Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comment on “Changes in the rates of North Atlantic major hurricane activity during the 20th century”

Atlantic major hurricanes have a profound impact on human and natural environments. Understanding and predicting these storms’ occurrence on daily, intraseasonal, interannual, multidecadal and climatic timescales can be of tremendous benefit and should be pursued vigorously. Elsner et al. [2000] (hereafter as EJN) address multidecadal changes of Atlantic basin major hurricanes - those tropical cyclones with maximum sustained surface winds of at least 50 m/s. However, aspects of EJN analysis are questionable because its treatment of the Atlantic major hurricane database may be erroneous, because its proposed link to the North Atlantic Oscillation is unsubstantiated, and because it fails to cite or acknowledge key earlier studies. Treating the record of Atlantic major hurricanes since 1900 as trustworthy in its entirety is very questionable. The assumption that the records of major hurricane activity are complete before the advent of aircraft reconnaissance leads directly to the erroneous conclusion that major hurricanes became much more numerous starting in 1943. That year - not coincidentally - was the beginning of routine aircraft flights into hurricanes [Sumner 1944]. EJN state that “the observational bias is smallest for the strong storms considered here”. It is unclear how the authors come to this conclusion. Major hurricanes typically stay at that intensity for an average of 2-3 days and have their 50 m/s or higher winds concentrated in the mesoscale (10s of km) eyewall [Landsea 1993; Powell and Houston 1998]. Before aircraft and satellite reconnaissance, it was simply not possible to detect such small transient features offshore consistently or reliably. Holland [1981] demonstrated that even when numerous ships and buoys are in a strong tropical cyclone, the actual intensity is likely to be drastically underestimated without aircraft or satellite data. Another way to understand the problem is a comparison of the relationship between all major hurricanes to the subset that have hit the United States. (The latter should be sampled adequately back to the beginning of the 20th Century.) These two records are correlated at r=0.41 for the years 1943-99 (less than 17% of the variance) versus r=0.78 for 1900-1942 (over 61% of the variance). (These two correlation coefficients show a strong significant difference in a two-tailed test with a p-value of less than 0.03.) Since in nature the relationship should be relatively steady over time, one can conclude that before the mid-1940s, the Atlantic major hurricane records were less likely to include those that did not strike the United States. Solow and Moore [2000] come to similar conclusions as stated above by analyzing the ratio of landfalling U.S. hurricanes to all Atlantic basin hur
Water limitation to soil CO2 efflux in a pine forest at the semiarid “timberline”

[1] Warming and drying is predicted for most of the Mediterranean and other regions, and knowledge of this effect on forest carbon dynamics cannot be easily extrapolated from temperate climates. Instead, we provide quantitative information from a 6-year study in a 40-year old pine forest at the dry “timberline” (280 mm annual rainfall) on soil CO2 efflux (Fs) and some of its controlling factors. Annual Fs was relatively low (405.9 ± 23.8 g C m−2 a−1), but within one standard deviation of a global nonlinear relationship we derived between mean annual precipitation and Fs in forests. Seasonal variations in Fs were dominated by soil temperature (with Q10 = 2.45) in the wet season, and by soil moisture in the water-limited seasons, but not by pulse responses to precipitation. No temperature sensitivity was observed in the dry season, but there was clear evidence for down regulation of sensitivity to Q10 = 1.18 when soil moisture was kept high by a supplement summer irrigation treatment. Interannual variations in Fs correlated linearly with cumulative rainwater availability, indicating the combined importance of both precipitation amount and its temporal distribution between the wet (and cool) season and the transitional periods characterized by high evaporative demand. Low rates of soil carbon loss combined with high belowground carbon allocation (41% of canopy CO2 uptake) might explain the high soil organic carbon accumulation and net ecosystem productivity in this dry forest. Our results indicate that Fs in pine forests may adjust to dry conditions with better carbon economy than estimated from response to episodic drought in more temperate climate.
Effects induced by an earthquake on its fault plane:a boundary element study

