Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative responses of EPIC and CERES crop models to high and low spatial resolution climate change scenarios

We compared the responses of the CERES and EPIC crop models, for wheat and corn, to two different climate change scenarios of different spatial scales applied to the central Great Plains. The scenarios were formed from a high-resolution regional climate model (RegCM) and a coarse resolution general circulation model, which provided the initial and boundary conditions for the regional model. Important differences in yield were predicted by the two models for the two different scenarios. For corn, CERES simulated moderate yield decreases for both scenarios, while EPIC simulated a decrease for the coarse scenario but no change for the fine scale scenario. Differences in the simulation of wheat yields were also found. These differences were traced to the contrasting ways in which the models form final yield, even though their strategies for simulating potential total biomass are similar. We identify the crop model type as an important uncertainty in impacts assessment in addition to the spatial resolution of climate change scenarios.
A first approximation of the volume of ground ice, Richards Island, Pleistocene Mackenzie delta, Northwest Territories, Canada

Using data contained in the Mackenzie Valley Geotechnical Data Bank together with data derived from morphometric analyses of topographic maps and air photographs, the volume of ground ice present in the upper 10 m of Richards Island is calculated to be 10.27 km3. Pore and segregated ice constitute over 80% of the total ice volume. Wedge ice constitutes between 12 and 16% of total ice volume in the upper 4.5 m, and approximately 36% of all excess ice. In the upper 1–2 m, wedge ice may exceed 50% of earth materials. Pingo ice is insignificant in terms of its contribution to total ice volumes. Excess ice constitutes 14% of the upper 10 m of permafrost; it follows that thawing of this layer of permafrost may lead to an average subsidence of 1.4 m.The results of this study are probably typical of other areas of the Pleistocene Mackenzie delta. There is also general agreement with data obtained from arctic Alaska.
Retroviral Replicating Vectors Mediated Prodrug Activator Gene Therapy in a Gastric Cancer Model

Retroviral replicating vectors (RRVs) selectively replicate and can specifically introduce prodrug-activating genes into tumor cells, whereby subsequent prodrug administration induces the death of the infected tumor cells. We assessed the ability of two distinct RRVs generated from amphotropic murine leukemia virus (AMLV) and gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV), which infect cells via type-III sodium-dependent phosphate transporters, PiT-2 and PiT-1, respectively, to infect human gastric cancer (GC) cells. A quantitative RT-PCR showed that all tested GC cell lines had higher expression levels of PiT-2 than PiT-1. Accordingly, AMLV, encoding a green fluorescent protein gene, infected and replicated more efficiently than GALV in most GC cell lines, whereas both RRVs had a low infection rate in human fibroblasts. RRV encoding a cytosine deaminase prodrug activator gene, which converts the prodrug 5-flucytosine (5-FC) to the active drug 5-fluorouracil, showed that AMLV promoted superior 5-FC-induced cytotoxicity compared with GALV, which correlated with the viral receptor expression level and viral spread. In MKN-74 subcutaneous xenograft models, AMLV had significant antitumor effects compared with GALV. Furthermore, in the MKN-74 recurrent tumor model in which 5-FC was discontinued, the resumption of 5-FC administration reduced the tumor volume. Thus, RRV-mediated prodrug activator gene therapy might be beneficial for treating human GC.
A comparative analysis with machine learning of public data governance and AI policies in the European Union, United States, and China

This paper explores the public data governance and AI policies in the world’s three main technological regions which are the United States, China, and European Union based on scientific literature analysis with machine learning. We used the RapidMiner text mining algorithm to classify texts and define the recuring themes in each region through Terms Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency, supervised machine learning techniques with KNN, and Naïve Bayes. Therein, our results reveal the most influential items for each region that emphasize three different approaches in China, the United States and the EU.
An unusual microbial-rostroconch assemblage from the Mulde Event (Homerian, middle Silurian) in Podolia, Western Ukraine

