Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sea surface height determination in the Arctic Ocean from ERS altimetry

[1] Accurate sea surface height measurements have been extracted from ERS altimeter data in sea ice - covered regions for the first time. The data have been used to construct a mean sea surface of the Arctic Ocean between the latitudes of 60 degreesN and 81.5 degreesN based on 4 years of ERS-2 data. An RMS value for the crossover differences of mean sea surface profiles of 4.2 cm was observed in the ice-covered Canada Basin, compared with 3.8 cm in the ice-free Greenland-Iceland-Norwegian Seas. Comparisons are made with an existing global mean sea surface (OSUMSS95), highlighting significant differences between the two surfaces in permanently ice-covered seas. In addition, we present the first altimeter-derived sea surface height variability map of the Arctic Ocean. Comparisons with a high-resolution coupled ocean - sea ice general circulation model reveal a good qualitative agreement in the spatial distribution of variability. Quantitatively, we found that the observed variability was on average a factor of 3 - 4 greater than model predictions.
Atmospheric sulfur hexafluoride: Sources, sinks and greenhouse warming

Model calculations using estimated reaction rates of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) with OH and O(1D) indicate that the atmospheric lifetime due to these processes may be very long (25,000 years). An upper limit for the UV cross section would suggest a photolysis lifetime much longer than 1000 years. The possibility of other removal mechanisms are discussed. The estimated lifetimes are consistent with other estimated values based on recent laboratory measurements. There appears to be no known natural source of SF6. An estimate of the current production rate of SF6 is about 5 kt/yr. Based on historical emission rates, we calculated a present-day atmospheric concentrations for SF6 of about 2.5 parts per trillion by volume (pptv) and compared the results with available atmospheric measurements. It is difficult to estimate the atmospheric lifetime of SF6 based on mass balance of the emission rate and observed abundance. There are large uncertainties concerning what portion of the SF6 is released to the atmosphere. Even if the emission rate were precisely known, it would be difficult to distinguish among lifetimes longer than 100 years since the current abundance of SF6 is due to emission in the past three decades. More information on the measured trends over the past decade and observed vertical and latitudinal distributions of SF6 in the lower stratosphere will help to narrow the uncertainty in the lifetime. Based on laboratory-measured IR absorption cross section for SF6, we showed that SF6 is about 3 times more effective as a greenhouse gas compared to CFC 11 on a per molecule basis. However, its effect on atmospheric warming will be minimal because of its very small concentration. We estimated the future concentration of SF6 at 2010 to be 8 and 10 pptv based on two projected emission scenarios. The corresponding equilibrium warming of 0.0035°C and 0.0043°C is to be compared with the estimated warming due to CO2 increase of about 0.8°C in the same period.
Snow accretion on power lines

Abstract The results obtained from an investigation into two damaging snowstorms in the Saskatoon area and the findings of Higuchi indicate that the hazard to power lines from wet snow can be significant even when strong winds accompany the snowfall. Since the incidence of freezing precipitation is low on the Prairies, damage from snow accretion may be of more significance than that from ice accretion.
Changes in Network Size, Quality, and Composition among Informal Caregivers in Different Welfare Clusters: Longitudinal Analyses Based on a Pan-European Survey (SHARE)

Introduction: This study analyzed the association between transitions into informal caregiving, inside and outside their own household, and changes in network size, quality, and composition among older adults (≥50 years) in four different welfare systems in Europe. Methods: Data from waves 4, 6, and 8 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe was used and included up to 110,823 participants (aged ≥50 years) from 12 countries. Participants were asked about informal caregiving inside and outside the household and their network size, quality (emotional closeness, contact frequency), and composition (family, friends, men, women). Adjusted linear and Poisson fixed effects regression analyses were conducted. Results: Participants transitioning into any caregiving (inside or outside the household) had a larger network. More women and family members were found among all those transitioning into caregiving, but only outside caregiving was associated with more men and friends in the network. Transitioning into caregiving outside was associated with reduced network closeness and contact. Changes among caregivers outside were similar in all welfare states but were more pronounced among caregivers inside the household of Eastern Europe. Conclusion: Different patterns of changes in network size, quality, and composition were found among adults transitioning into caregiving inside and outside the household. All parameters changed among caregivers outside the household. However, the welfare system played a key role in the network changes among inside household caregivers. Thus, the micro as well as the macro context of caregiving is important for the support network of informal caregivers.
Deep Learning–Based Diagnostic System for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency Based on Videofluoroscopy in Patients With Repaired Cleft Palates

Velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI), which is the incomplete closure of the velopharyngeal valve during speech, is a typical poor outcome that should be evaluated after cleft palate repair. The interpretation of VPI considering both imaging analysis and perceptual evaluation is essential for further management. The authors retrospectively reviewed patients with repaired cleft palates who underwent assessment for velopharyngeal function, including both videofluoroscopic imaging and perceptual speech evaluation. The final diagnosis of VPI was made by plastic surgeons based on both assessment modalities. Deep learning techniques were applied for the diagnosis of VPI and compared with the human experts’ diagnostic results of videofluoroscopic imaging. In addition, the results of the deep learning techniques were compared with a speech pathologist’s diagnosis of perceptual evaluation to assess consistency with clinical symptoms. A total of 714 cases from January 2010 to June 2019 were reviewed. Six deep learning algorithms (VGGNet, ResNet, Xception, ResNext, DenseNet, and SENet) were trained using the obtained dataset. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the algorithms ranged between 0.8758 and 0.9468 in the hold-out method and between 0.7992 and 0.8574 in the 5-fold cross-validation. Our findings demonstrated the deep learning algorithms performed comparable to experienced plastic surgeons in the diagnosis of VPI based on videofluoroscopic velopharyngeal imaging.
Modeling Nitrogen Mineralization Kinetics in Arable Soils of Semiarid India

Laboratory incubation experiments were conducted to study N mineralization kineticsin 15 benchmark soils of Punjab, India. Aerobic incubations were carried out for 112 days at 32°C and −33 kPa water potential. Cumulative N mineralization in different soils ranged from 8.2 to 75.6 mg kg −1 soil, which constituted 2.7 to 8.8% of soil organic N. For each gram of organic carbon (OC) kg −1 soil, about 9 mg N was mineralized in 112 days of incubation. Mineralization was faster during initial days of incubation followed by a relatively slower rate subsequently. Kinetic models of varying complexity were fitted to N mineralization vs. time data. The first-order single compartment (FOSC) model provided relatively poor fit to the data and systematically deviated from the measured values. Both the first-order double compartment (FODC) and the first-order zero-order (FOZO) models provided good fit to the data and yielded very low residual mean squares. In soils with OC content > 0.55%, the FODC model invariably provided the best fit. It was concluded that a minimum of two pools of organic matter may be considered to contribute towards organic N mineralization in these soils. Soil OC and clay strongly influenced the FOSC- and FODC-predicted N mineralization potential of soils. A linear regression involving OC and clay × OC interaction could be used to predict N mineralization potential of the soils.
Characterization of the composition, structure, and seasonal variation of the mixing layer above the extratropical tropopause as revealed by MOZAIC measurements

[1] The chemical composition of the mixing layer above the tropopause, which is mainly influenced by stratosphere troposphere exchange, impacts the chemistry and radiative balance of the troposphere. A better understanding of its seasonal and spatial variation is needed to reduce uncertainties of global chemistry-transport models. In this paper, we use the Measurements of Ozone, Water Vapour, Nitrogen Oxides and Carbon Monoxide by Airbus In-Service Aircraft (MOZAIC) ozone and carbon monoxide data from 2003. The five MOZAIC aircraft fly daily between Europe and North America and between Europe and Asia, at 9―12 km crossing the tropopause when transecting upper level troughs. We present a new coordinate system consisting of potential vorticity on the y axis and the angle between the local PV surface and the horizontal on the x axis to study the mixing that occurs in the tropopause region. This coordinate system allows us to view the typical distribution of ozone and CO within upper level troughs. Using in situ measurements and a Lagrangian analysis, we have identified a mixing layer associated with stirring and mixing in the tropopause region between 2 and 6 pvu. Regional variations of the ozone and CO distributions and chemical anomalies between the center and the borders of the upper level troughs are found within the mixing layer.
Environmental assessments of strategic decisions and project decisions: interactions and benefits

Application of environmental assessment at the level of policies, plans and programmes (PPPs) is generally referred to as strategic environmental assessment (SEA). SEA has many interactions with the environmental assessment of follow-up decisions, whether these are still at strategic level (SEA), or at project level (EIA). An analysis of cases in the European Union of tiered decision-making and environmental assessment, has shown that these interactions can be beneficial. Hypotheses and facts from the literature are sustained by these cases, and can be elaborated further. It is argued that application of SEA can help to improve the decision-making system.
Ontogeny of the trilobite Yunnanocephalus yunnanensis from the Chengjiang lagerstätte, lower Cambrian, southwest China

THE ADULT MORPHOLOGY of the ptychoparid trilobite Yunnanocephalus yunnanensis (Mansuy, 1912) has been described by many authors (e.g. Zhang 1987, Shu et al. 1995). A recently discovered degree 9 meraspid specimen of this species (Fig. 1A–C) reveals previously undescribed morphological changes through the meraspid – holaspid transition, among which the most prominent is the migration of the posterior portions of the facial suture from proparian to gonatoparian conditions.
Scaffold, mechanics and functions of nuclear lamins

