Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Los roedores de la Edad Friasense (Mioceno Medio) de Patagonia.

La fauna de lo que actualmente conocemos como Edad-mamifero Frisense esta comparativamente poco estudiada en relacion con otras faunas fosiles de nuestro pais. Los roedores en particular solo fueron tratados, hasta hace poco tiempo, en las breves descripciones y referencias hechas a fines del siglo pasado y principios de este por Roth (1899), Ameghino (1904, 1905 y 1906), Rovereto (1914) y Kraglievich (1930). Esta Edad representa un momento muy importante en la evolucion de los mamiferos sudamericanos, y a traves de su registro se atestiguan tanto los cambios climatico-ambientales acaecidos en Patagonia durante el Mioceno, como el comienzo de la diferenciacion de muchos grupos que van a caracterizar las subsiguientes Edades-mamifero del Mioceno superior y Plioceno (Pascual, 1968; Pascual y Odreman Rivas,1971, 1973; Bondesio et al, en 1980).
The Dog that Did Not Bark: Insider Trading and Crashes

This paper documents that at the individual stock level insiders sales peak many months before a large drop in the stock price, while insiders purchases peak only the month before a large jump. We provide a theoretical explanation for this phenomenon based on trading constraints and asymmetric information. We test our hypothesis against competing stories such as patterns of insider trading driven by earnings announcement dates, or insiders timing their trades to evade prosecution. Finally we provide new evidence regarding crashes and the degree of information asymmetry.
Anti-S-layer monoclonal antibodies impact C. difficile physiology

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile), a gram-positive anaerobic and spore-forming bacterium, is the leading cause of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhea in adults and is characterized by high levels of recurrence and mortality. Surface-layer Protein A (SlpA), the most expressed protein on bacterial surface, plays a crucial role in the early stages of infection although its role in C. difficile physiology is yet to be fully understood. Anti-S-layer antibodies have been identified in the sera of convalescent patients and correlate with improved outcome of C. difficile infection (CDI). However, the precise mechanisms of how anti-S-layer antibodies can confer protection to the host remain unknown. In this study, we report the first monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting S-layer of the reference strain 630. Characterization of these mAbs unravels important roles for S-layer protein in growth, toxin secretion, and biofilm formation with, surprisingly, opposite effects of different anti-SlpA mAbs on these functions. One anti-SlpA mAb impaired C. difficile growth and restored sensitivity to lysozyme-induced lysis. These findings suggest that anti-S-layer antibody responses may include protective and detrimental effects for the host and provide important insights for designing adequate S-layer-targeting therapeutics.
Full wave models in linear time invariant signal processing

Full wave models have assumed a niche role in signal processing due to their complexity, limitation to (mostly) empty space, often absent sources, lack of intuition, and insufficient integration with the theory of signal processing in general. This thesis removes these shortcomings and derives closed form solutions for source generated wave fields in the presence of arbitrarily shaped objects. This is made possible by including absorption effects, substantially augmenting the eigenfunction expansion method, and combining both with linear system theory. The result is a generic closed form state space model and impulse response formula which reduces wave models to linear filters, both theoretically and practically, yet contains only elementary functions. The reasons for this is the explicit use of rectangular regions which also furnishes a considerably simpler derivation of some existing results like dimensionality scaling laws because the corresponding Fourier series naturally connects dimensionality with signal bandwidth. Furthermore, the thesis uses the Fourier series to link boundary value problems with information theory and shows how to store and retrieve information in a wave field, exemplified by an elastic rubber string. Despite simplifying some existing results, the main focus is on source generated wave fields and their connection to linear filters, as underlineci with closed form solutions for waves in a wave guide, around the human head, in an urban street area, and more. These examples also emphasise how the results from this thesis allow everyone with a signal processing but not necessarily a Partial Differential Equation (PDF) background to use full wave models because these have been reduced to linear filters with a closed form impulseand frequency response. This makes full wave models less intimidating to approach, adds intuition, and reduces many complex wave problems to simpler ones, as shown for the source localisation problem in highly reverberant environments. The thesis also extends the reach of signal processing beyond standard wave problems to include lineariseci water models, bio-heat transfer, chemical diffusion, and more in the same fashion.
Chronology of the Vistulian (Weichselian) glacial events in the Lower Vistula region, middle-north Poland

Stratigraphy of the Vistulian glacial events in the southern part of the Lower Vistula region in the north Poland is presented. Lithostratigraphic units and TL dating of Vistulian deposits exposing along the Vistula valley between Toruñ and the Che3mno Lakeland are described in detail. The obtained results indicate that the Vistulian sequences in the Lower Vistula region were deposited during five palaeogeographical episodes. Three glacial events were distinguished: the first at the beginning of the Middle Vistulian (~65–70 ka) and two younger ones during the Late Vistulian. The Middle and Late Vistulian glacial events were separated by a long ice-free period, between 65 and 30 ka.
The identity of the British Ordovician cystoid ‘Hemicosmites rugatus Forbes‘