The Homerian (middle Silurian) Mulde Event is an extinction event affecting hemipelagic organisms associated with a positive stable carbon isotope excursion, and an increased proliferation of microbial deposits. The Event is recorded in the Bagovytsya section (Podolia, Ukraine), representing a carbonate ramp setting in the East European Craton, and recording the δ13Ccarb excursion with values reaching +5.17%. The associated facies include oncolitic beds, mud-mounds and thrombolitic buildups dominated by cyanobacteria and microproblematica with proposed bacterial affinities. The associated faunal assemblage includes a high proportion of rostroconchs and abundant gastropods and trilobites. The co-occurrence of grazing organisms and microbial sediments suggests that the microbial preservation was not caused by decreased grazing rates.
Effects of Feeding 60% Dried Corn Distillers’ Grains or the Equivalent Sulfur as CaSO4 on DNA Integrity and Gene Expression in Yearling Angus Bull Sperm

We evaluated the effects of feeding 60% dried corn distillers’ grains plus solubles (DDGS) or the equivalent sulfur as CaSO4 on sperm characteristics and transcript abundance. Thirty-six half-sibling Angus bulls (256 ± 8.5 d; initial BW = 320 ± 2.7 kg) were assigned to one of three treatments: (1) 60% concentrate as corn (CON); (2) 60% DDGS as corn replacement (60DDGS); and (3) CON diet + equivalent sulfur of 60DDGS added as CaSO4 (SULF). The acrosome/cell membrane integrity, mitochondrial energy potential, oxidation status, DNA integrity, and zinc signatures were analyzed via flow cytometry. Sperm-specific gene expression was assessed via RNA sequencing. The flow cytometry data were analyzed using PROC MIXED in SAS to determine the effects of treatment. Pairwise comparisons based on edgeR were used to identify differentially expressed genes. The percentage of polarized mitochondria tended to be greater (p = 0.08) for SULF compared with CON and 60DDGS. Protamine 1 was upregulated (p < 0.01; FDR = 0.10) in 60DDGS compared to CON. Zinc signature 1 in 60DDGS and SULF was reduced (p = 0.03) compared to CON. This study suggests that feeding bulls diets containing 60% DDGS had little effect on DNA integrity and gene expression.
Laboratory simulation of the salt weathering of schist: 1. Weathering of schist blocks in a seasonally wet tropical environment

Data describing sediment generation focusing on the temporal evolution of size gradation are required for the prediction of long‐term landform evolution. This paper presents such data for the salt weathering of a quartz‐chlorite schist obtained from the Ranger Uranium Mine in northern Australia. Rock fragment samples are subjected to three different climate regimes: (1) a dry season climate; (2) a wet season climate (both based on observations at the Ranger site); and (3) an oven‐drying sequence designed to test the sensitivity of the weathering process by exposing the rocks to more extreme temperatures. Two MgSO4 salt solutions are applied, one being typical of wet season runoff and the other a more concentrated solution. Salt solution is applied daily in the wet season experiments and once only at the beginning of the dry season experiments. Results of the experiments reveal four stages of weathering. The kinetics of each stage are described and related to the formation of sediment of different sizes. Wet season climate conditions are shown to produce greater moisture variability and lead to faster weathering rates. However, salt concentrations in the wet season are typically lower and so when climate is combined with observed salt concentrations, the dry and wet season experiments weather at approximately equal rates. Finally, small variations in rock properties were shown to have a large impact on weathering rates, leading to the conclusion that rock weathering experiments need to be carefully designed if results are to be used to help predict weathering behaviour at the landscape scale. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Farmers' knowledge of wind erosion processes and control methods in Niger.