Nuclear lamins are type‐V intermediate filaments that are involved in many nuclear processes. In mammals, A‐ and B‐type lamins assemble into separate physical meshwork underneath the inner nuclear membrane, the nuclear lamina, with some residual fraction localized within the nucleoplasm. Lamins are the major part of the nucleoskeleton, providing mechanical strength and flexibility to protect the genome and allow nuclear deformability, while also contributing to gene regulation via interactions with chromatin. While lamins are the evolutionary ancestors of all intermediate filament family proteins, their ultimate filamentous assembly is markedly different from their cytoplasmic counterparts. Interestingly, hundreds of genetic mutations in the lamina proteins have been causally linked with a broad range of human pathologies, termed laminopathies. These include muscular, neurological and metabolic disorders, as well as premature aging diseases. Recent technological advances have contributed to resolving the filamentous structure of lamins and the corresponding lamina organization. In this review, we revisit the multiscale lamin organization and discuss its implications on nuclear mechanics and chromatin organization within lamina‐associated domains.
CoronaVac and BBIBP‐CorV vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2 during predominant circulation of Omicron BA.5.2 and BF.7 in China, a retrospective cohort study

Pandemic of COVID‐19 hit China at the end of 2022. According to China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Omicron BA.5. 2 and BF.7 were the main circulating variants. Chinese people had a high COVID‐19 vaccination rate, and the most widely used vaccines were CoronaVac (Sinovac) and BBIBP‐CorV (Sinopharm). An online questionnaire was distributed to survey the vaccination history and infection information of China mainland residents during this pandemic. A total of 4250 subjects were included for propensity score matching, 566 unvaccinated subjects and 1072 vaccinated subjects were finally included to analyze the effects of the two vaccines on BA.5. 2 and BF.7. The SARS‐CoV‐2 infection rate was 84.5% in the vaccinated group and 82.3% in the unvaccinated group (p = 0.255). Vaccinated subjects had significantly higher rates of COVID‐19‐related symptoms, including fever, cough, nasal obstruction, runny nose, and sore throat. However, vaccinated people had lower risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR]: 0.467, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.286–0.762) and hospitalization (OR: 0.290, 95% CI: 0.097–0.870) due to COVID‐19. In general, the current study did not observe the protective effect of CoronaVac and BBIBP CorV against BA.5. 2 and BF.7 infection. However, these vaccines can still reduce the risk of adverse outcomes such as pneumonia and hospitalization.
Measurement of atmospheric optical parameters on U.S. Atlantic coast sites, ships, and Bermuda during TARFOX

The Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) of automatic Sun/sky radiometers collected data on U.S. Atlantic coast sites, ships, and Bermuda in 1996 during the Tropospheric Aerosol Radiative Forcing Observational Experiment (TARFOX). Spatial and temporal analysis of Sun photometry data was supported by synoptic analysis of air mass evolution. The spatial distribution of aerosol optical depth is presented. In several cases the aerosol size distributions deduced from sky almucantar measurements and solar disk attenuation measurements at the various coastal sites yielded similar results within the same air masses. Ship-based measurements in the Atlantic Ocean showed significant maritime aerosol optical property variations which for the most part could be attributed to the influence of continental sources and Saharan dust events. The Bermuda data (optical depths and Angstrom parameter values) illustrated changes in atmospheric optical properties for various air masses and trajectories. Almost no correlation was observed between aerosol optical depth and water vapor content when the data from all stations and ship measurements were considered together. In the case of individual stations or ship transects, different degrees of correlation could be observed. In continental conditions on the east coast, optical depth and water vapor are well correlated, while in a maritime environment, optical depth can be relatively small despite high water vapor contents.
Response and survival of dogs with proteinuria (UPC > 2.0) treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors

Abstract Background Angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) are a recommended treatment for glomerular proteinuria. Frequency of response to ACEi and the association of achieving proposed urine protein‐to‐creatinine ratio (UPC) targets on survival is unknown. Objectives To determine response rates to ACEi therapy and whether a positive response is associated with improved survival. Animals Eighty‐five dogs with proteinuria (UPC > 2.0). Methods Retrospective study including dogs (UPC > 2.0) prescribed an ACEi for treatment of proteinuria. Baseline creatinine, albumin, cholesterol, UPC, and systolic blood pressure were recorded, and cases reviewed to track UPC. Treatment response was defined as achieving a UPC of <0.5 or reduction of ≥50% from baseline within 3 months. Outcome data were collected to determine overall and 12‐month survival. Results Thirty‐five (41%) dogs responded to ACEi treatment. Treatment response was statistically associated with both median survival time (664 days [95% confidence interval (CI): 459‐869] for responders compared to 177 [95% CI: 131‐223] for non‐responders) and 12‐month survival (79% responders alive compared to 28% non‐responders). Baseline azotemia or hypoalbuminemia were also associated with a worse prognosis, with odds ratios of death at 12 months of 5.34 (CI: 1.85‐17.32) and 4.51 (CI: 1.66‐13.14), respectively. In the 25 dogs with normal baseline creatinine and albumin, response to treatment was associated with 12‐month survival (92% responders alive compared to 54% non‐responders, P = .04). Conclusions and Clinical Importance When the UPC is >2.0, achieving recommended UPC targets within 3 months appears to be associated with a significant survival benefit. Response to treatment is still associated with survival benefit in dogs with less severe disease (no azotemia or hypoalbuminemia).
Physical signatures of ice advance in a Younger Dryas ice‐contact delta, Troms, northern Norway: implications for glacier‐terminus history

The depositional history of an ice-contact delta in Sorfjorden has been reconstructed, based on two sections, 100 and 900 m long. Five major sedimentary facies have been distinguished within the delta's foreset, and their geometry and spatial organization have been mapped in the outcrops through the use of photographs. Facies 1 comprises chaotically bedded coarse clastics; facies 2 comprises sets of high-angle clinoforms; facies 3 comprises sets of low-angle sandy clinoforms; facies 4 comprises sets of hummocky sandy clinoforms and facies 5 comprises sets of low-angle to subhorizontal sandy and muddy clinoforms. The glacier advanced at least 500 m during the formation of the foreset sequence. Six minor halts during this advance are indicated. The study puts new constraints on the history of the Younger Dryas ice advance in the region, including local palaeogeography, ice-front dynamics and fjord-fill sediment stratigraphy.
Effects of artificial woody structures on Atlantic salmon habitat and populations in a Nova Scotia stream

A 1‐km reach of Brierly Brook, Nova Scotia, was studied from 1995 to 2004 to determine if the addition of artificial structures mimicking large woody debris could enhance Atlantic salmon populations. In 1995, digger logs (which mimic fallen trees) and deflectors (which narrow the channel) were constructed in a 250‐m section of the brook devoid of woody debris (Old Restored Site). In 2003, 5 more digger logs and defectors were built in a previously unrestored section of the stream (New Restored Site). A third control site was left unchanged. Physical changes caused by the structures were monitored at the New Restored Site. Densities of juvenile and spawning Atlantic salmon were also monitored. At all sites, woody debris structures in the brook were important and effective in creating complex salmonid habitat. The structures narrowed the channel, scoured pools and undercut banks. They created habitat that parr used for summer and winter refuge and adult spawners used for cover and resting during upstream migration and spawning. The structures caused gravels to accumulate that spawning adults used to build redds and fry used for shelter. The reaches with structures had higher spawning densities than reaches without them; spawning increased in the New Restored Site relative to the control site. The absence of woody debris may be a bottleneck for salmonid populations in streams of the Atlantic Northeast. For streams with a small or immature riparian zone and little woody debris in the channel, woody structures may be an effective tool for restoring salmonid populations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
GiganticNVS: Gigapixel Large-Scale Neural Rendering With Implicit Meta-Deformed Manifold

The rapid advances of high-performance sensation empowered gigapixel-level imaging/videography for large-scale scenes, yet the abundant details in gigapixel images were rarely valued in 3d reconstruction solutions. Bridging the gap between the sensation capacity and that of reconstruction requires to attack the large-baseline challenge imposed by the large-scale scenes, while utilizing the high-resolution details provided by the gigapixel images. This paper introduces GiganticNVS for gigapixel large-scale novel view synthesis (NVS). Existing NVS methods suffer from excessively blurred artifacts and fail on the full exploitation of image resolution, due to their inefficacy of recovering a faithful underlying geometry and the dependence on dense observations to accurately interpolate radiance. Our key insight is that, a highly-expressive implicit field with view-consistency is critical for synthesizing high-fidelity details from large-baseline observations. In light of this, we propose meta-deformed manifold, where meta refers to the locally defined surface manifold whose geometry and appearance are embedded into high-dimensional latent space. Technically, meta can be decoded as neural fields using an MLP (i.e., implicit representation). Upon this novel representation, multi-view geometric correspondence can be effectively enforced with featuremetric deformation and the reflectance field can be learned purely on the surface. Experimental results verify that the proposed method outperforms state-of-the-art methods both quantitatively and qualitatively, not only on the standard datasets containing complex real-world scenes with large baseline angles, but also on the challenging gigapixel-level ultra-large-scale benchmarks.