Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observational Evidence of Irrigation Influence on Vegetation Health and Land Surface Temperature in India

Irrigated area in India has significantly increased after the green revolution. However, quantification of irrigation influence on vegetation health and land surface temperature (LST) remains limited. Here, we develop a high‐resolution (250 m) remotely sensed data of enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and LST from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer for 2000–2017 at the 8‐day temporal resolution for India to quantify the role of irrigation in the modulation of EVI, LST, and vegetation health. We show that irrigation‐dominated regions have significantly (p value < 0.05) higher EVI and cooler (1–2 K) LST during the crop‐growing season in the Indo‐Gangetic Plain. Vegetation health in highly irrigated areas is poorly correlated with meteorological drought primarily due to irrigation. Moreover, vegetation health is negatively correlated with groundwater storage anomalies in the highly irrigated Indo‐Gangetic Plain. Irrigation in Indo‐Gangetic Plain modulated EVI, LST, and vegetation health and resulted in groundwater depletion during 2002–2016.
A comparison of machine and deep-learning algorithms applied to multisource data for a subtropical forest area classification

ABSTRACT This work explores the integration of airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data and WorldView-2 (WV2) images to classify the land cover of a subtropical forest area in Southern Brazil. Different deep and machine learning methods were used: one based on convolutional neural network (CNN) and three ensemble methods. We adopted both pixel- (in the case of CNN) and object-based approaches. The results demonstrated that the integration of LiDAR and WV2 data led to a significant increase (7% to 16%) in accuracies for all classifiers, with kappa coefficient (κ) ranging from 0.74 for the random forest (RF) classifier associated with the WV2 dataset, to 0.92 for the forest by penalizing attributes (FPA) with the full (LiDAR + WV2) dataset. Using the WV2 dataset solely, the best κ was 0.81 with CNN classifier, while for the LiDAR dataset, the best κ was 0.8 with the rotation forest (RotF) algorithm. The use of LiDAR data was especially useful for the discrimination of vegetation classes because of the different height properties among them. In its turn, the WV2 data provided better performance for classes with less structure variation, such as field and bare soil. All the classification algorithms had a nearly similar performance: the results vary slightly according to the dataset used and none of the methods achieved the best accuracy for all classes. It was noticed that both datasets (WV2 and LiDAR) even when applied alone achieved good results with deep and machine learning methods. However, the advantages of integrating active and passive sensors were evident. All these methods provided promising results for land cover classification experiments of the study area in this work.
Adverse Reactions Associated with Antiretroviral Regimens in Adult Patients of a University Teaching Hospital HIV Program in Zaria, Northern Nigeria: An Observational Cohort Study

Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has reduced the morbidity associated with HIV infection, and prolonged the lifespan of HIV/AIDS patients, but reports of adverse reactions associated with the antiretroviral drugs exist in the literature. The aim of this research was to determine the frequency and pattern of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in HAART-experienced patients in our facility from January 2000 to December 2009. Method: Patients on HAART who had a defined temporal relationship between an adverse or noxious reaction and the administration of the drugs at doses normally used in man for the treatment of HIV disease were studied. Patients who developed adverse reactions to non- antiretroviral drugs were excluded. Result: of 3641 patients, 380 (10.4%) comprising 289 females (76.1 %) and 91 males (23.9%) of respective mean ages, 35.1 ± 7.4 and 43.2 ± 5.9 years, and respective median CD4+ cell counts, 256/ μL and 124/ μL, had various forms of ADRs. Zidovudine/lamivudine/nevirapine (43.2%), stavudine/lamivudine/nevirapine (26.3%), zidovudine/lamivudine+efavirenz (12.4%), truvada+ nevirapine (9.5%), zidovudine + truvada + ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (8.2%) and truvada/efavirenz (0.5%) were responsible. Mean onset of ADR was 34 days, and there was a female predisposition. The common ADRs were: nausea/hypersalivation/ vomiting (124, 34%), skin rash (100, 26.3%), Steven-Johnson syndrome (27, 7.1%) and anemia (27, 7.1%). Significant risk factors were: baseline CD4+ cell counts > 250/μL, on –therapy CD4+ cell counts > 250/μL, female gender, and type of regimen. Conclusion: Current antiretroviral regimens are associated with various forms of ADRs, thus the need to strengthen pharmacovigilance and proper education of patients on the side effects and possible adverse reactions of ARV regimens.
Feasibility of shellfish reef restoration in a south-western Australian estuary

