Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stratigraphic significance of Cruziana: New data concerning the Cambrian-Ordovician ichnostratigraphic paradigm

The classic Cambrian-Ordovician ichnostratigraphic paradigm originally developed in Europe is based on the assumption that Cruziana - ichnofossils presumably produced by trilobites - can be used in much the same way as trilobite body fossils have been used in chronostratigraphy. That these ichnofossils can be found in many otherwise unfossiliferous, shallow-marine siliciclastic deposits has made them extremely valuable as correlation tools. The paradigm has been used to date lower Paleozoic units in eastern Canada and Europe. It has also been used as supporting evidence to show close affinities between (1) eastern North America, Wales, and Spain and (2) Spain, northern Africa, and southern Asia. Ichnospecies indicative of the Lower Ordovician (Tremadocian and Arenigian), according to the paradigm, have been recovered from the Lower Cambrian (Atdabanian) Gog Group, near Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. This discovery indicates that these ichnospecies cannot be used as global Lower Ordovician index fossils.
Parental knowledge and practice on childhood caries prevention in northern Vietnam

This study was conducted to describe the knowledge and practices on dental caries prevention among parents of preschool children in Vietnam and identify associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in three preschools in Northern Vietnam in 2020. A total of 316 parents of preschool children were randomly recruited. Knowledge and practices regarding early dental caries prevention were asked by using a structured questionnaire. Multivariate Tobit regression was used to examine factors associated with knowledge and practice scores. Results showed four aspects of knowledge that had the lowest proportion of parents having correct responses included timing of complete primary tooth replacement (12.3%), benefits of undergoing regular dental examination (31.7%), technique for brushing a child’s teeth (33.9%), and duration for brushing (36.7%). The knowledge of parents was moderately low at 6.3/12 (SD = 2.3). The practices of parents were moderately good with the mean practice score at 6.1/9 (SD = 2.0). The proportion of parents taking children for regular checkups (56.2%) and replacing toothbrush every 3 months (53.7%) were the lowest. Information source, occupation, education and perceived necessity of oral care were found to be associated with parents’ knowledge and practices. To conclude, parents had moderate levels of knowledge and practices regarding early dental caries prevention in preschool children. Further studies and interventions should be performed to improve parental knowledge and practices that could enhance the oral health of children.
The Long Term Consequences of Famine on Survivors: Evidence from a Unique Natural Experiment Using China&Apos;S Great Famine

This paper estimates the long run impact of famine on survivors in the context of China's Great Famine. To address problems of measurement error of famine exposure and potential endogeneity of famine intensity, we exploit a novel source of variation in regional intensity of famine derived from the unique institutional determinants of the Great Famine. To address attenuation bias caused by selection for survival, we estimate the impact on the upper quantiles of the distribution of outcomes. Our results indicate that in-utero and early childhood exposure to famine had large negative effects on adult height, weight, weight-for-height, educational attainment and labor supply.
Sedimentation and diagenesis of Chinese loess: Implications for the preservation of continuous, high-resolution climate records

Chinese loess has been extensively utilized to produce continuous and high-resolution climate records of the late Cenozoic. Such work assumes uninterrupted loess deposition and limited diagenesis. Here, closely spaced optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates are used to characterize the Holocene and Late Pleistocene sedimentation histories of three sites across a NW-SE transect of the Chinese Loess Plateau. The results suggest that sedimentation is episodic at subglacial-interglacial time scales, with rates rapidly varying within units and between sites. Unconformities, noneolian deposition, and mixing of sediments also appear to be common. Existing understanding of loess deposition therefore requires reexamination, while previous reconstructions of rapid climate change, not dated using absolute methods, should be regarded with caution. Loess deposits may still yield detailed climate records from specific high-sedimentation-rate strata, and evidence for rapid climate change may yet be obtainable by targeting these units through absolute dating. The rapid changes in sedimentation presented here indicate the East Asian Monsoon has the capacity to vary on millennial scales.
Journal of Development Economics and Management Research Studies (JDMS), A Peer Reviewed Open Access International Journal, ISSN 2582 5119 (Online), 06(06), 1-16, October-December, 2020

