Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monitoring surface change on a Namib linear dune

In tackling the apparently intractable problem of linear dune initiation and maintenance there has been a move away from large-scale deductive models to smaller-scale field studies of individual dunes. This paper reports a study of surface change on a large, complex linear dune in the Namib Desert, southern Africa. The dune surface responds to a markedly seasonal wind regime. In summer westerly winds erode sand from the west flank of the dune and deposit it on the easterly lee side of the dune crest. In winter this pattern is reversed. Easterly winds erode sand from the east slope and deposit it on the west slope. The crest therefore moves back and forth some 15 m each year returning at the end of a year's cycle to its position at the beginning. The position of the base of the dune appears to remain fixed, even though sand is moving throughout the dune system. The dune does extend northward along some resultant of the westerly and easterly winds. Despite relatively high levels of activity, especially at the dune crest, there is no evidence of the breakdown of the linear dune form. The conclusion must therefore be that linear dunes can be maintained in bimodal wind regimes and are not necessarily related to unidirectional parallel regimes as others have suggested.
Mg/Ca ratios of two Globigerinoides ruber (white) morphotypes: Implications for reconstructing past tropical/subtropical surface water conditions

Tests of the planktonic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber (white; d'Orbigny) have become a standard tool for reconstructing past oceanic environments. Paleoceanographers often utilize the Mg/Ca ratios of the foraminiferal tests for reconstructing low‐latitude ocean glacial‐interglacial changes in sea surface temperatures (SST). We report herein a comparison of Mg/Ca measurements on sample pairs (n = 20) of two G. ruber (white) morphotypes (G. ruber sensu stricto (s.s.) and G. ruber sensu lato (s.l.)) from surface and downcore samples of the western Pacific and Indian Oceans. G. ruber s.s. refers to specimens with spherical chambers sitting symmetrically over previous sutures with a wide, high arched aperture, whereas G. ruber s.l. refers to a more compact test with a diminutive final chamber and small aperture. The G. ruber s.s. specimens generally show significantly higher Mg/Ca ratios compared to G. ruber s.l. Our results from the Mg/Ca ratio analysis suggest that G. ruber s.l. specimens precipitated their shells in slightly colder surface waters than G. ruber s.s. specimens. This conclusion is supported by the differences in δ18O and δ13C values between the two morphotypes. Although it is still unclear if these two morphotypes represent phenotypic variants or sibling species, our findings seem to support the hypothesis of depth and/or seasonal allopatry within a single morphospecies.
Polar summer mesospheric extreme horizontal drift speeds during interplanetary corotating interaction regions (CIRs) and high‐speed solar wind streams: Coupling between the solar wind and the mesosphere

We report the observation of echo extreme horizontal drift speed (EEHS, ≥ 300 m s−1) during polar mesospheric (80–90 km) summer echoes (PMSEs) by the VHF (52 MHz) radar at Esrange, Sweden, in years of 2006 and 2008. The EEHS occur in PMSEs as correlated with high‐speed solar wind streams (HSSs), observed at least once in 12–17% of all hours of observation for the two summers. The EEHS rate peaks occur either during high solar wind speed in the early part of the PMSE season or during the arrival of interplanetary corotating interaction regions (CIRs) followed by peaks in PMSE occurrence rate after 1–4 days, in the latter part of the 2006 summer. The cause of EEHS rate peaks is likely under the competition between the interval of the CIR and HSS passage over the magnetosphere. A candidate process in producing EEHS is suggested to be localized strong electric field, which is caused by solar wind energy transfer from the interaction of CIR and HSS with the magnetosphere in a sequential manner. We suggest that EEHS are created by strong electric field, estimated as > 10–30 V m−1 at 85 km altitude, exceeding the mesospheric breakdown threshold field.
Transtensional origin of the NE–SW Simitli basin along the Strouma (Strymon) Lineament, SW Bulgaria

