Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tetrapod tracks from the Mauch Chunk Formation (middle to upper Mississippian) of Pennsylvania, U.S.A

ABSTRACT Evidence of tetrapods is scarce in the early Mississippian. Following Romer's Gap, a time of some 15 million years at the beginning of the Mississippian when remains of tetrapods and other continental organisms are rare, only sporadic skeletal and footprint fossils are found. We report here on new specimens of the tetrapod ichnogenera Hylopus and Palaeosauropus from the middle of the Mauch Chunk Formation (middle to upper Mississippian) of Eastern Pennsylvania. These document walking and swimming behaviors by at least two basal tetrapod taxa, perhaps an anthracosaur and a temnospondyl, and show evidence for the beginning of the second period of tetrapod diversification.
Physical layer secret key generation for decentralized wireless networks

Emerging decentralized wireless systems, such as sensor or ad-hoc networks, will demand an adequate level of security in order to protect the private and often sensitive information that they carry. The main security mechanism for confidentiality in such networks is symmetric cryptography, which requires the sharing of a symmetric key between the two legitimate parties. According to the principles of physical layer security, wireless devices within the communication range can exploit the wireless channel in order to protect their communications. Due to the theoretical reciprocity of wireless channels, the spatial decorrelation property (e.g., in rich scattering environments), as well as the fine temporal resolution of the Impulse Radio - Ultra Wideband (IR-UWB) technology, directly sampled received signals or estimated channel impulse responses (CIRs) can be used for symmetric secret key extraction under the information-theoretic source model. Firstly, we are interested in the impact of quantization and channel estimation algorithms on the reciprocity and on the random aspect of the generated keys. Secondly, we investigate alternative ways of limiting public exchanges needed for the reconciliation phase. Finally, we develop a new signal-based method that extends the point-to-point source model to cooperative contexts with several nodes intending to establish a group key.
44. CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSILS ACROSS THE CRETACEOUS/TERTIARY BOUNDARY, SITE 761, NORTHWEST AUSTRALIAN MARGIN1

A biostratigraphically complete (all nannofossil biozones present) Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary was recovered at Site 761 on the Wombat Plateau, northwest Australian margin, during Ocean Drilling Program Leg 122. A quantitative study of calcareous nannofossils on closely spaced samples across the boundary reveals a rapid change in assemblages in a similar fashion to other Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary sites. Nannofossil species were placed into three categories: Tertiary, Cretaceous, and "survivors. " The rapid sequential turnover in these assemblages is as follows: Cretaceous species are abruptly replaced at the boundary by opportunistic survivor species, which in turn are abruptly replaced by newly evolved Tertiary taxa. The uppermost Maestrichtian assemblage is distinctly mid-latitudinal with few Micula murus and rare to few Nephrolithus frequens. The nannofossil assemblage immediately above the boundary is dominated by an abundance bloom of Cyclagelosphaera spp. No Thoracosphaera or Braarudosphaera abundance blooms are present as at many other localities. The change from a survivor- to Tertiary-dominated assemblage is coincident with the CPla/CPlb nannofossil subzonal boundary, which is marked by the simultaneous first occurrence of several species including Cruciplacolithus tenuis and C. primus. The latter is found to first occur below C. tenuis in the most complete Cretaceous/Tertiary sections. A hiatus between Subzones CPla and CPlb is interpreted to explain this discrepancy.
Pre-visible Detection of Grub Feeding in Turfgrass using Remote Sensing

Japanese beetle grubs (Popillia japonica Newman) are rootfeeding pests of turfgrass in the Midwest and eastern United States causing millions of dollars of damage annually. To reduce unnecessary pesticide output by applying only where needed, turfgrass managers need a practical, noninvasive method to locate patchy infestations before unsightly damage has occurred. Spectrometer data and multispectral aerial imagery were evaluated for detecting pre-visible symptoms of grub damage in turfgrass, to facilitate sitespecific grub management. Using spectrometer reflectance data, first derivatives of reflectance, narrow-band vegetation indices, and linear combinations of multiple bands/indices, infested turfgrass plots were distinguished from un-infested plots 10 to16 days before visual differences appeared in the year when visual ratings were conducted. Pre-visible symptoms of grub feeding were not detected using the position of the red edge or edge of the red edge. Results using multispectral imagery were mixed, with early symptoms detected in only one of two years.
Lithologic studies of fine-grained Upper Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Black Hills region: Section A in Shorter contributions to general geology, 1930