SUMMARY Mechanical eiects left by a model earthquake on its fault plane, in the post-seismic phase, are investigated employing the 'displacement discontinuity method'. Simple crack models, characterized by the release of a constant, unidirectional shear traction are investigated ¢rst. Both slip componentsparallel and normal to the traction directionare found to be non-vanishing and to depend on fault depth, dip, aspect ratio and fault plane geometry. The rake of the slip vector is similarly found to depend on depth and dip.The fault plane is found to suier some small rotation and bending, which may be responsible for the indentation of a transform tectonic margin, particularly if cumulative eiects are considered. Very signi¢cant normal stress components are left over the shallow portion of the fault surface after an earthquake: these are tensile for thrust faults, compressive for normal faults and are typically comparable in size to the stress drop. These normal stresses can easily be computed for more realistic seismic source models, in which a variable slip is assigned; normal stresses are induced in these cases too, and positive shear stresses may even be induced on the fault plane in regions of high slip gradient. Several observations can be explained from the present model: low-dip thrust faults and high-dip normal faults are found to be facilitated, according to the Coulomb failure criterion, in repetitive earthquake cycles; the shape of dip-slip faults near the surface is predicted to be upward-concave; and the shallower aftershock activity generally found in the hanging block of a thrust event can be explained by 'unclamping' mechanisms.
Nutrient Content (% Dry Matter) of Maize as Affected by Different Levels of Fertilizers in Asaba Area of Delta State

This study was carried out in the Teaching and Research Farm of Delta State. University, Asaba campus (Nigeria) from March 2008 to June 2010 to evaluate the nutrient content (% dry matter) of maize as affected by different levels of organic manure and inorganic fertilizer. The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times in a factorial layout. Four different rates of poultry droppings, cattle dung and NPK 20: 10: 10 fertilizer were applied to three maize varieties sown at 75 cm x 15 cm spacing and the maize grains produced were evaluate for their nutrient content in percentage dry matter. The results obtained indicated that hybrid variety 9022-13 had the highest N, P and K contents (1.03, 1.68 and 0.26, respectively). Also, plants that received inorganic fertilizer had the highest values of 1.27% N, 1.64% P and 0.29% K. Based on rates of application, plants that received 450 kgha-1 NPK 20: 10: 10 fertilizer had the highest values of 1.74% N, 1.71% P and 0.49% K. The interaction effects showed that only variety, manure type and rates % application were significant (P < 0.05). Based on this study, it is recommended that (i) Hybrid variety, 9022-13, which was outstanding in its nutrient content be grown in the study area. Alternatively, farmers who prefer open-pollinated varieties could grow BR 9922-DMRSF2 or Agbor local variety for people who prefer local varieties in maize production (ii) Spacing of 75 cm x 15 cm (88, 888 plants/ha) which resulted in better growth performance and yield should be adopted in maize production (iii) Farmers who prefer mineral fertilizer for increased growth and yield of maize should apply 450 kg ha-1 of NPK 20: 10: 10 (iv) Farmers who practice organic agriculture in Asaba agro-ecological zone should apply 30 tha-1 of poultry manure to enhance maize yield.
The energetics of the plastic deformation of pack ice by ridging

A large-scale area of pack ice contains ice of various thicknesses from zero to many meters. As the area deforms, thin ice is ridged into thicker ice, in a way that depends on the strain rate and the instantaneous thickness distribution. By equating the plastic work to the production of gravitational potential energy and the frictional dissipation in this ridging process we relate the yield curve for plastic deformation of the ice pack to the way ice thicknesses are redistributed by ridging.
Summer temperature reconstruction on the central Tibetan Plateau during 1860–2002 derived from annually resolved ice core pollen