New articulated specimens of the British Ordovician cystoid first mentioned under the name ‘Hemicosmites rugatus Forbes’ in 1848 allow its morphology and systematic affinities to be established for the first time. Despite being based on isolated plates, ‘H. rugatus Forbes’ has been reported from England and Wales, Belgium, France, Spain and Thailand, and has been attributed to four genera. It is characterized by a heteromorphic, circular stem, a theca with four basal, six infra‐lateral and eight lateral plates, all with sharp‐crested ridges running to plate angles, multiple arms in each ambulacrum and an extensive tegmen. These characters indicate it belongs in the family Caryocrinitidae and genus Caryocrinites. Caryocrinites rugatus had arms with lateral brachioles that folded in against the main arm axis, as in the type species C. ornatus Say. It is the first Ordovician species known to possess this character. Isolated plates show sorting and a few may represent other species of Caryocrinites s.l. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Earliest laurasian sauropod eggshells

Megaloolithid eggshells, known from many Cretaceous deposits since 19th century, are now recognized as remnants of sauropod dinosaurs. Our paper reports the discovery of megaloolithid egg remains from the Middle Jurassic (Bajocian) of the Quercy area (southwestern France). The new Jurassic ootaxon differs from related Cretaceous oospecies in having un− usually thin shells. Even Megaloolithus aureliensis, the thinnest Cretaceous megaloolithid from France is three times thicker than the Jurassic eggshells. The cladistic analysis of ootaxa reveals a peculiar point in contradiction with the phylogenetic results based on skeletal remains: the Megaloolithidae belonged to sauropod dinosaurs, which appear to be the sister group of the hadrosaur eggs (Spheroolithidae oofamilly). This result could indicate a significant amount of homoplasy in the evolution of eggshell structures, depending strongly on the incubation environment (particularly for some characters as ornamentation, pore openings and pore canals), the reproductive physiology and the oviduct function. The Bajocian eggshells might represent the earliest offshoot of the Megaloolithidae oofamily and represent the earliest sauropod eggshell record known from the deposits of Laurasia supercontinent.
A P ] 2 O ct 2 01 2 A Reduction Method for Semilinear Elliptic Equations and Solutions Concentrating on Spheres 1 by Filomena Pacella

We show that any general semilinear elliptic problem with Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions in an annulus A ⊆ IR,m ≥ 2, invariant by the action of a certain symmetry group can be reduced to a nonhomogenous similar problem in an annulus D ⊂ IR, invariant by another related symmetry. We apply this result to prove the existence of positive and sign changing solutions of a singularly perturbed elliptic problem in A which concentrate on one or two (m− 1) dimensional spheres. We also prove that the Morse indices of these solutions tend to infinity as the parameter of concentration tends to infinity. 2010 AMS Classification: 35J61, 35B25, 35B40
Screening Adults for Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes May Be Cost-Saving

OBJECTIVE The economic costs of hyperglycemia are substantial. Early detection would allow management to prevent or delay development of diabetes and diabetes-related complications. We investigated the economic justification for screening for pre-diabetes/diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We projected health system and societal costs over 3 years for 1,259 adults, comparing costs associated with five opportunistic screening tests. All subjects had measurements taken of random plasma and capillary glucose (RPG and RCG), A1C, and plasma and capillary glucose 1 h after a 50 g oral glucose challenge test without prior fasting (GCT-pl and GCT-cap), and a subsequent diagnostic 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). RESULTS Assuming 70% specificity screening cutoffs, Medicare costs for testing, retail costs for generic metformin, and costs for false negatives as 10% of reported costs associated with pre-diabetes/diabetes, health system costs over 3 years for the different screening tests would be GCT-pl $180,635; GCT-cap $182,980; RPG $182,780; RCG $186,090; and A1C $192,261; all lower than costs for no screening, which would be $205,966. Under varying assumptions, projected health system costs for screening and treatment with metformin or lifestyle modification would be less than costs for no screening as long as disease prevalence is at least 70% of that of our population and false-negative costs are at least 10% of disease costs. Societal costs would equal or exceed costs of no screening depending on treatment type. CONCLUSIONS Screening appears to be cost-saving compared to no screening from a health system perspective, and potentially cost-neutral from a societal perspective. These data suggest that strong consideration should be given to screening—with preventive management—and that use of GCTs may be cost-effective.
Biophysical Parameter Retrieval for Global Modelling from Satellite Laser Altimetry

