Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incipient continental collision and plate-boundary curvature: Late Pliocene–Holocene transtensional Hellenic forearc, Crete, Greece

Geodynamic controls on Late Pliocene–Holocene kinematics of the Hellenic forearc are assessed using the fan–deltaic basin fill of the Messaras forearc basin of south–central Crete. Previously unrecognized 070° sinistral faults developed in wrench-dominated transtension with strike-slip:normal-slip ratios of 10:1 to 100:1. Coeval folds developed in proximity to the 070° sinistral faults during deposition of the Galini Formation, making them candidates to have developed in transtension, and new chronostratigraphic and 87Sr/86Sr data constrain the age of initial sinistral transtension and associated folding to c. 3.4 Ma. Sinistral fault activity continued through Late Holocene time based on the ages of displaced units with implications for seismic hazards in central Crete. The Messaras structural assemblages are symptomatic of the regional-scale Hellenic forearc with Plio-Pleistocene basins both offshore and onshore Crete controlled by sinistrally dominated 070° faults and secondary 020° extensional oversteps. Although the post-Miocene plate-convergence vectors became increasingly oblique, deformation in transtension, not transpression, has driven Hellenic forearc kinematics. Incipient collision with an African promontory blocked further outward expansion of the Aegean plate boundary along western Crete but induced forearc slivers to be displaced northeastward and sheared sinistrally off the free expanding edge of Aegea as the Cretan–Rhodes forearc was simultaneously stretched. Such a kinematic regime has probably operated since c. 3.4 Ma when the Messaras 070° wrench-dominated system became active and represents tectonic escape during incipient continental collision.
Conceptual and numerical modeling and simulation of microstructure of cement-based materials

A complex material, like concrete, can be considered a system rather than a material. Looking at concrete as a system helps us to understand its complexity and its response to external loads and long-term performance and it opens the way for modifying traditional concrete mixtures and designing new ones with predefined properties. In all this, models play a crucial role. The actual relevance of understanding and modeling cementitious materials is presented in this paper. By referring to an inventory of long-term performance of concrete structures, it is illustrated how important it is to know the consequence of adopting changes in mix design. Different types of models, i.e. models acting on different length scales, are briefly presented and outstanding fundamental questions are listed. Then, three examples are presented where experimental studies and numerical modeling have revealed new insight in the performance of cementitious materials. First the use of a micro-scale model is discussed for mixture optimization of blended cements. The second example shows that simplified models for the evolution of transport properties in cement-based materials in view of service life predictions exhibit shortcomings, which can only be understood and tackled by performing in-depth experimental investigations. Finally, an example of modeling of self-healing of microcracks is shown. That study revealed that self-healing of cracks is not only a matter of filling a crack with reaction products, but also of densification of the microstructure adjacent to the crack.
Acid–base and respiratory effects of confinement in Atlantic salmon affected with amoebic gill disease

Amoebic gill disease (AGD) in cultured salmonids causes severe multifocal hyperplastic lesions in the gills with the potential to influence respiratory and acid-base physiology. Atlantic salmon Salmo salar affected with AGD were surgically implanted with dorsal aortic catheters and, following recovery, were confined for 5 min (n = 16) or left undisturbed (n = 8). Confinement caused an acute extracellular acidosis that was corrected in 6 h amongst surviving fish. There was a gradual increase in plasma lactate concentrations that peaked at 1 h post-confinement then declined by 9 h recovery. In a second experiment, AGD-affected fish were confined then recovered either in a tank of static water (n = 9) or while being forced to swim at 1.5 body lengths s-1 (n = 6). There was no significant difference between fish recovered by swimming and those in static water in terms of recovery of the acute extracellular acidosis and lactate accumulations coincident with exhaustive exercise. Confinement severely compromised the survival of AGD-affected Atlantic salmon, although survivors appeared to recover similarly to other studies. Forced swimming of AGD-affected Atlantic salmon following confinement did not facilitate recovery and is unlikely to be a useful strategy for mitigating the effects of stressful episodes such as crowding and fish movement and commercial handling. © 2003 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.
Potential contributions of five exotic maize populations to sweet corn improvement

(.) The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential contributions of five populations: NTZ Mexican Dent, NTZ Cateto, NTZ Caribbean Flint, NTZ Cuzco, and NTZ Coroico to sweet corn improvement. The five populations were crossed to nine sweet corn inbreds adapted to Wisconsin. The 45 resulting topcrosses and appropriate checks were grown at three locations in 1986 and 1987. Fifteen traits were evaluated including yield, stalk breakage, root lodging, and ear appearance factors. All traits varied significantly due to population and inbred effects (.)
Seed Lipid Content and Fatty Acid Composition of Three Quinoa Cultivars