Several depocentres have developed along the NNW–SSE-striking Strouma (Strymon) Lineament since the Miocene, forming the Strouma/Strymon graben system. Some of these basins, including the Dzherman and Simitli, strike at high angles to the lineament. The rhomboid-shaped Simitli basin is limited in the south by the NE–SW-striking, seismically active Kroupnik fault and contains terrestrial clastic sediments, which have been deposited since the Sarmatian. Its formation is attributed to ‘wrench-dominated transtension’ (DB event) which activated the basin's NE–SW-striking boundary faults as left-lateral strike-slip structures during the Early–Middle Miocene. This deformation was associated with NNE–SSW contraction and WNW–ESE extension and succeeded the NNE–SSW contraction caused by ‘pure shear-dominated transpression’ (DA event), which governed the region in Late Oligocene–Early Miocene times. During the Middle–Late Miocene, the DB event was followed by WNW–ESE ‘pure shear-dominated extension’ (D1 event), which caused further widening of the basin. The transtensional origin of the Simitli basin is explained by lateral extrusion of the crustal mass squeezed between the Apulian–Adriatic microplate and the European foreland towards the North Aegean Sea. The subduction retreat of the Hellenic orogen possibly enhanced this lateral extrusion, and from the Late Miocene onwards the NE–SW-oriented back-arc extension balanced the continuing retreat.
Forecasting precipitation for hydroelectric power management: how to exploit GCM's seasonal ensemble forecasts

The EDF group is the biggest French electric power producer and distributor. Its activities are greatly related to weather and climate. In particular, optimal management of the hydroelectric power production system requires a good forecast of water resources, from several days to several months in advance. Currently, only climatology at the seasonal timescale is used for operational production management. Seasonal probabilistic forecasts would improve watershed management at some months' lead‐time if they are skilful enough. For this, two main problems have to be addressed: first, direct precipitation forecasts at this timescale have little, but positive, skill over Europe; second, the spatial scales of seasonal forecasting models are not adequate to predict local precipitation at the river basin scale. This study aims to evaluate the quality of seasonal forecasts of precipitation for 48 catchments in southern France. These are obtained by spatially downscaling global scale seasonal forecasts of geopotential height at 850 hPa. The method used is based on singular value decomposition and multiple linear regression. The statistical downscaling model is calculated from 45 years of observed local precipitation in the watersheds and geopotential fields from ERA40 re‐analysis data. The statistical model is then applied to the seasonal hindcasts from the DEMETER project. Two main results arise from this work. First, we show that it is possible to obtain useful and valuable information for EDF at the local scale from global seasonal averaged information. Second, we find that only a probabilistic multi‐model ensemble forecast approach provides useful information for EDF catchments, even with quite low skill, and that a deterministic approach, using only the ensemble mean of the forecasts, is not better than a forecast based on climatology. It has, nevertheless, to be pointed out that for operational purposes, being able to know that a forecast for a given location or date is not reliable is, in itself, valuable information. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
V.—Report on the Fossil Invertebrata from Southern India, collected by Mr. Kaye and Mr. Cunliffe.