Theoretically it is presumed that Zimbabwe’s exports to Malawi should be the same as Malawi’s imports from Zimbabwe. However, if we look at the data reported by the two countries, we find shocking dispersion. In principle, the two reported trade values should differ systematically only by transport costs, because the values reported by importers include freight and insurance. These double reports provide an opportunity for audit. This paper presents a methodology to measure misreported trade in a consistent way across countries and over time. The methodology does not require any assumptions about which countries may be more or less likely to misreport – rather, all indices are derived endogenously with available trade data. This study derived two specific indices which are exports and imports misreporting. Applying this method to existing bilateral trade data on the SITC 0+1+22+4 level from 2000-2016, the study was able to determine factors which causes misreported trade for Zimbabwe’s bilateral trade using Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) method. As predicted by economic theory, case studies, and economic intuition, the study find a significant correlation for tariff, corruption, gross domestic product rates and foreign direct investment with import and export misreporting. The study recommend reduction of misreporting after the application of policy to reduce tariff rates, implementation of the policy of increasing the maximum financial penalties and switching from exports of raw materials and semi-manufactured goods to high valued-added goods. Journal of Development Economics and Management Research Studies (JDMS), A Peer Reviewed Open Access International Journal, ISSN 2582 5119 (Online), 06(06), 1-16, October-December, 2020.
Soil moisture estimation with ERS-1 SAR data in the East-German loess soil area

A campaign started in September 1993 and finished in December 1994 in which ground truth measurements were taken during 40 ERS-1 over-flights. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Precision images (PRI) of ERS-1 of the descending and the ascending passes were used to investigate the dependency of the backscattering coefficient on the soil moisture content. Under certain circumstances a linear relation between the backscattering coefficient and the soil moisture is found.
California earthquake history

This paper presents an overview of the advancement in our knowledge of California’s earthquake history since ~ 1800, and especially during the last 30 years. We first review the basic statewide research on earthquake occurrences that was published from 1928 through 2002, to show how the current catalogs and their levels of completeness have evolved with time. Then we review some of the significant new results in specific regions of California, and some of what remains to be done. Since 1850, 167 potentially damaging earthquakes of M ~ 6 or larger have been identified in California and its border regions, indicating an average rate of 1.1 such events per year. Table I lists the earthquakes of M ~ 6 to 6.5 that were also destructive since 1812 in California and its border regions, indicating an average rate of one such event every ~ 5 years. Many of these occurred before 1932 when epicenters and magnitudes started to be determined routinely using seismographs in California. The number of these early earthquakes is probably incomplete in sparsely populated remote parts of California before ~ 1870. For example, 6 of the 7 pre-1873 events in table I are of M ≥ 7, suggesting that other earthquakes of M 6.5 to 6.9 occurred but were not properly identified, or were not destructive. The epicenters and magnitudes (M) of the pre-instrumental earthquakes were determined from isoseismal maps that were based on the Modified Mercalli Intensity of shaking (MMI) at the communities that reported feeling the earthquakes. The epicenters were estimated to be in the regions of most intense shaking, and values of M were estimated from the extent of the areas shaken at various MMI levels. MMI VII or greater shaking is the threshold of damage to weak buildings. Certain areas in the regions of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Eureka were each shaken repeatedly at MMI VII or greater at least six times since ~ 1812, as depicted by Toppozada and Branum (2002, fig. 19).
Longitudinal Study of Usability and User Experience in Technical and Professional Communication Research

Introduction: While usability/user experience (UX) has a long and intertwined history with technical and professional communication (TPC), it is unknown how usability/UX is reflected within TPC research and how that reflection has shifted over time. Literature review: Prior studies on the role of usability/UX in TPC have found that usability/UX appears infrequently in TPC research and curriculum requirements. However, usability/UX remains a routinely referenced core identity of TPC. Research questions: 1. To what degree is usability/UX studied in TPC scholarly journals? 2. When TPC researchers study usability/UX, what are they studying? Methodology: A database of TPC-based usability/UX articles was collected through a defined search method. Articles were coded for primary or secondary emphasis on usability/UX, contribution to TPC, object of analysis, method of data collection, and major takeaway. Results: Less than 8% of the total publications in the field are tied to usability/UX, though the percentage has increased in the most recent timeframe (2020–2022). Publications are shifting from research that expands usability/UX knowledge to research that uses usability/UX to explain TPC phenomena. In addition, the object of analysis has shifted to process-centric analysis, design thinking has become an increasing component of TPC usability/UX research, and over a quarter of the research on usability/UX provided did not provide enough methodological description to enable replicability. Conclusion: Although usability/UX has been consistently published in the TPC research journals, the amount of research suggests that usability/UX is not core to TPC's field identity.
Petrology and diagenetic changes of Neogene siliceous rocks in northern Japan