[1] We present a 140-year ice core pollen record with annual time resolution from the Puruogangri ice field in the central Tibetan Plateau. A linear regression model between the sum of the steppe and meadow pollen taxa and summer temperature at Naqu accounts for 66% of the summer temperature variance for the period 1955–2002. On the basis of this model, we reconstructed summer temperature history for the central Tibetan Plateau from 1860 to 2002. Three marked warm periods during the 1870s, 1890s, and 1990s and five cold periods during the 1860s, 1880s, 1900s, 1950s, and 1960–1970s were identified. Within the last 100 years, late 20th century warming is distinctive and may have had a major role in the present retreat of most glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau. The pollen record is also significantly correlated with average annual temperatures over the whole Tibetan Plateau, suggesting that these proxy data have the potential for reflecting large-scale regional temperature change. The statistically significant similarity between the Puruogangri ice core pollen record and the δ18O time series indicates that both are reliable indicators of temperature change at annual to multiyear timescales in this region.
The 'most probable number' method for enumerating infective propagules of vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil

Estimates of the number of infective propagules of vesicular-arbuscular (VA) endophytes in two soils were obtained using a most probable number (MPN) method. These estimates were compared with counts of the number of spores in the same soils obtained using a conventional wet sieving method. In one soil, there was good agreement between the number of coarse endophyte propagules, estimated by the MPN technique, and the number of germinable spores extracted using the wet sieving technique. However, a large population of fine endophyte propagules (more than 230 per 50 g soil) could only be enumerated using the MPN technique. In the second soil, fewer coarse endophyte propagules were found using the wet sieving technique than when using the MPN technique. The MPN technique appears to give a more realistic estimate of the number of infective propagules of VA endophytes in field soils than the conventional method.
On submarine sand-waves and tidal lee-waves

A simplified analysis is made of the stability of long waves in a sand bed under deep, slow, and steady (or slowly varying) water flow. Allowing for vertical variation in density and shear, the linearized hydrodynamical equations yield a symmetrical flow whose only action is to impart a slow phase velocity to existing sand-waves without altering their amplitude. The only mechanism found under which sand-waves could grow under the assumed conditions is that of a stationary wave train in the lee of a permanent obstacle. The lee-waves require density gradients greater than a certain minimum, independently of any stability due to shear. Application of this model to tidal flow in the Summer thermocline over the Continental Shelf west of Brittany yields a spectrum of wave-building increments which agrees in general wavelength and shape with that of sand-waves measured on La Chapelle Bank (47° 41' N, 7° 13' W). Changes in amplitude of a few sand-grain diameters per year would be expected. Thermal stratification would be insufficient for the same mechanism to generate waves in the North Sea, but the possibility of density gradients due to suspended sediment is suggested as a likely factor of importance.
HYDROSEDIMENTOLOGICAL STUDIES IN THE PACIENCIA DAM, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

The utilization of dams for many purposes, such as water supply, navigation, flood control, irrigation, storage of water and generation of electricity, among others, solves several problems but unfortunately creates many others. Water management is not a simple task, and the presence of dams generates social, physical, chemical, biological and environmental consequences. Among these severe impacts associated to the implantation and operation of dams, the issues related to the transported and deposited sediments are very significant, although many times hard to evaluate. The objective of this paper is to present the results of studies performed close to the dam of a small hydro power plant located in the Paraibuna River, in the southeast part of Brazil. A grain size analysis of the sediments and its chemical characterization were evaluated before and after a bottom discharge. Two bathymetric surveys in a section of 1.6 km upstream the dam were also performed, one just before and other just after the bottom discharge, in order to evaluate its influence in the bathymetry of the river. The results showed that after the bottom discharge, the amount of muddy sediments upstream the dam became smaller. Regarding to the heavy metal content, the bottom sediments collected upstream and downstream the dam presented, in several samples, values higher than the threshold above which a probable adverse effect on the biota is expected, in particular for cadmium, chromium and zinc, in order of importance.
Spatial analysis of syphilis in pregnancy and congenital syphilis in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 2011-2018