Part the First. —Description of the Species. Mollusca. Cephalopoda. Genus Nautilus, Linnæus. There are four well-marked species of this genus in the collection. Two of them appear to be identical with European species, and two are new. The former are cretaceous forms: of the latter, one is nearly allied to a cretaceous and the other to oolitic species. Not one of the specimens is in perfectly good condition, so that the certainty of the determinations may hereafter be questioned. I. Nautilus lævigatus, D’Orbigny? N. testâ subglobosâ, inflatâ, lævigatâ, subumbilicatâ; aperturâ orbiculari-lunatâ; septis obsolete undulatis; siphunculo subcentrali. Median diameter, 6 inches. Breadth at base of aperture, 4 inches. Shell subglobose, much-inflated, slightly umbilicated, externally smooth; the mouth suborbicular and lunate. The chambers have a slight tendency to show a sinuated outline. The siphon is a little nearer to the spire than to the back. The spaces between the chambers and the degree of inflation of the entire shell vary in different specimens. Young examples have a very smooth shell. I cannot distinguish it from the Nautilus lævigatus, except in that the chambers of the French species are usually wider. M. D’Orbigny describes his shell as from the “ couches moyennes de la craie, à 1’étage des craies tufau et au grès vert. ” (D’Orb. P. F. Terrains Crétacés, vol. i. p. 84. pi. 17.) Locality, Pondicherry. 2. Nautilus sphæricus, sp. nov. N. testâ globosâ inflatissimâ (lævigata ? ), umbilicatâ; aperturâ latissimâ, hinatâ, angustatâ; septis arcuatis; siphunculo excentrico. Median diameter, 4 inches. A very
New Zealand’s Diaspora and Overseas-born Population

Many New Zealand-born people migrate overseas, creating a diaspora, and many overseas-born people migrate to New Zealand. Both the diaspora and the overseas-born population in New Zealand may facilitate the international exchange of goods and ideas. Much discussion of international linkages has, however, been limited by a lack of data on numbers of people involved. Based mainly on place-of-birth data from national censuses, this paper provides estimates of the size and structure of New Zealand’s diaspora and overseas-born population, as well as comparisons with selected OECD countries such as Australia. A tentative conclusion is that the potential contribution of New Zealand’s diaspora may have been overestimated, and the contribution of the overseas-born population underestimated.
The provenance of Western Irish Namurian Basin sedimentary strata inferred using detrital zircon U–Pb LA‐ICP‐MS geochronology

The Western Irish Namurian Basin (WINB) preserves classic examples of basin floor sequences through to slope deposits and deltaic cyclothems. Despite over 50 years of research into the WINB, its sediment provenance remains highly contested. Sedimentological arguments, including palaeocurrent vectors and palaeoslope indicators have been invoked to propose a sediment source from the NW or the west (i.e. from within Laurentia). These same indicators have been subsequently reinterpreted to reflect a southern provenance. It is not clear from sedimentological arguments alone which interpretation more accurately reflects the infilling of the WINB. Regional‐scale constraints on WINB provenance may be obtained with detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology.
Econometric Analysis of Continuous-Time Asset Return Models Using High Frequency Data

This paper proposes a new approach to the statistical inference of continuous-time asset return models with latent or unobserved state variables using high frequency return observations. We construct unbiased minimum-variance estimators of the latent variables that are also consistent with the model specification. We illustrate using examples the construction of unbiased minimum-variance estimators of latent variables and demonstrate via simulation their properties in comparison with other commonly used proxies. The unbiased estimators of latent variables enable us to develop a parsimonious and yet flexible GMM estimation procedure for the continuous-time asset return models, which involves neither path simulation nor discretization of the continuous-time process. Using the high frequency return observations of S&P 500 index and FTSE 100 index, we implement our estimation approach to various continuous-time stochastic volatility asset return models.
Modeling polar glaciation

A key measure of our understanding of polar glaciation is the ability to model the initiation, maintenance, and elimination of glaciation over Antarctica and high-latitude land masses in the Northern Hemisphere. Studies that address questions of Cenozoic Antarctic glaciation, as well as studies that address questions of Pleistocene glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere, are described in some detail. The intention is to emphasize and discuss issues that are important in modeling these types of glacial events as much as to present specific results.
BIOMARKER GEOCHEMISTRY OF CRUDE OILS FROM THE QAIDAM BASIN, NW CHINA