Abstract Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) is a human food staple of Andean South America that has received attention as an alternative crop elsewhere in the world because of its high nutritional value, due in particular to the favorable amino-acid composition of seed proteins. Although claims of a nutritionally favorable quantity of lipids in quinoa seed have been made, only limited information is available on the seed fatty-acid composition. The purpose of this research was to determine the seed lipid content and fatty-acid composition from three genetically diverse cultivars of quinoa. Total seed lipid content and fatty-acid composition varied little among the three cultivars examined. The average seed lipid content was 5.3%, 85% of which yielded fatty acids. Approximately 11% of the fatty acids were saturated, with palmitic acid predominating. Linoleic, oleic, and α-linolenic acids accounted for 52.3, 23.0, and 8.1%, respectively, of the total fatty acids. Erucic acid was slightly below 2% in all samples. Quinoa oil appears to be a high quality edible oil, similar in fatty-acid composition to soybean oil.
Novos isolados de fungos ectomicorrízicos e o crescimento de eucalipto

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of ectomycorrhizal isolates on root colonization, phosphorus uptake and growth of Eucalyptus dunnii seedlings. Inocula of ten ectomycorrhizal isolates of Chondrogaster angustisporus, Hysterangium gardneri, Pisolithus spp. , and Scleroderma spp. were aseptically produced in a peat-vermiculite mixture supplemented with liquid culture medium. Plants grew in a similar substrate supplemented with macro-and micro-nutrients; treatments were randomly distributed in a greenhouse. After three months, seedlings inoculated with three isolates - UFSC-Sc68 (Scleroderma sp.), UFSC-Ch163 (Chondrogaster angustisporus), and UFSC-Pt188 (Pisolithus microcarpus) - had a phosphorus shoot content and a shoot dry matter higher or equivalent to those of noninoculated controls which had been fertilized with a 16-fold phosphorus amount. These isolates were selected for new studies for establishing inoculum production techniques, in order to be applied in reforestation programmes under nursery and field conditions.
Ethylenediamine Tetrasodiumacetate Used in Detergency

Previous washing studies published by the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station (4) show the detergency effects of various detergent ingredients as determined by washing milk-filmed glass panes. In those studies outstandingly high detergency resulted from use of high levels of condensed phosphate and wetting agent chemicals. The condensed phosphates provided the obvious ~benefit of calcium sequestration that caused a softening and dissolving action on fixed milk films while also softening the water of the washing solution. A recently developed product of organic origin, ethylenediamine tetrasodiumacetate, ~ has demonstrated outstanding qualities as a water softening agent. Ethylenediamine tetrasodiumacetate possesses the property of tying up water hardness minerals in a manner akin to sequestration performed by the inorganic condensed phosphate salts. These chelating properties have been studied by Schwarzenbaek and Ackermann (8, 9). The product has been used primarily for water softening, as shown by Martell and Bersworth (7), although It i lfer (3) has used it with soaps and Diehl et al. (2) used it to determine water hardness. Claims for its use in detergency have been made by the Bersworth Chemical Co. (1), under whose trade mark the product is known as Versene. However, no previous experimental data are available that show the detergency qualities of ethylenediamine tetrasodiumacetate. Laboratory washing tests therefore were made, by methods previously explored, that wouht establish relative detergency values of this product when such proven products as condensed phosphates and other detergent products were used for comparison in washing trials.
VoroCrust

Polyhedral meshes are increasingly becoming an attractive option with particular advantages over traditional meshes for certain applications. What has been missing is a robust polyhedral meshing algorithm that can handle broad classes of domains exhibiting arbitrarily curved boundaries and sharp features. In addition, the power of primal-dual mesh pairs, exemplified by Voronoi-Delaunay meshes, has been recognized as an important ingredient in numerous formulations. The VoroCrust algorithm is the first provably correct algorithm for conforming polyhedral Voronoi meshing for non-convex and non-manifold domains with guarantees on the quality of both surface and volume elements. A robust refinement process estimates a suitable sizing field that enables the careful placement of Voronoi seeds across the surface, circumventing the need for clipping and avoiding its many drawbacks. The algorithm has the flexibility of filling the interior by either structured or random samples while preserving all sharp features in the output mesh. We demonstrate the capabilities of the algorithm on a variety of models and compare against state-of-the-art polyhedral meshing methods based on clipped Voronoi cells establishing the clear advantage of VoroCrust output.
Pollinator behavior differs between female and hermaphroditic plants of Lobelia spicata. Lam. (Campanulaceae)1

