiscus lobatus. Ellipsocephalus lunatus n.sp. is described.
Effects of interfacial energy on compaction creep by intergranular pressure solution: Theory versus experiments on a rock analog (NaNO3)

Groundwater systems are increasingly used for seasonal aquifer thermal energy storage (SATES) for periodic heating and cooling of buildings. Its use is hampered in contaminated aquifers because of the potential environmental risks associated with the spreading of contaminated groundwater, but positive side effects, such as enhanced contaminant remediation, might also occur. A first reactive transport study is presented to assess the effect of SATES on the fate of chlorinated solvents by means of scenario modeling, with emphasis on the effects of transient SATES pumping and applicable kinetic degradation regime. Temperature effects on physical, chemical, and biological reactions were excluded as calculations and initial simulations showed that the small temperature range commonly involved (ΔT < 15 °C) only caused minor effects. The results show that a significant decrease of the contaminant mass and (eventually) plume volume occurs when degradation is described as sediment-limited with a constant rate in space and time, provided that dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) is absent. However, in the presence of DNAPL dissolution, particularly when the dissolved contaminant reaches SATES wells, a considerably larger contaminant plume is created, depending on the balance between DNAPL dissolution and mass removal by degradation. Under conditions where degradation is contaminant-limited and degradation rates depend on contaminant concentrations in the aquifer, a SATES system does not result in enhanced remediation of a contaminant plume. Although field data are lacking and existing regulatory constraints do not yet permit the application of SATES in contaminated aquifers, reactive transport modeling provides a means of assessing the risks of SATES application in contaminated aquifers. The results from this study are considered to be a first step in identifying the subsurface conditions under which SATES can be applied in a safe or even beneficial manner.
Avian diversity and its association with vegetation structure in different elevational zones of Nainital district (Western Himalayan) of Uttarakhand

Avian diversity was studied in the Nainital district of Uttarakhand, India at different elevations. A total of 174 bird species belonging to 38 families were identified along with the elevational zone of forest habitats. We sampled in different elevational forest habitats to understand the vegetation structure and its effect on avian community. Field studies were conducted during January 2006 to January 2008. Results illustrate that bird community value in terms of species richness (7.74) and species diversity (3.68) was higher at mid elevation (1450 to 1700 m asl). Avian species diversity and richness were positively correlated (r = 0.21, 0.78, 0.22, 0.95, 47, 92, 0.95 and 0.83) with the plant species diversity (BSD versus PSD, r = 0.95 and BSR versus PSD, r = 0.83) and foliage height diversity (BSR versus FHD, r = 0.78 and BSR versus FHD, r = 0.92). It is suggested that vegetation structure of the habitat seems to be one of the key features which influence the avian species at local level. Key words: Avian diversity, vegetation association, elevation zone, Nainital district, bird species diversity.
Precise 40Ar/39Ar age for the initiation of Palaeogene volcanism in the Inner Hebrides and its regional significance

Sanidine crystals from two tuff layers at the base of the Palaeocene Eigg Lava Formation on the Isle of Muck, Inner Hebrides, yield step-wise Ar release plateau ages of 62.8 ± 0.6 (2 σ) and 62.4 ±0.6 Ma using the laser 40Ar/39Ar dating technique. These determinations, which are in accord with, but significantly more precise than earlier results, provide a definitive age for the inception of igneous activity in the Small Isles. From stratigraphical inferences, the Muck ages provide precise, maximum constraints on the possible age of Skye magmatism and possibly most of the British Tertiary Volcanic Province. The new ages significantly predate the oldest ages determined so far for Tertiary magmatism in NE Greenland but are similar to ages obtained from W Greenland and offshore SE Greenland and support the concept that the initiation of regional volcanism was primarily controlled by lithospheric thin spots. The Muck sanidine age appears to precisely date the first manifestation of the impingement of the Iceland mantle plume on the lithosphere beneath NW Scotland.
Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes in Suspended Particles and Colloids, Chesapeake and San Francisco Estuaries, U.S.A.

