Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulsation waves along the Ciona heart tube reverse by bimodal rhythms expressed by a remote pair of pacemakers

The heart of ascidians, marine invertebrate chordates, exhibits a tubular structure, and heartbeats propagate from one end to the other. The direction of pulsation waves intermittently reverses in the heart of ascidians and their relatives; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We herein performed a series of experiments to characterize the pacemaker systems in isolated hearts and their fragments and applied a mathematical model to examine the conditions leading to heart reversals. The isolated heart of Ciona sufficiently performed heart reversals, and experimental bisections of isolated hearts revealed that independent pacemakers resided on each side and also that their beating frequencies periodically changed as they expressed bimodal rhythms. Only fragments including 5% or shorter terminal regions of the heart tube maintained autonomous pulsation rhythms, whereas other regions did not. Our mathematical model, based on FitzHugh-Nagumo equations applied to a one-dimensional alignment of cells, demonstrated that the difference between frequencies expressed by the two independent terminal pacemakers determined the direction of propagated waves. Changes in the statuses of the terminal pacemakers between the excitatory and oscillatory modes as well as in their endogenous oscillation frequencies were sufficient to lead to heart reversals. These results suggest that the directions of pulsation waves in the Ciona heart reverse according to the changing rhythms independently expressed by remotely coupled terminal pacemakers. Summary statement Pulsation waves traveling along the heart tube of the ascidian Ciona intermittently reverse because of autonomous and periodical changes in beating frequencies at a pair of terminal pacemakers.
Axial-radial influence of porous cup soil solution samplers in a sandy soil

Porous cup soil solution samplers (PCS) have been extensively used to assess movement of solutes through the vadose zone. The ease of installation, simplicity of design, and low cost make PCS attractive and perhaps useful tools. Quality of PCS data is often suspect, and it is difficult to determine solute flux because the volume of soil sampled is unknown. We compared the performance of PCS constructed of ceramic and stainless steel porous cups in Sparta sand (mesic, uncoated Typic Quartzipsamment) to assess their axial-radial influence under transient water flow conditions. Bromide tracer was used to mimic water transport. Replicated (two) samplers of each porous material were placed at 25-, 60-, and 140-cm depths. A time domain reflectometry system was utilized to measure water content adjacent to the samplers at 15-min intervals. Axial-radial PCS influence estimates were obtained by three independent methods: (i) an analytical approach based on a soil hydraulic conductivity function and sample volume; (ii) a mass balance of estimated water flux and volume collected by each sampler; and (iii) a mass balance of collected vs. leached Br - . Calculated axial-radial spheres were lognormally distributed. Significant differences (P < 0.05; type 1 error) were observed for mean axial-radius estimates obtained hy the three analytical methods. The mean axial radius for the ceramic and stainless steel porous cup samplers within each depth of sampling was also significantly different (P < 0.05; type 1 error). Combining data from both ceramic and stainless steel samplers across all three methods of analysis and depth of sampling resulted in a mean axial radius of 24 mm.
Conditions Under Which Assessment Supports Students’ Learning

Much evaluation of teaching focuses on what teachers do in class. This article focuses on the evaluation of assessment arrangements and the way they affect student learning out of class. It is assumed that assessment has an overwhelming influence on what, how and how much students study. The article proposes a set of ‘conditions under which assessment supports learning’ and justifies these with reference to theory, empirical evidence and practical experience. These conditions are offered as a framework for teachers to review the effectiveness of their own assessment practice.
Determinants of Box Office Performance: Return of the Regressions

A BSTRACT . Brewer, Kelley, and Jozefowicz (2009) used data from the late 1990s to the early 2000’s in order to determine what made a movie a success at the box office. I replicate their study using data from 2014 to 2018. Ex ante, production budget, critical reviews, horror and comedy movies were all significant at the one percent level. Ex post, the same variables plus number of screens, summer and holiday release, star power, and word-of-mouth were significant at the one percent level. “Very difficult to understand American audience, what they like, what they don’t like. Some movies I like very much, it doesn’t work. Some movies I don’t like, it gets big box office. Very difficult. ”
Public Health Goal for Di ( 2-Ethylhexyl ) Phthalate ( DEHP ) in Drinking Water