More than nine-tenths of the Upper Cretaceous rocks in northeastern Wyoming are fine-grained shales, mudstones, and calcareous marls. A comparative study of the mineralogy, chemical and mechanical composition, density and porosity, fissility, and lamination of samples of these rocks discloses several relations that throw light on the geologic history and structural deformation of the region, and perhaps on its oil and gas possibilities.
The Magdala Lode System, Stawell, Southeastern Australia: Structural Style and Relationship to Gold Mineralization across the Western Lachlan Fold Belt

Gold mineralization in the Magdala deposit at Stawell is hosted within deformed turbidites and the underlying mafic volcanic successions. This setting is atypical when compared to the slate-hosted gold deposits elsewhere in the Lachlan orogen. The deposit is located at a regional plunge reversal (culmination) and gold lodes have developed on the western flank of a large, doubly plunging basalt dome (the Magdala antiform) during northeast-southwest and east-west shortening. The irregular shape of the dome and the contacts between different stratigraphic packages are the key controls on the location of the gold lodes. Early deformation is defined by bedding-parallel mica fabrics (S 1 ) that are folded by a series of upright fold closures (F 2 ). These upright folds are syn- to postpeak regional metamorphism and are overprinted by another folding event associated with a shallow-dipping crenulation cleavage (S 3 ). Gold mineralization postdates all of the ductile deformation and occurred after the formation of faults associated with large laminated and massive quartz veins that are barren of gold. In the turbidites the mineralized structures are defined by laminated quartz veins (with arsenopyrite and pyrite). Within the volcanic units gold lodes are sulfide rich (mainly pyrite, pyrrhotite, and arsenopyrite) reflecting the primary sulfide-rich stratigraphy. Later gold lodes at Stawell developed as a result of the reactivation of the system during sinistral oblique-slip. Field and geochronological data suggest deformation initiated in the Stawell region and migrated to the east resulting in dramatically different structural evolution and/or complexity in the Stawell and Bendigo-Ballarat zones. Despite this, the absolute age of major gold mineralization is the same in both zones.
The Evaluation of Land Use Changes on Stream Discharge by SWAT Model and Remote Sensing in Agro-Forestry Watershed： A Case Study in Nghinh Tuong Subwatershed, Northern Vietnam

The purpose of this paper was to implement “Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)” model and Geographic Information System (GIS) to evaluate the impact of land use changes on stream discharge in Nghinh Tuong watershed (a brand of Cau River) in Northern Vietnam. The watershed was coverd by 56% forestry land, 30% agricultural land and the remain 14% for others. Stream discharge observed data from 2002 to 2007 were used for calibration period and from 2008 to 2012 for validation period. The result showed that two coefficients (NSE and PBIAS) to evaluate model performance were 0.76 and 6.54% for calibration period and 0.87 and 4.74% for validation period, respectively. Stream discharge strongly depends not only on quantity of precipitation but also on land use change. Through the scenario 1, agricultural land (corn, orchard and tea) increases 9,782.67 ha (2.45%), meanwhile forest (forest-mixed) decreases 1,091.77 ha (2.75%) as compared to baseline scenario. Additionally, precipitation increases 3.74% in mean wet season, but decreases 0.5% in mean dry season with respect to baseline period. SWAT model was able to simulate stream discharge and sediment yield for Nghinh Tuong watershed successfully not only for baseline scenario but also for scenario 1. In brief, SWAT proves its ability in simulation stream discharge in subwatershed level. It is a useful tool to assist water quantity and quality management process in Nghinh Tuong watershed. This work one more time indicated that SWAT is useful tool for resources and environment management.
Vulnerability of Migrants and Responsiveness of the State: The Case of Unskilled Migrant Workers in Kerala, India

The paper examines how the state and other agencies in the host state (Kerala) responded to reduce the vulnerability of inter-state migrant workers. The paper also makes an assessment of a pioneering welfare scheme for inter-state migrant workers introduced by the Kerala government. [CSES Working Paper No. 26]. URL:[http://csesindia.org/admin/modules/cms/docs/publication/29.pdf].
Dealing With Dependent Effect Sizes in MASEM

Abstract. The objective of the present study was to examine whether different methods for dealing with dependency in meta-analytic structural equation modeling (MASEM) lead to different results. Four different methods for dealing with dependent effect sizes in MASEM were applied to empirical data, including: (1) ignoring dependency; (2) aggregation; (3) elimination; and (4) a multilevel approach. Random-effects two-stage structural equation modeling was conducted for each method separately, and potential moderators were examined using subgroup analysis. Results demonstrated that the different methods of dealing with dependency in MASEM lead to different results. Thus, the decision on which approach should be used in MASEM-analysis should be carefully considered. Given that the multilevel approach is the only approach that includes all available information while explicitly modeling dependency, it is currently the theoretically preferred approach for dealing with dependency in MASEM. Future research should evaluate the multilevel approach with simulated data.
Inslab earthquakes of Central Mexico: Peak ground-motion parameters and response spectra