Abstract Female flowers of gynodioecious species (plants with either female or hermaphroditic flowers) are typically smaller with no reward for pollinators. We proposed and tested that pollinators (bees and butterflies) would visit female plants less frequently and visit fewer flowers for a shorter duration in a native prairie species, Lobelia spicata. We observed and quantified floral visitors exhibiting pollinator behavior in a population of L. spicata in a remnant tallgrass prairie located in central Illinois. We also quantified the number of seeds per fruit and fruits per plant. We found female plants have fewer visitors than hermaphroditic plants. Bees and butterflies, once on female plants, visited fewer flowers and spent less time than on hermaphroditic plants. Despite the lower number and shorter duration of visits, the females set more seeds per fruit. However, females did not consistently produce more seeds per plant, which is required to maintain females in the population.
Life and Death in Cancer GADD45 α and γ are Critical Regulators of NF- κB Mediated Escape from Programmed Cell Death

The NF-kB/IkB signaling pathway is a critical regulator of cell survival, and constitutive activation of NF-kB is a crucial step for many types of cancers to escape programmed cell death. Furthermore, chemotherapeutic agents activate NF-kB in cancer cells, and this may partially explain the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. The precise mechanism of the anti-apoptotic action of NF-kB is not known, but involves the regulation of several cell cycle regulatory and anti-apoptotic genes. We recently demonstrated that NF-kB mediated cell survival is absolutely dependent on two GADD45 family members, GADD45a and g. In line with this, inhibition of NF-kB in cancer cells results in GADD45a and g dependent induction of apoptosis, JNK activation and inhibition of tumor growth. These findings establish an unambiguous role for the GADD45 family as an essential mediator of cell survival in cancer cells with implications for cancer chemotherapy and novel drug discovery.
In vitro behaviour of Aspasia variegata, an epiphytic orchid from the Brazilian Cerrado

Aspasia variegata occurs naturally in the savanna of the Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil and it has been widely collected for its beautiful flowers. Additionally, its habitat has been greatly reduced and little or no investigation of its spread has been performed. Aiming to establish a protocol to obtain seedlings of the orchid A. variegata, different compositions of culture medium were tested to identify which one provided better in vitro growth and development and to assess the influence of these media in seedling acclimatisation. Thus, seeds obtained from mature capsules were inoculated in Knudson culture medium for 120 days until the protocorm stage. They were transferred to different culture media formulations, including MS and Knudson with half or full formulation, and 3.0 and 6.0g L-1 activated charcoal were added to them or not. After 180 days of protocorm inoculation, seedlings were evaluated for length of roots and shoots, number of roots and leaves, and chlorophyll contents. After that, seedlings were transferred to trays containing a mixture of Plantmax® and coconut fibre (1:1) for acclimatisation. Best results for the in vitro growth of A. variegata were obtained with the use of MS medium supplemented with 6.0g L-1 activated charcoal. Higher levels of chlorophyll were obtained, however, in treatments containing MS salts without activated charcoal presence, and lower levels in media containing Knudson salts with the presence of activated charcoal. The seedlings originated by higher chlorophyll levels during in vitro cultivation presented the highest survival rates and better development in the acclimatisation phase.
Structure and functioning of the gut in the Bullomorpha (Opisthobranchia)

Summary A study of the form and functioning of Aglaja cylindrica and Aglaja aureopunctata. In this family the radula and gizzard plates are absent. In Aglaja cylindrica the buccal bulb has enlarged to form a pump used to suck in polychaete and nemertine worms. In Aglaja aureopunctata the buccal bulb can partially evert, enabling the species to ingest shelled opisthobranchs. In both species an oesophageal crop fulfils the role of the reduced stomach. A short review of the histology of the digestive gland is also included.
Population-Size and Breeding Success of the Gentoo Penguin, Pygoscelis-Papua, at Macquarie Island

During November 1984 there were 4700 breeding pairs of gentoo penguins in 53 colonies at Macquarie I. Seventy-four percent of pairs bred on the west coast of the island. Breeding success of colonies ranged from 0 to 1.52 chicks per pair, with breeding success of the total population averaging 0.98 chicks per pair. Breeding success increased with colony size.
Biogeography of Groundfish Assemblages on the Grand Bank