*Article derived from the Master’s Degree thesis entitled ‘Spatial analysis of syphilis in pregnancy and congenital syphilis in the state of Espírito Santo’, defended by Karllian Kerlen Simonelli Soares at the Federal University of Espírito Santo Public Health Postgraduate Program in 2017. Karllian Kerlen Simonelli Soares – orcid.org/0000-0002-2296-1190 Thiago Nascimento do Prado – orcid.org/0000-0001-8132-6288 Eliana Zandonade – orcid.org/0000-0001-5160-3280 Sandra Fagundes Moreira-Silva – orcid.org/0000-0002-5338-9270 Angélica Espinosa Miranda – orcid.org/0000-0002-5556-8379
Bracken fern frond status classification in the Andes of southern Ecuador: combining multispectral satellite data and field spectroscopy

In the anthropogenic fire-disturbed ecosystem of the San Francisco Valley in the Andes of southeastern Ecuador, dense stands of an aggressive invasive weed, the southern bracken fern (Pteridium arachnoideum and Pteridium caudatum), dominate the landscape. To secure sustainable land management in the region, a comprehensive understanding of bracken spatial-distribution patterns and life cycle dynamics is crucial. We investigated the possibility of detecting bracken-infested areas and frond status (live, fungi-infected, and dead) by means of a high-resolution QuickBird scene from October 2010 and spectral signatures based on field spectroscopy. After image pre-processing, a two-step classification procedure first delineates the bracken-infested area by means of a maximum-likelihood hard classification. The probability-guided unmixing classifier with field-derived end-members is applied in the second step to obtain the fractional cover of the different frond statuses per pixel. The results showed that the areas infested by bracken could be distinguished from the other land-cover classes with high accuracy (overall accuracy of 0.9973). Also, the three frond statuses could be accurately classified at the sub-pixel level. The ‘dead’ class was the dominant frond status at the time of image acquisition (October 2010). We conclude that the extreme dry spell in October 2010 was particularly responsible for this dominance.
Seasonal and secular variations of sunshine duration and natural seasons in Japan

Seasonal transitions of sunshine duration and their secular changes in Japan are investigated for the period 1951–2000, and the influence of climatic variations on seasonal weather tendencies is discussed. Two seasons with little sunshine in the Baiu and the Akisame seasons are recognized in central and western Japan (CW Japan). In northern Japan, however, only one season with little sunshine in summer is seen. Another season with little sunshine is recognized for the Sea of Japan side and the Southwest Islands during the winter monsoon season.
Optical remote sensing of forest leaf area index and biomass

Forests are the most complex terrestrial ecosystem on Earth’s land surface, providing vital goods and services upon which the welfare of humanity depends. The quantification of leaves and biomass in forests is critical for understanding the ecological role of forests in the terrestrial ecosystem. Great effort has been dedicated to the mapping of leaf area and biomass using remotely sensed data. This review focuses on the use of optical remote sensing in mapping leaf area index (LAI) and aboveground biomass for forests. Significant progress has been made in mapping LAI in the past few decades. Mapping of LAI started with location-specific empirical approaches and evolved to semi-empirical and biophysical approaches, which can be applied globally. Although there are some biases in the current LAI products, it can be expected that better-quality LAI products will be delivered in the future. At present, mapping biomass remains predominantly empirical because there is no direct physical relationship between reflected energy in visible, near or mid infrared wavelengths and biomass. Mapping biomass relies on the explicit or implicit mapping of forest structural parameters that are related to biomass allometrically. Although optical images have been successfully used in mapping biomass in low biomass areas, it remains a challenge to map biomass in forested areas with high biomass density due to signal saturation.
Geodynamic model for Alpine intra-plate compressional deformation in Western and Central Europe

Summary The Mesozoic grabens and wrench induced troughs of Western and Central Europe developed in response to Triassic to Early Cretaceous intra-plate tensional stresses which affected the Arctic — North Atlantic and the Tethys borderlands during the rifting phases preceding the opening of the respective oceans. During the Alpine orogeny, collision-related compressive stresses exerted on the foreland induced the reactiviation of pre-existing fracture systems, and caused the inversion of Mesozoic grabens and the uplifting of major basement blocks at distances up to 1300 km to the north of the present Alpine deformation front. The structural style of these inversion structures is indicative of compression and transpression. Total crustal shortening is unlikely to exceed a few tens of kilometres. These displacements require a coupling between the foreland and the orogen at the Alpine A-subduction zones and, within the foreland, a decoupling at intra-crustal levels between the crust and mantle and/or at deeper lithospheric levels.
Liposomal extended-release bupivacaine for postsurgical analgesia