With 85% of oyster reefs lost around the world within the last 130 years, these reefs are now one of the most threatened marine habitats in the world and in Australia less than 10% of naturally occurring oyster reefs remain. Shellfish reefs provide a range of services that promote healthy ecosystems, including water filtration, fish production and shoreline erosion. In estuaries, these services are extremely important as human activities are increasing degrading these environments. Thus, shellfish reefs can aid in restoring ecosystem functioning of an estuary while providing additional ecosystem services. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of a number of shellfish reef options for the Peel-Harvey Estuary in south-western Australia. This first involved exploring the historical and current distributions of shellfish to elucidate whether shellfish reefs existed in the Peel-Harvey Estuary and to identify a suite of candidate species. A bioclimatic modelling approach was then used to elucidate the suitability of five native Australian oyster species to the environmental conditions that occur in the Peel-Harvey Estuary, the largest estuary in south-western Australia. Laboratory tank trials were then used to validate the results of that model, in which the two most suitable species, i.e. Ostrea angasi and Saccostrea glomerata, were exposed, for two months, to the extremes in water temperature and salinity that occur in the Peel-Harvey Estuary during summer (26◦C and 48ppt) and winter (15◦C and 14ppt) and their survival, body condition index (BCI) and behaviour (valve activity) monitored. The probability of survival (S) over the duration of the study was lowest for O. angasi in the summer (S=0.0) and winter treatments (S=0.18), which both differed significantly (P 0.05) before or among treatments. The results of the bioclimatic model and survival analyses suggest that S. glomerata was the most suitable candidate for shellfish reef restoration in the Peel-Harvey Estuary, given in particular the extremes that occur in salinity. Further work is required to determine the most suitable areas in the estuary that would maximise survival and growth and thus where such reefs would have a positive impact on the overall health and resilience of the Peel-Harvey Estuary.
Those Tough Conversations

i m I going to die? " "My doctor is encouraging me to take more chemo but I'm tired of living in hospitals and going to the emergency room. I hate to disappoint him, and I hate to let my family down. " "If you were me, what would you do? " It used to be that every time a patient asked one of these really difficult questions we could respond with relief, "You'll have to ask your physician. " However, as more nurses take on advanced practice roles, and as health care becomes increasingly complex, patients and their families expect nurses to be able to discuss major life-and-death issues. In fact, the "comfort care laws" in 30 states now give advanced practice nurses the power to write do not resuscitate (DNR) orders. And many of these questions now fall within the scope of nursing practice. More often, nurses are finding themselves in the position of elaborating on the often cursory diagnoses and prognoses patients have received from physicians. While nurses may receive more training in communications theory than do many physicians, dealing with specific concerns regarding end-of-life decisions requires a specific set of skills not taught in many undergraduate programs. And yet communicating with patients whose lives are threatened remains one of the stressors cited most often
Analysis of Similarities Between Five Indigenous Bio-Catalyst Extracts used by Several Communities in Kenya