We developed equations to predict pseudoacceleration response spectra (5% damping), peak ground acceleration, and peak ground velocity at free-field rock sites for intermediate-depth, normal-faulting inslab earthquakes of Central Mexico. The data set comprises 16 earthquakes (5.2 ≤ M w ≤ 7.4; 35 ≤ H ≤ 138 km) recorded at local and regional distances ( R ≤ 400 km). It represents a homogeneous catalog with respect to tectonic regime, fault mechanism, and soil class. Our results show larger amplitudes in the epicentral area from inslab events than from interplate events, a consequence of higher stress drops during the former type of earthquakes. Peak ground accelerations from moderate to large ( M w >6.0) inslab events significantly exceed those from interplate events with similar magnitude, reaching almost three times for the largest events. The ground motion due to inslab events, however, decays faster than for the thrust events. Our results are in reasonable agreement with other studies based on Japanese and the worldwide data.
ON STABILITY MEASUREMENTS AND MODELING

: Recent developments in snow stability modeling demonstrated the great potential of numerical snow cover modeling for avalanche forecasting. The recently developed metrics provided promising results, possibly even superseding traditional stability indices. To further validate these results, we compared the temporal evolution of various stability metrics to a unique data set of measurements including snow stratigraphy, snow microstructure and stability at the Steintälli site (Davos, Switzerland). From January to March 2016, we measured the shear strength of a prominent weak layer of depth hoar crystals with the shear frame and the critical crack length in propagation saw tests. Concurrently, we characterized snow microstructure with the snow micro-penetrometer (SMP) and ran the numerical snow cover model SNOWPACK with the data from the automatic weather station at the site. Our results show that initially, strength and toughness were low, but increased with time; they were correlated. Also, load increased with time, and strength and toughness were correlated with load. While in the field we monitored the most prominent weak layer in the snowpack, the modelled stability metrics indicated that different weak layers, closer to the snow surface, were more prone to fail later in the season. The three stability metrics we compared showed similar temporal trends and performance with regard to avalanche activity in the region of Davos and forecast danger levels. Our detailed site-specific validation indicates that numerical stability metrics provide valuable data for avalanche forecasting though different indices show different behavior at times calling for specific interpretation.
Assessment of selection criteria in Sesamum by using correlation and path coefficient analysis

To investigate yield and quality traits in germplasms of Sesamum , in order to study the nature of relationship between the characters and to know the direct and indirect effect of independebnt characters on dependent characters this study was done. The experiment was laid out during kharif 2015 in 10 ×10 simple lattice design with two replications. The analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among the genotypes in respect of all the traits thereby indicating presence of wide genetic diversity. Association of seed yield per plant was highly significant and positive at both genotypic level and phenotypic level with plant height, branches per plant and leaves per plant. Path analysis revealed that greatest direct effect and individual factor contribution to seed yield was made by number of plant height followed by capsules per plant. The highest indirect effect to seed yield was made by branches per plant, leaves per plant and 1000 seed weight. From this study it was observed that plant height and capsules per plant made the most contribution to seed yield and should therefore be used as a selection index for Sesamum improvement.
Discovering Relationships Between Data in an Enterprise Information System Using Log Analysis

Enterprise systems are inherently complex and maintaining their full, up-to-date overview poses a serious challenge to the enterprise architects' teams. This problem encourages the search for automated means of discovering knowledge about such systems. An important aspect of this knowledge is understanding the data that are processed by applications and their relationships. In our previous work, we used application logs of an enterprise system to derive knowledge about the interactions taking place between applications. In this paper, we further explore logs to discover correspondence between data processed by different applications. Our contribution is the following: we propose a method for discovering relationships between data using log analysis, we validate our method against a benchmark system AcmeAir and we validate our method against a real-life system running at Nordea Bank.
Ground‐Motion Prediction Equations for Region‐Specific Probabilistic Seismic‐Hazard Analysis