ABSTRACT Diagenetic changes in textures and mass properties of Neogene marine noncalcareous siliceous rocks corresponding to silica-phase transformations (opal-A opal-CT quartz) were studied in subsurface and surface sections of northern Japan. In opal-A diatomite, siliceous tests are well preserved, no cementation is observable, and pores exist chiefly as inter- and intragranular micropores (2 10µ). During the opal-A to opal-CT transformation, siliceous tests are extensively dissolved to form fine aggregates of opal-CT in matrix and cement of opaline porcelanite. An abrupt decrease of as much as 15% in porosity occurs between opal-A and opal-CT zones in subsurface sections, a decrease which may be due to the destruction of intragranular pores in siliceous tests by dissolution. Ultramicropores (10 µ) as molds and chambers of siliceous tests in quartzose porcelanite. Porosity of Neogene noncalcareous siliceous rocks in subsurface sections of northern Japan gradually decreases with the increase of burial depth, and silica-phase transformations have a relatively small effect on it. This gradual decrease in porosity, which corresponds well to that of Neogene mudstone and clean, fine-grained sandstone, indicates that little additional silica cementation occurs during burial (Iijima and Tada, 1981). At a depth of 4.5 km and a temperature of 130° C, quartzose porcelanite holds porosity of 10-15%. Burial depth of around 10 km might be required to form dense quartzose chert without porosity by burial diagenesis of siliceous rocks if extrapolating from the burial depth-porosity relation. This depth is too large. Some additional mechanisms are required ther than mechanical compaction, silica-phase transformations and clay alteration. Pressure solution-reprecipitation of quartz is the most probable one.
An application of Lobatto–Chebyshev method to a nonhomogeneous plane problem with two cracks

In this manuscript, Lobatto–Chebyshev method, which is an effective collocation method, is applied to a system of singular integral equations, which leads from a nonhomogeneous plane problem. It is assumed that there are two cracks in a nonhomogeneous medium. The problem is formulated in the view of the basics of the elasticity theory and boundary conditions of the problem. By using the method of singular integral equation, the problem is converted to a system of first kind Cauchy type singular integral equations. It is aimed to determine the stress intensity factors (SIFs) of the crack problem. It is seen that Lobatto–Chebyshev quadrature has many advantages in determining SIFs. To verify the validity of the method, the obtained results corresponding to the one crack case are compared with the results in literature.
Intra-articular bone marrow mononuclear cell therapy improves lameness from naturally occurring equine osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) can be debilitating and is related to impaired resolution of synovial inflammation. Current treatments offer temporary relief of clinical signs, but have potentially deleterious side effects. Bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMNC) are a rich source of macrophage progenitors that have the ability to reduce OA symptoms in people and inflammation in experimentally-induced synovitis in horses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of intra-articular BMNC therapy to improve clinical signs of naturally occurring equine OA. Horses presenting with clinical and radiographic evidence of moderate OA in a single joint were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: saline (negative control), triamcinolone (positive control), or BMNC (treatment group). Lameness was evaluated subjectively and objectively, joint circumference measured, and synovial fluid collected for cytology and growth factor/cytokine quantification at 0, 7, and 21 days post-injection. Data were analyzed using General Estimating Equations with significance set at p < 0.05. There were no adverse effects noted in any treatment group. There was a significant increase in synovial fluid total nucleated cell count in the BMNC-treated group on day 7 (median 440; range 20–1920 cells/uL) compared to day 0. Mononuclear cells were the predominant cell type across treatments at all time points. Joint circumference decreased significantly in the BMNC-treated group from days 7 to 21 and was significantly lower at day 21 in the BMNC-treated group compared to the saline-treated group. Median objective lameness improved significantly in the BMNC group between days 7 and 21. GM-CSF, IL-1ra, IGF-1, and TNF-α were below detectable limits and IL-6, IL-1β, FGF-2 were detectable in a limited number of synovial fluid samples. Inconsistent and limited differences were detected over time and between treatment groups for synovial fluid PGE2, SDF-1, MCP-1 and IL-10. Decreased lameness and joint circumference, coupled with a lack of adverse effects following BMNC treatment, support a larger clinical trial using BMNC therapy to treat OA in horses.
Can an Awareness Campaign Boost the Effectiveness of Influencer Marketing Disclosures in YouTube Videos?