Commercial fermentation additives are quite expensive leading to increased production costs. Several communities in Kenya have continuously enjoyed fast saccharification of biomass during cooking and fermentation of porridge and ethanol using bio-catalysts. Infusion of these bio-catalysts into modern-day science is crucial in optimization of yields and reduction of production costs in food, alcohol, pharmaceuticals and energy industries. This study aimed at characterizing five extracts (Terminalia b., Acanthaceae spp., Osyris lanceolata, Santaraseae spp. and Kigelia africana) for possible similarities in physical-chemical parameters, elemental composition and ionic stability. Water extracts were preferred as natively done by these communities. Wet chemistry was used for physical-chemistry parameters and elemental composition while spectroscopy was used to analyze presence of bio-metals, functional groups, conjugation and ligands present. Lab simulation studies were conducted to evaluate ionic stabilities. The results indicated the samples had similar pH, conductivity and volatile solids with slight variations in alkalinity and fatty acids. There were similarities in the functional group peaks and conjugation patterns. The ions of Cu(OH)2, Fe(OH) 2+ , ZnOH+ , Cr(OH) 2+ and Co 2+ were found to be dominant in all biocatalyst extracts. Terminalia b. and Osyris lanceolata were found to have relatively higher sulfate, phosphate levels while nitrate levels were similar in all the samples except for Terminalia b. biocatalysts. These compounds extracted from these herbs can be commercialized for industrial fermentation processes.
Biogeographical implications of climate change for an alpine mammal, the American pika

Anthropogenic climate change has already impacted a majority of species globally; understanding how animals respond and what mechanisms contribute to shifts in life history, distribution, and ecology are key questions in biology. When faced with changing climate conditions, animals can move to track their niche, adapt to new conditions, or disappear. The aim of this dissertation is to understand how climate and climate change influences animal ecology and evolution across space and time, using pikas (genus Ochotona) and particularly the American pika (O. princeps) as a model system. Pikas are an ideal study organism for the effects of climate change because their rugged habitat remains largely undisturbed by other anthropogenic activities, are highly detectable within their environment, and have a rich presence in natural history collections.
Enhanced Iron Flux to Antarctic Sea Ice via Dust Deposition From Ice‐Free Coastal Areas

Antarctic sea ice is an important temporal reservoir of iron which can boost primary production in the marginal ice zone during the seasonal melt. While studies have reported that Antarctic fast ice bears high concentrations of iron due to the proximity to coastal sources, less clear are the biogeochemical changes this iron pool undergoes during late spring. Here we describe a 3‐week time series of physical and biogeochemical data, including iron, from first‐year coastal fast ice sampled near Davis Station (Prydz Bay, East Antarctica) during late austral spring 2015. Our study shows that dissolved and particulate iron concentrations in sea ice were up to two orders of magnitude higher than in under‐ice seawater. Furthermore, our results indicate a significant contribution of lithogenic iron from the Vestfold Hills (as deduced from the comparison with crustal element ratios) to the particulate iron pool in fast ice after a blizzard event halfway through the time series. Windblown dust represented approximately 75% of the particulate iron found in the ice and is a potential candidate for keeping concentrations of soluble iron stable during our observations. These results suggest that iron entrapped during ice formation, likely from sediments, as well as local input of coastal dust, supports primary productivity in Davis fast ice. As ice‐free land areas are likely to expand over the course of the century, this work highlights the need to quantify iron inputs from continental Antarctic dust and its bioavailability for ice algae and phytoplankton.
EFFECT OF IRRIGATION SCHEDULING AND NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ON BARLEY YIELD AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY

A field trial was conducted at Giza Agricultural Research Station during the two successive seasons 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 to study the response of barley to different irrigation regimes induced due to irrigating according to 1.1 (wet irrigation regime), 0.9 (medium irrigation regime) and 0.7(dry irrigation regime) coefficients for the accumulative pan evaporation (APE) records in combination with nitrogen fertilization rates of 0, 15, 30 and 45 kg Nfed -1 . Results of combined analysis could be summarized as follows:1. The assessed irrigation regimes had a significant effect on plant height, spike length, number of spikes m -2 , number of grains spike -1 , 1000 kernels weight, biological yield fed -1 . , harvest index, grain and straw yields. The highest values of such characters were obtained for wet irrigation regime (1.1 APE) followed by medium (0.9 APE) and dry (0.7APE) ones, respectively. Protein content of barley grains increased as plants were imposed to severe water stress (dry irrigation regime, 0.7 APE). 2. Seasonal water consumptive use (WCU) was increased under wet irrigation regime (1.1 APE coefficient). Whereas, water use efficiency (WUE) increased under medium irrigation regime (0.9 APE coefficient). 3. Appling 45 kg N fed -1 significantly increased plant height, spike length, number of spikes m -2 , number of grains spike -1 , 1000 kernels weight, biological yield, harvest index, grain and straw yields. Furthermore, protein content of grains, seasonal water consumptive use (WCU) and water use efficiency (WUE) tended to increase due to the highest Nrate. 4. The interaction effect between irrigation regimes and nitrogen fertilization rates was found to be significant for growth, yield and its components characters. The maximum values of plant height, spike length, number of spikes m -2 , number of grains spike -1 , 1000kernel weight, biological yield, harvest index, grain and straw yields were obtained as barley irrigated at 1.1 APE coefficient under 45 kg N fed -1 rate. Higher water consumptive use (WCU) values resulted from interaction of wet irrigation regime (1.1APE) and 45 kg N fed -1 rate. Whereas, the highest values of water use efficiency (WUE) were recorded as barley plants were irrigated at medium irrigation regime (0.9 APE) under 45 kg N fed -1 . The maximum values of protein content in barley grains were obtained due to irrigating at the dry irrigation regime (0.7 APE) in combination with 45 kg N fed -1 rate.
Radio Beacon and Radar Assessment and Forecasting of Equatorial F Region Ionospheric Stability

Ionospheric conditions on two adjacent nights in March 2019 were observed at the Jicamarca Radio Observatory using a combination of incoherent scatter, coherent scatter, and high‐frequency (HF) radio modes. The HF data came from a network of beacons consisting of three transmitters and six receivers operating at two frequencies and deployed regionally. The HF beacons employ pseudorandom noise coding and can be used to measure group delay (pseudorange) and Doppler shift, and the time derivative of optical path length. A method for inferring volumetric estimates of electron density regionally from the HF data is described. The radar and HF data are interpreted in light of a direct numerical simulation of the ionospheric interchange instability to elucidate why convective plumes and equatorial spread F conditions occurred on one night but not the other. The numerical simulation accurately predicted whether convective plumes would develop on a given night, utilizing initial conditions and forcings derived from the incoherent scatter data. The HF data were consistent with the incoherent scatter observations and remained intelligible throughout the equatorial spread F event. Crests in the bottomside electron density associated with convective plumes at higher altitudes could be seen propagating through the region in the HF data. It should be possible to incorporate HF data in assimilative simulations of interchange instabilities in order to predict where and when individual convective plumes emerge.
Revisiting the Hewlett and Hibbert (1963) Hillslope Drainage Experiment and Modeling Effects of Decadal Pedogenic Processes and Leaky Soil Boundary Conditions

Subsurface flow dominates water movement from hillslopes to streams in most forested headwater catchments. Hewlett and Hibbert (1963, https://doi.org/10.1029/JZ068i004p01081) constructed an idealized hillslope model (0.91 × 0.91 × 15.0 m; 21.8°) using reconstituted C horizon soil to investigate importance of interflow, a type of subsurface flow. They saturated the model, covered it to prevent evaporation, and allowed free drainage for 145 days. The resulting recession drainage curve suggested two phases: fast drainage of saturated soil in the first 1.5 days and then slow drainage of unsaturated soil. Hydrologists interpreted the latter as evidence interflow could sustain baseflow, even during extended drought. Since that experiment, typical forest vegetation grew in the model, providing root and litter inputs for 55 years. We removed all aboveground live biomass and repeated the experiment physically and numerically (HYDRUS‐2D), hypothesizing that pedogenesis would change the drainage curve and further elucidate the role of unsaturated flow from hillslopes. Contrary to this hypothesis, drainage curves in our twice‐repeated physical experiments and numerical simulation were unchanged for the first ~10 days, indicating pedogenesis and biological processes had not largely altered bulk hydraulic conductivities or soil moisture release characteristics. However, drainage unexpectedly ceased after about 2 weeks (14.3 ± 2.5 days), an order of magnitude sooner than in the original experiment, due to an apparent leak in the hillslope analogous to commonly observed bedrock fractures in natural systems. Thus, our results are a more natural recession behavior that highlight how incorporation of alternative hydrologic outputs can reduce drainage duration and volume from soils to baseflow.
Omeprazole Compared with Misoprostol for Ulcers Associated with Nonsteroidal Antiinflammatory Drugs