This Public Health Goal (PHG) technical support document provides information on health effects from contaminants in drinking water. The PHG describes concentrations of contaminants at which adverse health effects would not be expected to occur, even over a lifetime of exposure. PHGs are developed for chemical contaminants based on the best available toxicological data in the scientific literature. These documents and the analyses contained in them provide estimates of the levels of contaminants in drinking water that would pose no significant health risk to individuals consuming the water on a daily basis over a lifetime. PHGs for contaminants in drinking water based exclusively on public health considerations. The Act requires OEHHA to adopt PHGs that meet the following criteria: 1. PHGs for acutely toxic substances shall be set at levels at which scientific evidence indicates that no known or anticipated adverse effects on health will occur, plus an adequate margin-of-safety. 2. PHGs for carcinogens or other substances which can cause chronic disease shall be based solely on health effects without regard to cost impacts and shall be set at levels which OEHHA has determined do not pose any significant risk to health. 3. To the extent the information is available, OEHHA shall consider possible synergistic effects resulting from exposure to two or more contaminants. 4. OEHHA shall consider the existence of groups in the population that are more susceptible to adverse effects of the contaminants than a normal healthy adult. 5. OEHHA shall consider the contaminant exposure and body burden levels that alter physiological function or structure in a manner that may significantly increase the risk of illness. 6. In cases of scientific ambiguity, OEHHA shall use criteria most protective of public health and shall incorporate uncertainty factors of noncarcinogenic substances for which scientific research indicates a safe dose-response threshold. 7. In cases where scientific evidence demonstrates that a safe dose-response threshold for a contaminant exists, then the PHG should be set at that threshold. 8. The PHG may be set at zero if necessary to satisfy the requirements listed above. 9. OEHHA shall consider exposure to contaminants in media other than drinking water, including food and air and the resulting body burden. 10. PHGs adopted by OEHHA shall be reviewed periodically and revised as necessary based on the availability of new scientific data. PHGs adopted by OEHHA are for use by the California Department of Health Services (DHS) in …
Glacial‐Holocene δ15N record from the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico: Implications for denitrification in the eastern equatorial Pacific and changes in atmospheric N2O

The intensity of denitrification in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, along the Mexican margin of the eastern tropical North Pacific (ETNP), was reconstructed for the last 23,000 years using the nitrogen isotopic composition of sediment organic matter (δ15Norg) in conjunction with other geochemical tracers of water column productivity. During the last glacial period, δ15Norg values ranged from 6.5 to 8.6‰ with values increasing between 23 and 17 ka. Deglaciation was marked by an abrupt increase in δ15Norg with maximum values (9.9‰) occurring during the Bølling/Allerød period and the earliest Holocene. A decline in δ15Norg values occurred over the last 10,000 years, with late Holocene values being similar to those of the glacial period. Our data suggest that denitrification in this region was minimal during the last glacial and is consistent with the deposition of bioturbated sediments at the study site. The intensity of denitrification increased dramatically during deglaciation and the early Holocene, signaling the presence of a strong oxygen minimum zone. This period is also marked by the deposition of laminated sediments in the region. The δ15Norg records display similar temporal trends to those seen in the Greenland ice core record of atmospheric N2O concentrations. At present, denitrification within the eastern tropical Pacific and Arabian Sea accounts for a major portion of the global marine loss of fixed nitrogen, and a significant fraction of the ocean‐atmosphere N2O flux originates from these areas. Large changes in N2O emissions from these regions in the past would have directly impacted global greenhouse gas concentrations.
Development of NIR calibration valid for two different grass sample collections

e prediction equation of parameters of forage nutritive value, derived entirely from Czech sam- ples, was not suitable for sufficiently accurate evaluation of the nutritive quality of Austrian samples. However, when it was extended by randomly selected 171 Austrian samples, it became more robust and the standard error of prediction decreased significantly (e.g. from 0.826 to 0.321 MJ NEL/kg DM). It can be used for samples from larger geographical and climatic areas or under different grassland management practices with various proportions of grasses, legumes and other herbs. ere was not any consistent improvement when NEL values were calculated from partial prediction of constituents in comparison with direct prediction of NEL by NIRS. e r values were 0.866 vs. 0.876 in the case of Czech validation set and 0.852 vs. 0.811 for the Austrian validation set.
Hydraulic conditions in experimental rill confluences and scour in erodible soils

Few studies have examined processes active within rill networks or the effect of confluence geometry on rill sediment flux, and it is not clear if observations from river confluences also apply at rill scale. Laboratory experiments were carried out in artificial rectangular rill channels with fixed and erodible beds to identify the effects of confluence geometry on hydraulic conditions and scour patterns. Symmetrical and asymmetrical confluences with angles from 19° to 90° were used. Hydraulic changes in the confluence zone in fixed bed experiments included decreased flow velocity, increased shear velocity, transition from supercritical to subcritical, and from transitional to turbulent flow. Bed scour in the confluence zone resulted, generally increasing with confluence angle, but a more important influence was junction symmetry or asymmetry. Symmetrical confluences produced a symmetrical scour pattern mirroring the original channels, but in asymmetrical confluences scour was more complex, evolving to a symmetrical pattern with confluence angles higher than the original system. Results are consistent with channel evolution to an optimally branched system controlled by minimum power criteria, but validation requires testing with more precise velocity measurement.
Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence: Three Fresh Ideas