Answering the strong need for insights into how minors can effectively be informed about advertising (e.g., influencer marketing) in online content, we ran an online experiment (N = 623 minors between 8 and 18 years old) testing the effects of two pictograms that were designed in co-creation with minors and the potential of an awareness campaign to boost the pictogram’s effectiveness. Our findings provide three important insights that have implications for theory, practice and regulations. First, we find that minors are able to distinguish between sponsored and non-sponsored videos, indicating that they have developed some level of advertising literacy in this context. Second, our study shows that the two pictograms informing minors about advertising in online videos went unnoticed by most viewers and did not enhance conceptual or attitudinal advertising literacy. Third, the awareness campaign did not lead to higher recognition of the pictograms nor enhanced advertising literacy. The campaign did increase minors’ understanding of the meaning of the pictograms. However, the majority of minors also understood the pictograms without the campaign. Based upon our findings, we argue that current disclosures (such as the tested pictograms) are not noticed by most minors and are ineffective in enhancing minors’ advertising literacy. Although an awareness campaign can make minors more familiar with the pictograms and their implementation in online videos, it does not seem to boost the pictogram effects on advertising literacy.
Double trouble for typhoon forecasters

The sensitivity of tropical cyclone forecast to changes in the initial state is examined using powerful singular vector diagnostics from a global weather forecast model. These techniques reveal the complex impact of both the local and remote environment on the typhoons. We demonstrate how the analyzed position and forecast of one typhoon can have a significant impact on the forecast of a second typhoon, even at distances up to 1861 km. These results highlight the difficulty of tropical cyclone prediction, especially when remote forcing plays a significant role in tropical cyclone motion.
Development of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Controlled Amiodarone Delivery

In various drug delivery systems, solid lipid nanoparticles are dominantly lipid-based nanocarriers. Amiodarone hydrochloride is an antiarrhythmic agent used to treat severe rhythm disturbances. It has variable and hard-to-predict absorption in the gastrointestinal tract because of its low solubility and high permeability. The aims of this study were to improve its solubility by encapsulating amiodarone into solid lipid nanoparticles using two excipients—Compritol® 888 ATO (pellets) (C888) as a lipid matrix and Transcutol® (T) as a surfactant. Six types of amiodarone-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (AMD-SLNs) were obtained using a hot homogenization technique followed by ultrasonication with varying sonication parameters. AMD-SLNs were characterized by their size distribution, polydispersity index, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and drug loading. Based on the initial evaluation of the entrapment efficiency, only three solid lipid nanoparticle formulations (P1, P3, and P5) were further tested. They were evaluated through scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, near-infrared spectrometry, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and in vitro dissolution tests. The P5 formulation showed optimum pharmaco-technical properties, and it had the greatest potential to be used in oral pharmaceutical products for the controlled delivery of amiodarone.
Modulation of Atmospheric Response to North Pacific SST Anomalies under Global Warming: A Statistical Assessment

AbstractIn this study the modulation of ocean-to-atmosphere feedback over the North Pacific in early winter from global warming is investigated based on both the observations and multiple climate model simulations from a statistical perspective. It is demonstrated that the basin-scale atmospheric circulation displays an equivalent barotropic ridge in response to warm SST anomalies in the Kuroshio–Oyashio Extension (KOE) region. This warm SST–ridge response in early winter can be enhanced significantly by global warming, indicating a strengthening of air–sea coupling over the North Pacific. This enhancement is likely associated with the intensification of storm tracks and, in turn, the amplification of atmospheric transient eddy feedback in a warm climate, although the secular trend of enhanced storm-track activity over the North Pacific is suggested to be biased in reanalysis product.
A study of the inertial‐dissipation method for computing air‐sea fluxes

The inertial-dissipation method has long been used to estimate air-sea fluxes from ships because it does not require correction for ship motion. A detailed comparison of the inertial-dissipation fluxes with the direct covariance method is given, using data from the Humidity Exchange Over the Sea (HEXOS) main experiment, HEXMAX. In this experiment, inertial-dissipation packages were deployed at the end of a 17 m boom, in a region relatively free of flow distortion; and on a mast 7 m above the platform (26 m above the sea surface) in a region of considerable flow distortion. An error analysis of the inertial-dissipation method indicates that stress is most accurately measured in near-neutral conditions, whereas scalar fluxes are most accurately measured in near-neutral and unstable conditions. It is also shown that the inertial-dissipation stress estimates are much less affected by the flow distortion caused by the platform as well as by the boom itself. The inertial-dissipation (boom and mast) and boom covariance estimates of stress agree within ±20%. The latent heat flux estimates agree within approximately ±45%. The sensible heat flux estimates agree within ±26% after correction for velocity contamination of the sonic temperature spectra. The larger uncertainty in the latent heat fluxes is due to poor performance of our Lyman-α hygrometers in the sea spray environment. Improved parameterizations for the stability dependence of the dimensionless humidity and temperature structure functions are given. These functions are used to find a best fit for effective Kolmogorov constants of 0.55 for velocity (assuming a balance of production and dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy) and 0.79 for temperature and humidity. A Kolmogorov constant of 0.51 implies a production-dissipation imbalance of approximately 12% in unstable conditions.