Field research on wind erosion processes in Sahelian Africa has revealed that wind-blown particle transport forms a constraint for local crop production systems. This paper describes the results of an on-farm survey on wind-erosion processes and soil conservation practices. Interviews were held with 138 farmers from seven villages in southern Niger. Of the interviewed farmers, 63 per cent consider wind-blown particle transport as damaging to their cropping systems. Nearly all farmers reported to observe differences between fields with respect to wind erosion. Fields that are mainly eroded were said to lose fertility and produce less, whereas deposition of material results in a better fertility and production. These differences occur also on a smaller scale, with erosion and deposition spots in the same field. Most farmers (96 per cent) are familiar with techniques to reduce wind erosion, and 92 per cent applied one or more of these techniques in the field. The indigenous soil conservation techniques are application of manure and mulching with crop residues or tree branches. New techniques are tree planting, natural regeneration of woody vegetation, and application of zai, a method of soil preparation from Burkina Faso, using pits filled with compost for sowing crops. The farmers who have applied these new techniques reported to have less wind-erosion problems in their fields. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Ordovician‐Silurian boundary successions in östergötland and Västergötland, S. Sweden

Abstract A detailed lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic study of the Ordovician‐Silurian boundary section at Rassnasudden near Motala has resulted in the recognition of two new lithostratigraphic units, the Motala Formation and the Loka Formation. The former is a slightly more than 5 m thick unit of nodular limestone and calcareous mudstone of late Rhuddanian and early Aeronian age. Its typical lithofacies can be traced into lower Silurian successions in Vastergotland and into the subsurface of Gotland. The latter unit, which is poorly represented at Rassnasudden but well developed in Vastergotland, consists of shallow‐water limestone, sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone and was formerly known as the Dalmanitina Beds or the Tommarp Formation. The shelly fossil fauna of the Loka Formation in Ostergotland is in some respects more reminiscent of coeval faunas of the North American Midcontinent than ofthat of the Loka Formation in Vastergotland. In terms of the graptolite succession, the Motala Formation c.
Pathotyping and Antibiotic Resistance Characteristics of Escherichia coli Isolates from Calf Diarrhea

Calf diarrhea is an important disease that causes economic losses and E. coli is the primary pathogen. In this study, stool samples were collected from a total of 100 calves with diarrhea. As a result of 16S rRNA PCR analysis, it was confirmed that 50 (96.15%) of 52 E. coli isolates were molecularly E. coli. As a result of molecular pathotyping studies of 50 E. coli isolates, the pathotypes of 21 (42.0%) E. coli strains were identified. E. coli (n = 50) isolates were found to be resistant to amoxicillin-clavulanate by 34%, to ciprofloxacin by 38%, and to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole by 60%. Different degrees of antimicrobial resistance genes were detected in 26 (52%) E. coli isolates. In conclusion, a data source was provided for the antimicrobial treatment procedure in calf diarrhea caused by E. coli in our region, and the results that could guide future studies were also brought to the literature.
CO2 sequestration in basalt: Carbonate mineralization and fluid substitution

Geological sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep reservoirs may provide a large-scale option for reducing the emissions of this gas into the atmosphere. The effectiveness of sequestration depends on the storage capacity and stability of the reservoir and risk of leakage into the overburden. Reservoir rocks can react with a CO2-water mixture, potentially resulting in the precipitation of minerals in the available matrix pore space and within pre-existing fractures. This induced mineralization may form internal seals that could help mitigate the leakage of CO2 into the overburden. For basaltic host rocks, carbonic acid partially dissolves minerals in the host rock, such as the calcium plagioclase mineral, freeing various cations (e.g., Ca2+ and Mg2+) for later precipitation as carbonate cements (Gislason et al., 2010).
Statistical tools for the analysis of geomagnetic reversal sequences