Abstract The goal of this article is to investigate the possibility of reducing the uncertainty of the ground motion predicted for a specific target area (Po Plain and northeastern Italy), by calibrating a set of ad hoc ground‐motion prediction equations (GMPEs). The derived GMPEs account for peculiarities that are not generally considered by standard predictive models, such as (1) an attenuation rate dependent on distance ranges and geological domains; (2) enhancement of short‐period spectral ordinates, due to the reflection of S waves at the Moho discontinuity; and (3) generation of surface waves inside an alluvial basin. The analyzed strong‐motion dataset was compiled by selecting events in the 4.0–6.4 magnitude range, records with distances shorter than 200 km, and focal depths shallower than 30 km; the major contribution comes from the recent 2012 Emilia sequence (first mainshock, 20 May 2012 M w 6.1; second mainshock, 29 May 2015 M w 6.0). The GMPEs are derived for the geometrical mean of horizontal components of peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity, and 5% damped spectral acceleration in the 0.04–4 s period range. The derived region‐specific models led to a reduction of the hazard levels for several intensity measures, with respect to the values obtained by considering the reference Italian attenuation model (Bindi et al. , 2011), as exemplified by the comparison of the hazard curves computed for two specific sites. Online Material: Database of Northern Italy (DBNI) flat-file and tables of northern Italy ground‐motion prediction equations (GMPEs) (NI15) regression coefficients and variability components for use with Joyner–Boore and hypocentral distances.
An Application of the UTAUT Model for Understanding Student Perceptions Using Course Management Software

Blackboard® is a Web-based tool that is becoming an important and popular course management software application in higher education. Moreover, Blackboard® has been predicted to be the future of all types of distance learning. It provides a number of learning tools, including an online discussion board, course content management, a course calendar, information announcement, electronic mail, reviews, auto-marked quizzes and exams, navigation tools, access control, grade maintenance and distribution, student progress tracking, etc. Blackboard® benefits include a high level of interactivity, a greater level of learner enthusiasm, and a high level of satisfaction. This paper describes student perceptions in terms of applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. The UTAUT model consolidates previous TAM related studies. However, in this study mixed support for this model was found in terms of the reliability of the scale items representing the UTAUT constructs and the hypothesized relationships. Although students tend to agree that Blackboard® is a good idea and use it frequently, most of software’s features are not being used to their fullest capability.
In Good Company The Influence of Peers on Industry Engagement by Academic Scientists

Previous research on academic entrepreneurship and engagement with industry has found that the behaviour of academics is inﬂuenced by their local social context. However, we know little about the mechanisms that produce this effect. We argue that academic scientists’ industry engagement is inﬂu-enced signiﬁcantly by the behaviour of their peers, that is, the behaviour of colleagues of similar seniority. Using insights from social psychology, we hypothesize that these peer effects are produced by the mechanism of social comparison. In an analysis of data from multiple sources for 1370 UK academic scientists and engineers, we ﬁnd that peer effects are stronger for early career individuals and weaker for star scientists, suggesting the incidence of social comparison. We argue that individuals look to their immediate peers for inspiration, because they view them as an important reference group and use them as a benchmark for their own ambitions and behaviours. Our ﬁndings have important implications for how universities may encourage scientists’ behaviours by paying attention to local work contexts. © 2014 The Authors
Vrica-Crotone and Montalbano Jonico sections: a potential unit-stratotype of the Calabrian Stage

A unique composite record from the Mediterranean area exposed on land and spanning the entire time interval of the Calabrian Stage is presented. The record is composed of the Vrica-Crotone section (Calabria, southern Italy) and the Montalbano Jonico section (Basilicata, southern Italy). The Vrica-Crotone section contains the proposed Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) of the Calabrian Stage and extends from Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 65 to 37 for its Calabrian portion. The Montalbano Jonico section extends from MIS 37 to 17-16. Its upper portion contains MIS 19, which is known to occur close to the Matuyama/Brunhes reversal, and may represent a suitable horizon for the definition of the GSSP of the 'Ionian' Stage. Both sections are astronomically tuned, thus providing accurate ages for the bioevents. New biostratigraphic results and radiometric data on volcaniclastic layer V3 of the Montalbano Jonico section are presented together with an updated tuning of the section. A comparison with several Mediterranean and north Atlantic deep- sea cores is also shown to verify the consistency and reliability of the biostratigraphic data. The Vrica-Crotone and Montalbano Jonico sections can be considered a suitable composite record for the Calabrian unit- stratotype and support the revaluation of the unit- stratotype concept in addition to the GSSP approach.
The effectiveness of unconventional monetary policy at the zero lower bound : a cross-country analysis

This paper assesses the macroeconomic effects of unconventional monetary policies by estimating a panel VAR with monthly data from eight advanced economies over a sample spanning the period since the onset of the global finanancial crisis. It finds that an exogenous increase in central bank balance sheets at the zero lower bound leads to a temporary rise in economic activity and consumer prices. The estimated output effects turn out to be qualitatively similar to the ones found in the literature on the effects of conventional monetary policy, while the impact on the price level is weaker and less persistent. Individual country results suggest that there are no major differences in the macroeconomic effects of unconventional monetary policies across countries, despite the heterogeneity of the measures that were taken.