Abstract Chesapeake and San Francisco Bays, U.S.A. , are both river dominated, temperate estuaries. The organic carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of the suspended particles (≥0·4 μm), however, show major differences for nitrogen and minor differences for carbon. In northern San Francisco Bay, the carbon isotope values averaged −26·2±0·2‰ δ13C for suspended particles, and for Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, the average was −24·3±3·2‰. The nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N) of suspended particles in northern San Francisco Bay in late summer were +0·9±0·4‰, probably reflecting a nitrogen component from agricultural runoff. The values for Chesapeake Bay, and its subestuary, the Potomac River averaged +7·7±3·1‰, with the highest values occurring during summer when the primary source of nitrogen originated from remineralized organic material. Carbon and nitrogen isotope values for colloids (≤0·4 μm) were 8·2±1·7 for nitrogen and −26·0±1·6 for carbon (n=17) throughout both estuaries and the Potomac river. Ultrafiltrates, collected after filtration and ultrafiltration, had δ15N values of +7·3±0·3 and δ13C values of −24·5±1·7. The similarity of isotopic values between suspended particles and colloids in winter samples suggested that these colloids were formed by desorption or dissociation from resuspended sediments and soils. Summer colloids in San Francisco Bay were uniformly heavier by 7‰ than suspended particles suggesting that the lighter isotope was selectively utilized by heterotrophs, leaving an isotopically heavy colloid residual.
Effect of age and sex on warfarin dosing

Objective We examined the potential effect of sex and age on warfarin dosing in ambulatory adult patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients attending an anticoagulation clinic. We included patients anticoagulated with warfarin for atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism who had a therapeutic international normalized ratio of 2–3 for 2 consecutive months. We excluded patients who had been on any drug that is known to have a major interaction with warfarin, smokers, and heavy alcohol consumers. Out of 340 screened medical records, 96 met the predetermined inclusion criteria. The primary outcome assessed was warfarin total weekly dose (TWD). Results There was a statistically significant difference in the TWD among the ages (P<0.01); older patients required lower doses. However there was no statistically significant difference in the TWD between sexes (P=0.281). Conclusion Age was found to have a significant effect on warfarin dosing. Even though women did require a lower TWD than men, this observation was not statistically significant.
Food Groups and Risk of Overweight, Obesity, and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies

ABSTRACT This meta-analysis summarizes the evidence of a prospective association between the intake of foods [whole grains, refined grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, eggs, dairy, fish, red meat, processed meat, and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)] and risk of general overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, and weight gain. PubMed and Web of Science were searched for prospective observational studies until August 2018. Summary RRs and 95% CIs were estimated from 43 reports for the highest compared with the lowest intake categories, as well as for linear and nonlinear relations focusing on each outcome separately: overweight/obesity, abdominal obesity, and weight gain. The quality of evidence was evaluated with use of the NutriGrade tool. In the dose-response meta-analysis, inverse associations were found for whole-grain (RRoverweight/obesity: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.96), fruit (RRoverweight/obesity: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.86, 1.00; RRweight gain: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.86, 0.97), nut (RRabdominal obesity: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.31, 0.57), legume (RRoverweight/obesity: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.93), and fish (RRabdominal obesity: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.97) consumption and positive associations were found for refined grains (RRoverweight/obesity: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.10), red meat (RRabdominal obesity: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.16; RRweight gain: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.26), and SSBs (RRoverweight/obesity: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.11; RRabdominal obesity: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.20). The dose-response meta-analytical findings provided very low to low quality of evidence that certain food groups have an impact on different measurements of adiposity risk. To improve the quality of evidence, better-designed observational studies, inclusion of intervention trials, and use of novel statistical methods (e.g., substitution analyses or network meta-analyses) are needed.
A comparison of regional flood frequency estimation methods using a resampling method