A suite of 16 crude oil samples from 13 oilfields in the Qaidam Basin were analyzed using techniques including gas chromatography and gas chromatography ‐ mass spectrometry. Biomarker compositions and parameters were used to investigate the palaeoenvironmental and depositional conditions and to correlate the oils with eachother. Oils from the western Qaidam Basin have pristane/phytane (Pr/Ph) ratios of less than 0.7, and contain abundant gammacerane, C27 steranes, 4‐methyl steranes and long‐chain tricyclic terpanes. C29 sterane 20S/(20S+20R) and ββ/(ββ+αα) ratios show that the western Qaidam oils have variable maturities ranging from immature to mature. Oils from the northern Qaidam Basin, by contrast, have Pr/Ph ratios greater than 3, low gammacerane contents, and relatively abundant C29 steranes, bicyclic terpanes and alkylcyclohexanes. C29 sterane 20S/(20S+20R) and ββ/(ββ+αα) ratios indicate that the northern Qaidam oils are mature.
Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere: Steps for Understanding and Reconciling Differences

This Synthesis and Assessment Product is an important revision to the conclusions of earlier reports from the U.S. National Research Council and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Previously reported discrepancies between the amount of warming near the surface and higher in the atmosphere have been used to challenge the reliability of climate models and the reality of human-induced global warming. Specifically, surface data showed substantial global-average warming, while early versions of satellite and radiosonde data showed little or no warming above the surface. This significant discrepancy no longer exists because errors in the satellite and radiosonde data have been identified and corrected. New data sets have also been developed that do not show such discrepancies. This Synthesis and Assessment Product is an important revision to the conclusions of earlier reports from the U.S. National Research Council and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. For recent decades, all current atmospheric data sets now show global-average warming that is similar to the surface warming. While these data are consistent with the results from climate models at the global scale, discrepancies in the tropics remain to be resolved. Nevertheless, the most recent observational and model evidence has increased confidence in our understanding of observed climatic changes and their causes.
Characteristics of The Bleached Microbiome of The Generalist Coral Pocillopora damicornis from Two Distinct Reef Habitats

Synopsis Generalist coral species may play an important role in predicting, managing, and responding to the growing coral reef crisis as sea surface temperatures are rising and reef wide bleaching events are becoming more common. Pocilloporids are amongst the most widely distributed and studied of generalist corals, characterized by a broad geographic distribution, phenotypic plasticity, and tolerance of sub-optimal conditions for coral recruitment and survival. Emerging research indicates that microbial communities associated with Pocilloporid corals may be contributing to their persistence on coral reefs impacted by thermal stress; however, we lack detailed information on shifts in the coral–bacterial symbiosis during bleaching events across many of the reef habitats these corals are found. Here, we characterized the bacterial communities of healthy and bleached Pocillopora damicornis corals during the bleaching events that occurred during the austral summer of 2020 on Heron Island, on the southern Great Barrier Reef, and the austral summer of 2019 on Lord Howe Island, the most southerly coral reef in Australia. Regardless of reef location, significant differences in α and β diversities, core bacterial community, and inferred functional profile of the bleached microbiome of P. damicornis were not detected. Consistent with previous reports, patterns in the Pocilloporid coral microbiome, including no increase in pathogenic taxa or evidence of dysbiosis, are conserved during bleaching responses. We hypothesize that the resilience of holobiont interactions may aid the Pocilloporids to survive Symbiodiniaceae loss and contribute to the success of Pocilloporids.
Integrated water management strategies for the Rhine and Meuse basins in a changing environment