: Human-Centered AI (HCAI) is a promising direction for designing AI systems that support human self-efficacy, promote creativity, clarify responsibility, and facilitate social participation. These human aspirations also encourage consideration of privacy, security, environmental protection, social justice, and human rights. This commentary reverses the current emphasis on algorithms and AI methods, by putting humans at the center of systems design thinking, in effect, a second Copernican Revolution. It offers three ideas: (1) a two-dimensional HCAI framework, which shows how it is possible to have both high levels of human control AND high levels of automation, (2) a shift from emulating humans to empowering people with a plea to shift language, imagery, and metaphors away from portrayals of intelligent autonomous teammates towards descriptions of powerful tool-like appliances and tele-operated devices, and (3) a three-level governance structure that describes how software engineering teams can develop more reliable systems, how managers can emphasize a safety culture across an organization, and how industry-wide certification can promote trustworthy HCAI systems. These ideas will be challenged by some, refined by others, extended to accommodate new technologies, and validated with quantitative and qualitative research. They offer a reframe -- a chance to restart design discussions for products and services -- which could bring greater benefits to individuals, families, communities, businesses, and society.
Isotopic composition and speciation of sedimentary nitrogen and carbon in the Okinawa Trough over the past 30 ka

Total organic carbon to total nitrogen ratios (C/N) and their isotopic compositions (δ13CTOC and δ15NTN) are oft-applied proxies to discern terrigenous from marine-sourced organics and to unravel ancient environmental information. In high depositional Asian marginal seas, the inclusion of N-bearing minerals in the bulk sediment dilutes or masks signals sought after in δ15N and δ13C analyses, thus leading to incorrect and even contradictory interpretations. We used KOH-KOBr to separate operationally defined total organic matter into oxidizable (labile) and residual fractions for content and isotope measurements. In a sediment core in the Okinawa Trough, significant amounts of carbon and nitrogen existed in the residual phase, in which the C/N ratio was ~9, resembling most documented sedimentary bulk C/N ratios in the China marginal seas. The residual carbon, which was included in operationally defined total organic carbon (TOC), displayed a δ13C range (−22.7 to −18.9‰, mean −20.7‰) similar to the oft-used marine end-member. After removing the interference from the residual fraction, we found that the temporal pattern of δ13CLOC (LOC denotes labile organic carbon) was more variable. The residual nitrogen content was associated with illite, suggesting a terrestrial origin. Additionally, δ15N in the residual fraction likely reflected the climatic controls (e.g., precipitation) on lithogenic source materials. Further studies are required to explore the controlling factors for carbon and nitrogen isotopic speciation and to retrieve the information locked in the residual fraction.
Simultaneous removal of phenol and linear alkylbenzene sulphonate from automotive service station wastewater: Optimization of coupled electrochemical and physical processes

LJMU has developed LJMU Research Online for users to access the research output of the University more effectively. Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Users may download and/or print one copy of any article(s) in LJMU Research Online to facilitate their private study or for non-commercial research. You may not engage in further distribution of the material or use it for any profit-making activities or any commercial gain.
Embankment Dam Breach Parameters and Their Uncertainties

Potential flood hazards that would be created by breached embankment dams need to be evaluated to select spillway design floods and to prepare emergency action plans. The breaches are often modeled simply, usually in the shape of a trapezoid that is defined by its final height, base width or average width, and side slopes, along with the time needed for the opening to form completely. Data collected from 74 embankment dam failures were used to develop mathematical expressions for the expected values of the final width and side slope of a trapezoidal breach along with its formation time. Information is provided that allows variances of the predicted quantities to be calculated as well. The findings of the statistical analysis were then applied in a Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the degree of uncertainty of predicted peak flows and water levels downstream from breached embankment dams.
CONSUMO HÍDRICO DE CRAVINA SUBMETIDA A DIFERENTES ESTRATÉGIAS DE IRRIGAÇÃO E TAMANHOS DE VASO