This research aims to evaluate the potential of satellite light detection and ranging (Lidar) for the retrieval of land surface biophysical parameters, in particular over forest biomes. The data source is the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) aboard the Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat). This new instrumentation has the potential to directly estimate key land surface parameters such as canopy height, currently difficult to obtain by other means. In addition, data from airborne Lidar experiments have been shown to offer information on the vertical distribution of leaf area index (LAI), and, by correlation, biomass. This research aims to combine field measurements and a modelling approach to explore which parameters may be retrieved from satellite Lidar data and evaluate use in support of land surface and climate modelling.
The Protohistoric Settlement on the Cittadella

Excavations conducted at Morgantina by Princeton University and the University of Illinois have revealed substantial Iron Age remains beneath the Greek town on the Cittadella hilltop. In this volume, Robert Leighton presents a full study of this extensive protohistoric settlement in Sicily. The broad scope of evidence, particularly the survival of long houses and tombs with much of their structures and contents preserved, permits an unusually thorough examination of indigenous cultural traditions prior to the foundation of the Greek town in the Archaic period. An illustrated catalogue of the finds presents more than 700 artifacts from the site, most of which are previously unpublished. The author discusses all the excavated protohistoric areas in detail, and presents a full range of maps, plans, excavation photographs, reconstruction drawings, and radiocarbon dates. The diverse body of finds includes a wide variety of pottery forms as well as tools and ornaments of both metal and stone that document local crafts, metallurgy, and numerous aspects of daily life. In studying these objects, Leighton draws on parallels with material from the Italian peninsula and considers the evidence of the historical sources, revealing links between Sicily and Italy in the protohistoric period.
Rush for the 'blue gold'. The governance of agricultural investments influencing the socio-ecological system of the Gambella region, Ethiopia

This paper presents a case study from the Gambella region of Ethiopia, where large-scale land concessions shape the resource system and necessitate adoption of new institutions. Private investors are free from water charges, and have the right to take over already built irrigation structures such as dams or main canals. The Alwero river in Gambella, located in the Baro-Akobo river basin, is one of the key sources of water for indigenous rural communities who practice fishing, pastoralism and shifting cultivation agriculture. New water users are increasing in number, one of them being Saudi Star Agricultural Development Plc. , who is currently developing a rice plantation on 10,000 hectare along the river. There are no environmental controls or limits established on the company’s water use. Neither are there any mechanisms for monitoring the effects of increasing water use on users, the Duma wetland, and the wildlife. The adoption of a comprehensive land use and river basin plan would be important to avoid the escalation of resource conflicts and for the future development of the region. The analysis looked into how the governance of water and land resource allocation for agricultural investment challenges and influences the complex social and ecological system in Gambella.
Statistical Inference in Regressions with Integrated Processes: Part 2

This paper continues the theoretical investigation of Park and Phillips. We develop an asymptotic theory of regression for multivariate linear models that accommodates integrated processes of different orders, nonzero means, drifts, time trends, and cointegrated regressors. The framework of analysis is general but has a common architecture that helps to simplify and codify what would otherwise be a myriad of isolated results. A good deal of earlier research by the authors and by others comes within the new framework. Special models of some importance are considered in detail, such as VAR systems with multiple lags and cointegrated variates.
The marks are on the knowledge worker

A study of twelve knowledge workers showed that their defining characteristic is that they are changed by the information they process, Their value lies in their diversity - companies exploit the fact that these people make different sense of the same phenomena and therefore respond in diverse ways. Knowledge workers do not carry much written information with them when they travel and rarely consult their filed information when working in their offices, Their desks are cluttered and seemingly function as a spatial holding pattern for current inputs and ideas. My explanation is that once informed (ie, given form) by some written material, these workers have no particular need to retain a copy of the informing source. However, if a piece of written material has not yet informed them, then they cannot sensibly tile it anyway because its subsequent use or role in their world is still undetermined, I conclude that the valuable marks are on the knowledge worker rather than on the paper or on the electronic file and suggest how computer support for knowledge work might be better targeted on the act of informing rather than on passively filing large quantities of information in a “disembodied” form.
Time-trajectory of Mean Phytomass and Density in Self-thinning Plant Populations