Previous investigations of geomagnetic reversal sequences have shown that a nonstationary gamma distribution provides a good description of the intervals between reversals. The general problems of parameter estimation and testing for differences between the statistical properties of reverse and normal polarity sequences are considered. A likelihood method is suggested to overcome the problems of nonstationarity and the consequent dependence of polarity interval lengths while avoiding the problems associated with the use of sliding windows. Previously, the good fit of a gamma distribution has been interpreted as implying that geomagnetic reversals are a gamma process. An alternative possibility is presented here by showing that incomplete data from a Poisson process leads to a distribution of interval lengths essentially indistinguishable from a gamma distribution.
Effect of Flow of Information on Student Engagement in Public Universities in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the effect of flow of information on student engagement in public universities in Kenya Methodology: The study used a mixed research design with both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The target population was all the students in the public universities within Nairobi City County. A sample of 384 students was drawn from the five public chartered universities’ main campuses, using a combination of various probability sampling techniques including stratified, simple random sampling and systematic sampling. The academic registrar in each of the university was sampled for interviews using purposive sampling. The research instruments for this study were self-administered questionnaires for students and semi-structured interviews for the registrars. Quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS software and the inferential statistics used were descriptive, correlation, regression and ANOVA analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed for themes, and triangulation of both quantitative and qualitative data done. Findings: Lateral communication (student-student) is well established in public universities and students easily share information with one another. Downward (management-student) and upward (student-management) communication was however wanting with students feeling that they are not consulted enough even on issues that directly affect them. This is despite having representation by their student representatives at various levels of the decision-making processes in the university. Students also stated that they could not freely communicate their opinions to the management despite being provided with channels to do so. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was guided by the Organizational Information Theory (OIT). The study therefore recommended that better ways of engaging students directly, such as meetings could also be considered instead of relying on student leadership representation alone. Public universities should establish clear and comprehensive communication policies that outline the channels, frequency, and modes of communication between the institution, faculty, and students.
Fluid-Rock Interaction in UHP Phengite-Kyanite-Epidote Eclogite from the Sulu Orogen, Eastern China

Combined petrographic, minerochemical, fluid inclusion, and stable isotope studies have been carried out on phengite-kyanite-epidote (Phe-Ky-Ep) eclogites from Hushan and Qinglongshan (Donghai area, UHP Sulu orogen, China) to unravel their metamorphic evolution and fluid-rock interaction. A complex metamorphic evolution, from coesite-eclogite (P = 3.5-4.0 GPa and T = 840 ± 50°C) to greenschist facies conditions (P ≈ 0.2 GPa and T ≈ 350°C), through quartz-eclogite and HT amphibolite-facies conditions, was recognized. The associated fluids are aqueous and show a progressive change in salinity and composition, reflecting different metamorphic stages. Stable isotope data confirm that, prior to subduction, the Sulu eclogite protolith experienced a meteorichydrothermal alteration, and indicate that during metamorphic evolution the rocks recrystallized without pervasive fluid infiltration.
Geographical Aspects of Biological Productivity

AbstractAnnual plant production and total plant mass are calculated for 106 types of soil and plant formations of the world, grouped in turn by major thermal belts and bioclimatic regions (humid, semiarid, arid) within these thermal belts. Aggregate magnitudes of annual growth and total plant mass by thermal belts and their bioclimatic regions follow a sequence of alternating high values in humid regions and low values in arid regions that bears a similarity to the periodic law of geographical zonality. Maximum plant production is associated with the Tropical belt, where combinations of heat and moisture favor maximum intensity of the physical-geographic process. A related paper, by Bazilevich and Rodin, appeared in Soviet Geography, January 1971.
Gravity wave characteristics over Tromelin Island during the passage of cyclone Hudah

The time and spatial evolution of gravity‐wave characteristics are analysed using wavelets in vertical profiles of temperature and winds at Tromelin Island (15.53°S, 54.31°E) during the passage of the intense tropical cyclone Hudah in the Southern Ocean Indian Basin in 2000. Inertia‐gravity waves were observed in the upper troposphere and the lower stratosphere with dominant vertical wavelengths of 1.5–3 km, horizontal wavelengths <2000 km and periods of 0.6–1.6 days. Large amounts of gravity‐wave energy were detected during landfalls of the tropical cyclone. The distribution of total energy indicates that mesoscale convective structures such as tropical cyclones are important gravity‐wave sources in the upper troposphere.
Patterns in pCO2 in boreal streams and rivers of northern Quebec, Canada