1 RESUMO O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar o consumo hidrico e o desenvolvimento de hastes florais de cravina ( Dianthus hybrida ‘Melody’), submetida a diferentes estrategias de irrigacao e tamanhos de vaso durante um ciclo de cultivo. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetacao do Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, em esquema bifatorial (2x4) sendo os tratamentos utilizados dois tamanhos de vaso e quatro estrategias de irrigacao, com cinco repeticoes cada. Ao final do ciclo de cultivo foram avaliados: altura das hastes; numero de botoes florais; numero de gemas vegetativas por haste; numero de ramificacoes por haste; diâmetro da haste; fitomassa de materia fresca e fitomassa de materia seca da parte aerea, e ainda determinado o consumo hidrico ao longo do ciclo. Os resultados demonstraram um incremento no consumo de agua no decorrer do periodo de cultivo, porem os parâmetros de produtividade avaliados nao sofreram interferencia dos tratamentos. Palavras-chaves : Dianthus hybrida ‘Melody’, balanco hidrico, floricultura SCHWAB, N. T. ; PEITER, M. X. ; BELLE, R. A. ; BACKES , F. A. A. L. ; ROBAINA, A. D. ; FERRAZ, R. C. WATER CONSUMPTION OF DIANTHUS MELODY UNDER DIFFERENT IRRIGATION STRATEGIES AND POT SIZES 2 ABSTRACT The aim of this research was to evaluate Dianthus Melody (Dianthus hybrida ‘Melody’) water consumption and stalk growth when submitted to different irrigation strategies and pot sizes for one crop cycle. Conducted in a greenhouse at the department of phytotechny, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, the experiment was designed as a 2x4 factorial arrangement with two pot sizes and four irrigation strategies per treatment with five replications each. At the end of the growth cycle stem height, number of buds, number of nodes per stem, number of branches per stem, stem diameter as well as the fresh and the aboveground dry stem phytomasses were evaluated and also was determined the water consumption over the cycle. The results showed an increase in water consumption during the growth stage however treatments had no effect on the evaluated productivity parameters. Keywords: Dianthus hybrida ‘Melody’, water balance, flower production � lcx�� P� split-plot design with four replications. The plots corresponded to four different concentrations of salts in the drip irrigation water (0.5, 2.2, 3.6 and 5.0 dS m-1), and the subplots consisted of four bovine biofertilizer ratios, representing 0, 15, 30 and 45% of the applied volume. The experiment evaluated the effects (of the controlled variables) on gas exchanges and productivity. The salinity of the irrigation water reduced cowpea gas exchanges (stomatal conductance, photosynthesis and internal CO2 concentration) and cowpea productivity. The leaf application of bovine biofertilizer had positive influence on the values of transpiration, grain weight and productivity of the cowpea culture under salt stress. KEYWORDS: Vigna unguiculata L. Salinization. Organic inputs.
Relationships between Biological and Thermal Indices of Soil Organic Matter Stability Differ with Soil Organic Carbon Level

Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 77:2020–2028 doi:10.2136/sssaj2013.02. 0081 Supplementary material is available online for this article. Received 28 Feb. 2013. *Corresponding author (peltre@life.ku.dk). © Soil Science Society of America, 5585 Guilford Rd., Madison WI 53711 USA All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher. Relationships between Biological and Thermal Indices of Soil Organic Matter Stability Differ with Soil Organic Carbon Level Soil Biology & Biochemistry
The association between hunting and the feeding and vigilance times of American bison in North Dakota and Montana

Bison being a keystone species makes understanding the impact that hunting can have on their behavior vital to their ecological recovery. Prior studies have explored the effects of hunting on reproductive behavior and stress levels in ungulates; however, the effects of hunting on feeding and vigilance of American bison (Bison bison) have not yet been explored. We hypothesized that feeding times of bison in the hunted populations would be significantly shorter than that of bison in the nonhunted population and vigilance times would be significantly longer than that of bison in the nonhunted population. We utilized focal animal sampling while observing videos of bison from two hunted populations and one non-hunted population, and the feeding and vigilance times of individual bison were recorded. Notably, we found significant differences in feeding and vigilance times of bison in the hunted and non-hunted populations. However, these differences did not support our original hypothesis; bison in hunted populations spent more time feeding and less time vigilant than bison in the non-hunted population. The results of our study differed from previous investigations of ungulates, however, as noted in prior elk studies, the hunted bison may have fed more and were less vigilant because they encountered periods of safety within the observed times. Future studies investigating the association between hunting and bison behaviors could use populations of bison that are hunted more frequently, which may provide different results.
A parameterization of flow separation over subaqueous dunes

Flow separation plays a key role in the development of dunes, and modeling the complicated flow behavior inside the flow separation zone requires much computational effort. To make a first step toward modeling dune development at reasonable temporal and spatial scales, a parameterization of the shape of the flow separation zone over two‐dimensional dunes is proposed herein, in order to avoid modeling the complex flow inside the flow separation zone. Flow separation behind dunes, with an angle‐of‐repose slip face, is characterized by a large circulating leeside eddy, where a separation streamline forms the upper boundary of the recirculating eddy. Experimental data of turbulent flow over two‐dimensional subaqueous bed forms are used to parameterize this separation streamline. The bed forms have various heights and height to length ratios, and a wide range of flow conditions is analyzed. This paper shows that the shape of the flow separation zone can be approximated by a third‐order polynomial as a function of the distance away from the flow separation point. The coefficients of the polynomial can be estimated, independent of flow conditions, on the basis of bed form shape at the flow separation point and a constant angle of the separation streamline at the flow reattachment point.