Reconciling the competition-density (C-D) effect observed at a particular moment in time with the 3/2 power law of self-thinning observed over time, a model for describing the time-trajectory of mean phytomass w and density p (briefly, the w-p trajectory) during the course of self-thinning is theoretically derived. The model gives a consistent, full explanation of the w-p trajectories of populations starting with any initial density. The larger value of the relative mortality rate with respect to biological time of a population, which is governed by the 3/2 power law of self-thinning, plays an important role in relieving the C-D effect, so that the w-p trajectories asymptotically approach the self-thinning line on logarithmic coordinates at the earlier stage of growth. The survivorship curve is divided into three types owing to initial density: logistic, exponential and cologistic types of decrease. All populations tend to decrease exponentially in number at the same rate of relative mortality after a sufficient lapse of time, irrespective of their initial density. The populations decreasing exponentially in number follow the 3/2 power law of self-thinning. The carrying capacity of yield is explicitly defined as a function of biological time, so that it is concluded that the carrying capacity increases exponentially with increasing biological time. An approximated expression of the model for the w-p trajectory is proposed and is confirmed to mimic well the time-trajectories of mean stem volume and density during the development of eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) plantations. Introduction The competition-density (C-D) effect refers to the relationship between mean phytomass and density at a particular moment in time among a set of populations grown at a wide range of densities. Self-thinning, on the other hand, refers to the time-trajectory of mean phytomass w and density p (briefly, the w-p trajectory) of any given population over time. It is well-known that overcrowded populations are governed by the 3/2 power law of self-thinning (Yoda et al. 1963). The w-p trajectories of populations starting with initial densities below the full density asymptotically approach the self-thinning line on logarithmic coordinates and then travel along this line as the populations grow with the progress of self-thinning (e.g. Tadaki and Shidei, 1959; Ando, 1962; Tadaki, 1963; Kays and Harper, 1974; Westoby, 1984; White, 1981; Norberg, 1988). This process may be formulated in terms of mathematical equations (Minowa, 1982; Hara, 1984; Naito, 1984, 1992; Firbank and Watkinson, 1985; Smith and Hann, 1986; Tangetal., 1994). Received: June 30, 2000
The Solar Photospheric Continuum Brightness as a Function of Mean Magnetic Flux Density. I. The Role of the Magnetic Structure Size Distribution

Solar irradiance models indicate that irradiance variations are dominated by changes in the disk-coverage of magnetic structures, whose brightness is thought to be determined by their size and average magnetic flux density. Recent results suggest that the brightness of small-scale magnetic structures also depends on the mean magnetic flux of the extended region surrounding them due to reduced convective vigor. Low spatial resolution, however, may limit the ability to distinguish the role of magnetic structure size distributions from that of the mean magnetic flux. Using high-resolution 3D MHD simulations, we investigate the brightness of magnetic structures embedded in regions characterized by different mean magnetic flux. In agreement with previous results, we find reduced brightness with increasing mean magnetic flux when comparing the pixel-by-pixel continuum brightness versus magnetic field strength. Evaluating equivalently sized magnetic structures, however, we find no significant dependence of the magnetic structure brightness on the mean magnetic flux of the region in which they are embedded. Rather, we find that simulations with larger mean magnetic flux generate larger, and therefore darker, magnetic structures whose contributions result in an overall darkening of the region. The differences in magnetic structure size distributions alone can explain the reduced brightness of regions with larger mean magnetic flux. This implies that, for the range of mean magnetic flux of the simulations, convective suppression plays at most a secondary role in determining radiative output of magnetized regions. Quantifying the role of convective transport over a wider range of mean magnetic flux is the subject of the second paper in this series.
Lead isotope guides for Mississippi Valley lead-zinc exploration

Lead in statiform lead-zinc deposits in many regions of the world is found to vary notably in isotopic composition. These lead isotope variations are potential guideposts for the exploration geologist searching for major lead deposits of this class. In the Eastern Hemisphere most such deposits in marine sedimentary rocks of Phanerozoic age contain ordinary lead of reasonable model age. In the Mississippi Valley, however, stratiform lead-zinc deposits contain so-called J-lead, relatively enriched in radiogenic Pb200, Pb207, and Pb208. For each of the four most important lead-producing districts of this region we can define a favorable range of lead isotope composition within which one may concentrate the search for major lead deposits. In two of these districts we can delineate geographic areas within which we are most likely to find lead of favorable compositions. Within a third district more intensive investigations have detected three-dimensional gradients of lead isotope variation in individual mineralized areas. Such gradients should prove helpful in finding and exploring tracts of mineralized ground. Lead isotope data from these four districts define the compositions of lead most likely to guide the prospector to new major lead discoveries in the Mississippi Valley region. In current literature we note other localities from which favorable lead isotope analyses have been published.
South African sign language: changing policies and practice

In April 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections, and as a result of the election of the new government, the policy of apartheid which had governed each and every aspect of the lives of all South Africans, was officially abolished. Needless to say, the simple abolition of apartheid did little to affect the many years of profound damage, and the heritage of apartheid will be with us for many years to come. The consequences of the policy of apartheid can nowhere more clearly be seen than in the structure of education provision in South Africa. Deaf people in South Africa have been affected by the policies of apartheid, and its educational and linguistic consequences, in a profound and thoroughgoing way.