When physicians consider which analgesia to use postsurgery, the primary goal is to relieve pain with minimal adverse side effects. Bupivacaine, a commonly used analgesic, has been formulated into an aqueous suspension of multivesicular liposomes that provide long-lasting analgesia for up to 72 hours, while avoiding the adverse side effects of opioids. The increased efficacy of liposomal extended-release bupivacaine, compared to bupivacaine hydrochloride, has promoted its usage in a variety of surgeries including hemorrhoidectomy, bunionectomy, inguinal hernia repair, total knee arthroplasty, and augmentation mammoplasty. However, like other bupivacaine formulations, the liposomal extended-release bupivacaine does have some side effects. In this brief review, we provide an update of the current knowledge in the use of bupivacaine for postsurgical analgesia.
Economic Cost of an Algae Bloom Cleanup in China's 2008 Olympic Sailing Venue

In the summer of 2008, an algae bloom struck the coast of Qingdao, China, where the 2008 Olympic sailing events were to be held. The bloom was caused by the drift and proliferation of the green algae Enteromorpha (see http://precedings.nature.com/documents/2352/version/1). It lasted for more than 1 month and covered nearly the entire sailing venue. The Enteromorpha bloom was so intense that national and local governments invested a tremendous amount of labor and resources in a cleanup effort in order to achieve Olympic Games standards [Hu and He, 2008].
Beta-induced translation of strong isolated eddies

Strong eddies on the β plane are considered within the framework of the one-layer primitive equations. The attention is focused on calculating the β-induced changes to the spatial structure of the eddy, as well as the speed of its translation. In contrast to the earlier studies, the results of this paper are valid for eddies with Ro ∼ 1 and are applicable to both lenses and eddies in a layer of nonzero average depth. It is demonstrated that no steady solution exists for eddies translating at a speed inside the Rossby-wave speed range, reflecting that such eddies must radiate and lose energy. In addition to the speed restriction, steadily translating eddies must satisfy a certain constraint imposed on their far-field asymptotics.
Tectonic evolution of the High Himalaya in Upper Lahul (NW Himalaya, India)

The Upper Lahul region in the NW Himalaya is located in the transition zone between the High Himalayan Crystalline (HHC) to the SW and the Tethyan Zone sedimentary series to the NE. The tectonic evolution of these domains during the Himalayan Orogeny is the consequence of a succession of five deformation events. An early Dl phase corresponds to synmetamorphic, NE verging folding. This deformation created the Tandi Syncline, which consists of Permian to Jurassic Tethyan metasediments cropping out in the core of a large-scale synformal fold within the HHC paragneiss. This tectonic event is interpreted as related to a NE directed nappe stacking (Shikar Beh Nappe), probably during the late Eocene to the early Oligocene. A subsequent D2a phase caused SW verging folding in the HHC. This deformation is interpreted as contemporaneous with late Oligocene to early Miocene SW directed thrusting along the Main Central Thrust. In the Tethyan Zone, a D2b phase is marked by a decollement thrust, a system of reverse faults, and gentle folds, associated with SW directed tectonic movements. This deformation is related to an imbricate structure, characteristic of a shallow structural level, and developed in the frontal part of a nappe affecting the Tethyan Zone units of SE Zanskar (Nyimaling-Tsarap Nappe). A later D3 phase generated the Chandra Dextral Shear Zone (CDSZ), a large-scale, ductile, dextral strike-slip shear zone, located in the transition zone between the HHC and the Tethyan Himalaya. The CDSZ most likely represents a part of a system of early Miocene extensional and/or dextral, strike-slip shear zones observed at the HHC-Tethyan Zone contact along the entire Himalaya. A final D4 phase induced large-scale doming and NE verging back folding.