Most comparisons of flood frequency estimation methods have been based on Monte Carlo simulation. An alternative method which does not require the choice of a parent distribution is to resample from the historical record. The relative performance of 10 flood frequency estimation methods, including four at-site methods, four regional index flood methods, and two variations of the U.S. Water Resources Council regional method, was evaluated using a resampling method. Performance measures were based on two statistics. The first was a flood damage surrogate, which was defined as a power of the excess of the flood peak over a fixed threshold approximately equal to the median annual flood; the second was the estimator of the 100-year flood. For each subsampling of the historical record, the expected flood loss and 100-year flood quantile conditioned on the estimated parameters were computed. From the remainder of the record, an empirical estimate of the mean damage was computed. The performance of the methods is summarized in terms of the mean and variance of the difference between the conditional expectation and the empirical damages, and the variance of the 100-year flood estimates. The results are qualitatively similar to those reported in earlier Monte Carlo studies. The U.S. Water Resources Council method, in particular, produced variability in the damage estimates that was much greater than that for any of the index flood methods tested. Estimates of the 100-year flood were about twice as variable on average as 100-year flood estimates obtained using any of the regional index flood methods. For the Wisconsin and New England flood records tested, the regional Generalized Extreme Value estimators yielded 100-year flood estimates with lower variability at virtually all sites than the U.S. Water Resources Council method.
The Quality of Methods Reporting in Parasitology Experiments

There is a growing concern both inside and outside the scientific community over the lack of reproducibility of experiments. The depth and detail of reported methods are critical to the reproducibility of findings, but also for making it possible to compare and integrate data from different studies. In this study, we evaluated in detail the methods reporting in a comprehensive set of trypanosomiasis experiments that should enable valid reproduction, integration and comparison of research findings. We evaluated a subset of other parasitic (Leishmania, Toxoplasma, Plasmodium, Trichuris and Schistosoma) and non-parasitic (Mycobacterium) experimental infections in order to compare the quality of method reporting more generally. A systematic review using PubMed (2000–2012) of all publications describing gene expression in cells and animals infected with Trypanosoma spp was undertaken based on PRISMA guidelines; 23 papers were identified and included. We defined a checklist of essential parameters that should be reported and have scored the number of those parameters that are reported for each publication. Bibliometric parameters (impact factor, citations and h-index) were used to look for association between Journal and Author status and the quality of method reporting. Trichuriasis experiments achieved the highest scores and included the only paper to score 100% in all criteria. The mean of scores achieved by Trypanosoma articles through the checklist was 65.5% (range 32–90%). Bibliometric parameters were not correlated with the quality of method reporting (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient <−0.5; p>0.05). Our results indicate that the quality of methods reporting in experimental parasitology is a cause for concern and it has not improved over time, despite there being evidence that most of the assessed parameters do influence the results. We propose that our set of parameters be used as guidelines to improve the quality of the reporting of experimental infection models as a pre-requisite for integrating and comparing sets of data.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF COLLAPSING VOLCANIC COLUMNS

A complex thermo-fluid dynamic model was employed to model collapsing volcanic columns. The two-phase flow model accounts for the mechanical and thermal nonequilibrium between the gas and solid particles. The gas phase involves water vapor and air, and the solids phase involves only one particle size class. The particle collisions, which produce particle viscosity and pressure, were modeled by a kinetic theory model in terms of the granular temperature, whereas the gas phase turbulence was modeled by a turbulent subgrid scale model. The partial differential equations of conservation of mass, linear momentum, energy, and granular temperature were numerically solved for an axisymmetric flow configuration with different vent diameters and two-phase flow conditions. The numerical solutions involved different grid sizes and computational domains in order to assess the adequacy of the model and computational procedure. The results from simulations of collapsing volcanic columns show how after an initial period of fountain building the columns collapse and build radially spreading pyroclastic flows and inward moving column material which is recycled by the columns. For a low-height collapsing column it was found that the fountain reaches a steady state height, whereas for columns with collapsing heights of several kilometers and fine computational grids the fountain heights vary cyclically with periods which are influenced by the dynamics of material recirculation into the columns. The radially spreading pyroclastic flows of the collapsed columns were found to develop convective instabilities whereby rising clouds of gas and particles are developed on the top of the flows. In very large scale volcanic eruptions the numerical results predicted multiple rising clouds on very thick pyroclastic flows. The results from simulations were shown to be consistent with simple column modeling approaches, laboratory experiments, and field observations.