Here we examine the patterns in carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO2) measured in a number of small boreal streams (<5 km in length) in the northwestern boreal region of Québec during the ice‐free season and compare these to the patterns found in a major river (Eastmain River) and in a tributary in the same region. All systems were consistently supersaturated in CO2 (range 450 to 5000 μatm) streams having both higher (mean 1850 μatm) and more variable pCO2 than that of rivers (range 550 to 800 μatm). Stream pCO2 was positively related to DOC concentration and stream segment length, both suggesting a direct influence of the surrounding landscape. Calculated stream water‐air CO2 fluxes ranged from 700 to over 3000 mg C m−2 d−1, up to 2 orders of magnitude higher than those measured in large rivers and lakes of the same region. Small streams, despite their extremely reduced areal coverage (1% of the aquatic surface), accounted for 25% of the total aquatic C emissions, and the resulting areal stream fluxes were comparable to those measured in different soils or wetlands in the region.
Incremental growth of the Patagonian Torres del Paine laccolith over 90 k.y

The Miocene Paine Granite in the Torres del Paine Intrusive Complex, southern Chile, is an extraordinary example of an upper crustal mafic and granitic intrusion. The granite intruded as a series of three sheets, each one underplating the previous sheet along the top of the basal Paine Mafic Complex. High-precision U/Pb geochronology on single zircons using isotope dilution–thermal ionization mass spectrometry yields distinct ages of 12.59 ± 0.02 Ma and 12.50 ± 0.02 Ma, respectively, for the first and last sheet of the laccolith. This age relationship is consistent with field observations. The zircon ages define a time frame of 90 ± 40 k.y. for the emplacement of a >2000-m-thick granite laccolith. These precise U-Pb zircon ages permit identification of the pulses in a 20 k.y. range. The data obtained for the Paine Granite fill the gap between 100 k.y. and 100–1000 yr pulses described in the literature for crustal magma chambers.
The 3D shear experiment over the Natih field in Oman. Reservoir geology, data acquisition and anisotropy analysis

This paper describes a large‐scale reservoir characterization experiment carried out in Oman in 1991 which comprised the acquisition, processing and interpretation of a 28.4 km2 3D multicomponent seismic experiment over the Natih field. The objective of the survey was to obtain information on the fracture network present in the Natih carbonates from shear‐wave anisotropy. Shear‐wave anisotropy in excess of 20% time splitting was encountered over a large part of the survey. The seismic results are confirmed by geological and well data but provide additional qualitative information on fracturing where this was not available before. Regions of stronger and weaker shear‐wave anisotropy appear to be fault‐bounded. The average well flow rates (which are fracture‐dominated) within such blocks correlate with the average anisotropy of the blocks. The further observation that the anisotropy is largest in the fracture gas cap of the reservoir suggests that shear waves can provide a direct hydrocarbon indicator for fractured rock.
Dendrogeomorphology: research requirements

Summary Future progress in dendrogeomorphology is considered to depend primarily on the extension of the network of millennia-long chronologies, which can be used to date geomorphic and geologic phenomena. The equal temporal accuracy of these dates and dendroclimatic reconstructions permits their combination in detailed, high-resolution descriptions of Holocene environmental changes. The problems related to the combination of dendrogeomorphological information with other geochronological evidence and with other continuous time series are discussed. Dendroglaciology is considered as an important contribution to the study of long-term climatic variations in the last millennium, as exemplified by a discussion of the “Little Ice Age” and the “Medieval Warm Period”. The needs of research in dendrohydrology, dendrovolcanology, dendroseismology, and mass movement studies are also examined. Central Asia, the Altay, Kamchatka, and the Russian plain are suggested as promising areas for further dendrogeomorphic investigations.