Summary 71 Introduction 9 1.1 Previous climate-impact studies in the Rhine basin and the Netherlands 101.2 Problem definition 111.3 Objectives 111.4 Rhine and Meuse basins - hydrological setting 111.4.1 Water systems in the Netherlands 151.4. 2 Lower rivers Rhine and Meuse 151.4. 3 Lake IJsselmeer area 161.4. 4 Terrestrial water systems 181.5 General outline of the project 191.6 Outline of the report 21 2 PERSPECTIVE-BASED UNCERTAINTY MANAGEMENT 25 2.1 Dealing with uncertainties 252.2 Perspectives 272.3 Methodology: From uncertainty towards robust strategies for the Rhine and Meuse 30 3 Existing studies and policy reports in perspective 38 3.1 Inventory 383.2 Analysis of existing studies and policy reports 403.2.1 Integration 413.2. 2 Spatial extent 433.2. 3 Uncertainties 443.2. 4 Variation 453.3 Evaluation and conclusions 50 4 TOWARDS PERSPECTIVE-BASED INTEGRATED SCENARIOS 51 4.1 Identifying uncertainty 524.2 Uncertainty in perspective 554.3 Selection of scenario experiments 624.4 From qualitative to quantitative 644.5 Scenario families 704.6 Perspective-based assessments 71
Targeted elimination of senescent cells by engineered extracellular vesicles attenuates atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice with minimal side effects

Senescent cells in plaques emerge as a detrimental factor for atherosclerosis (AS), for which targeted senolysis might be a promising therapeutic strategy. The development of safe and efficient senolytics for senescent cell eradication by targeted delivery is greatly needed. Methods: Pro-apoptotic intelligent Bax (iBax)-overexpressing plasmid was constructed by molecular cloning, in which Bax CDS was fused to miR-122 recognition sites. Extracellular vesicle-based senolytics (EViTx) were developed to be conjugated with magnetic nanoparticles on the surface, iBax mRNA encapsulated inside, and BAX activator BTSA1 incorporated into the membrane. EViTx was characterized, and in vivo distribution was tracked via fluorescence imaging. The therapeutic effects of EViTx on AS and its systemic side effects were analyzed in ApoE-/- mice. Results: Magnetic nanoparticles, iBax mRNA and BAX activator BTSA1 were efficiently loaded into/onto EViTx. With external magnetic field navigation, EViTx was delivered into atherosclerotic plaques and induced significant apoptosis in senescent cells regardless of origins. Repeated delivery of EViTx via tail vein injection has achieved high therapeutic efficacy in ApoE-/- mice. Notably, EViTx is inevitably accumulated in liver cells, while the iBax mRNA was translationally repressed by miR-122, an endogenous miRNA highly expressed in hepatocytes, and thus the liver cells are protected from the potential toxicity of Bax mRNA. Conclusion: Our work demonstrated that magnetic EV-based delivery of iBax mRNA and the BAX activator BTSA1, efficiently induced apoptosis in recipient senescent cells in atherosclerotic plaques. This strategy represents a promising treatment approach for AS and other age-related diseases.
Influence of Water on Major Phase Transitions in the Earth's Mantle

In this chapter we summarize recent results on the influence of water on major phase transformations in the Earth's mantle with implications for seismic discontinuity structure and mantle dynamics. The experimental data are based on quench multianvil and in situ X-ray diffraction studies. Differences in water solubility between olivine and wadsleyite, and between ringwoodite and Mg-perovskite + ferropericlase may displace the phase transition boundaries, which are responsible for the 410- and 660-km discontinuities, respectively. The results show that water expands the stability field of wadsleyite to lower pressures, which is consistent with broadening of the 410-km discontinuity in some regions of the mantle. A significant shift of the wadsleyite-ringwoodite phase transition to higher pressure caused by water may also be responsible for depth variations or absence of the 520-km discontinuity. Study of the post-spinel transformation in hydrous pyrolite indicates that the phase boundary also shifts to higher pressures. Displacement of this boundary with ∼2 wt. % H 2 O corresponds to about 15 km at 1473 K. Thus, presence of water could account for half of the observed 30-40 km depressions at the 660-km discontinuity in subduction zones at this temperature. Study of the post-garnet transformation in anhydrous and hydrous MORB show that this phase boundary shifts to the lower pressures by ∼2 GPa with the addition of 2-5 wt. % water. This observation demonstrates that the density crossover between peridotite and basaltic components near 660 km might be absent under hydrous conditions, inhibiting the separation of these components at the 660-km discontinuity.