Background Misoprostol is effective for ulcers associated with the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) but is often poorly tolerated because of diarrhea and abdominal pain. We compared the efficacy of omeprazole and misoprostol in healing and preventing ulcers associated with NSAIDs. Methods In a double-blind study, we randomly assigned 935 patients who required continuous NSAID therapy and who had ulcers or more than 10 erosions in the stomach or duodenum (or both) to receive 20 mg or 40 mg of omeprazole orally in the morning or 200 μg of misoprostol orally four times daily. Patients were treated for four weeks or, in the absence of healing, eight weeks. Treatment success was defined as the absence of ulcers and the presence of fewer than five erosions at each site and not more than mild dyspepsia. We then randomly reassigned 732 patients in whom treatment was successful to maintenance therapy with 20 mg of omeprazole daily, 200 μg of misoprostol twice daily, or placebo for six months. Re.
Broadband Ground‐Motion Simulation with Interfrequency Correlations

Ground‐motion simulations can be viable alternatives to empirical relations for seismic hazard analysis when data are sparse. Interfrequency correlation is revealed in recorded seismic data, which has implications for seismic risk (Bayless and Abrahamson, 2018a). However, in many cases, simulated ground‐motion time series, in particular those originating from stochastic methods, lack interfrequency correlation. Here, we develop a postprocessing method to rectify simulation techniques that otherwise produce synthetic time histories deficient in an interfrequency correlation structure. An empirical correlation matrix is used in our approach to generate correlated random variables that are multiplied in the frequency domain with the Fourier amplitudes of the synthetic ground‐motion time series. The method is tested using the San Diego State University broadband ground‐motion generation module, which is a broadband ground‐motion generator that combines deterministic low‐frequency and stochastic high‐frequency signals, validated for the median of the spectral acceleration. Using our method, the results for seven western U.S. earthquakes with magnitude between 5.0 and 7.2 show that empirical interfrequency correlations are well simulated for a large number of realizations without biasing the fit of the median of the spectral accelerations to data. The best fit of the interfrequency correlation to data is obtained assuming that the horizontal components are correlated with a correlation coefficient of about 0.7.
Macroinvertebrados acuáticos y su importancia como bioindicadores de calidad del agua en el río Alambi

El estudio de Macroinvertebrados acuaticos (MAIA) para determinar su relacion frente a un tipo de contaminacion rutinaria, se realizo en el recorrido del rio Alambi, desde la cota de los 2610 hasta la cota de 1120 m.s.n.m. , estableciendo como estaciones referenciales entre los sitios Antes vs Despues, los centros poblados de Nono, Tandayapa, Nanegalito y Nanegal. Se determino la abundancia total de 6447 individuos ubicados dentro de 16 ordenes, 47 familias y 55 generos (Apendice 1). De los cuales 4726 pertenecen al grupo de los EPT indicadores de buena calidad, estableciendo un promedio total de 197, de los 213,5 registrados para los sitios Antes y 180,5 para los sitios Despues. La valoracion biologica global BMWP(A) fue de 110,38, siendo 116.20 para sitios Antes y 104,58 para sitios Despues. El nivel de significancia entre estos dos indices fue de 0,76 catalogando al agua del rio Alambi como de “BUENA” calidad biologica, resultados que fueron corroborados mediante los parametros Fisico-quimicos del ICA los cuales igualmente determinaron una buena calidad del agua. Palabras clave. - Macroinvertebrados acuaticos, Bioindicadores, Biological Monitoring Working Party de Antioquia, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, Indice de calidad del Agua.