A 16-year time series (1971–82, 1984–87) of data from spring groundfish surveys was analyzed to identify, describe, and map six broad zoogeographic areas on the Grand Bank of Newfoundland, each characterized by a relatively homogeneous and persistent biological composition (a fish assemblage). The boundaries of these areas were strongly aligned with bottom depth and oceanographic features, confirming previous evidence from worldwide studies on the major determinants of the distribution of groundfish on continental shelves. Consideration of their overall biological coherence allowed a merging and reformulation of the original six assemblage areas into four coherent zoogeographic regions. Analysis of catch rates in the two major regions so defined suggested that species composition was relatively stable over time. Whether the Grand Bank assemblages correspond to groups of functionally-linked fishes remains an open question of considerable practical and theoretical interest. The definition of areas where species broadly recur and overlap provides a useful spatial scale for studies at the community level on the Grand Bank and has implications for multispecies management.
Evaluation of pasture legumes in northern New South Wales, Australia

Spring herbage mass of 80 mostly annual and biennial legumes was evaluated regionally on the North-West Slopes of New South Wales, Australia in ungrazed plots at three sites (Curban, Terry Hie Hie and Moree) in 1998 and 1999. Of the cultivars tested, Trifolium vesiculosum cvv. ‘Cefalu’ and ‘Zulu’ and T. resupinatum cv. ‘Prolific’ at the Moree and Terry Hie Hie sites, and T. resupinatum cv. ‘Nitro’ at the Curban site generally performed better than the standard ‘test’ cultivars of T. subterraneum cv. ‘Junee’ and T. brachycalycinum cv. ‘Clare’ and Medicago sativa cvv. ‘Aquarius’ and ‘Aurora’. T. michelianum (5) and (11), T. isthmocarpum (SA 8410) and T. glanduliferum (CPI 87182) also had superior performance to many of the other entries and could be considered for further testing and evaluation in this region.
Genetics and resistance / Génétique et résistance Amplified fragment length polymorphism and virulence polymorphism in Puccinia hordei

Puccinia hordei is the causal agent of barley leaf rust. To study the genetic diversity in P. hordei, 45 isolates with diverse virulence patterns and geographical origins were analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers. Two pathotypes of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici and one isolate of P. graminis f. sp. secalis were included in the analysis for comparison. Six primer-pair combinations of amplified fragment length polymorphism were used and a total of 782 polymorphic markers were generated. Cluster analysis showed that P. graminis f. sp. tritici and P. graminis f. sp. secalis were distinctly different from P. hordei. The P. hordei isolates were clustered into five groups: group I contained a single, rare isolate that was virulent on all resistance genes except Rph13 and Rph15; group II contained a single isolate found to be virulent on the resistance gene Rph15; group III contained 2 isolates; group IV contained 24 isolates, 11 from the United States and 13 from diverse locations around the world; and group V contained 17 isolates, 7 from California, 7 from other states of United States, and 3 from central Europe. The study revealed that molecular diversity in P. hordei can be associated with virulence, but not well with geographic origin.
Biodiversity and multiple disturbances : boreal forest ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) responses to wildfire, harvesting, and herbicide

Rising societal demands for forest resources along with existing natural disturbance regimes suggest that sustainable forest management will increasingly depend on better understanding the cumulative effects of natural and anthropogenic disturbances. In North America, for example, there is increasing economic pressure to salvage log burned forests, although the ecological consequences of combining fire and harvesting on the same sites are unclear. We examined the short-term (2 year) responses of boreal forest ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) to the individual and combined effects of wildfire, harvesting, and herbicide. Ground beetle responses to wildfire and forestry-related disturbances differed strongly and suggested that, although some species may appear to benefit from disturbance combinations (e.g., Sericoda quadripunctata (DeGeer)), these effects are detrimental to others (e.g., Sericoda bembidioides Kirby). Species compositional variability was significantly reduced by disturbance combination.
Take Me Home: Reversing Distribution Shifts using Reinforcement Learning

Deep neural networks have repeatedly been shown to be non-robust to the uncertainties of the real world. Even subtle adversarial attacks and naturally occurring distribution shifts wreak havoc on systems relying on deep neural networks. In response to this, current state-of-the-art techniques use data-augmentation to enrich the training distribution of the model and consequently improve robustness to natural distribution shifts. We propose an alternative approach that allows the system to recover from distribution shifts online. Specifically, our method applies a sequence of semantic-preserving transformations to bring the shifted data closer in distribution to the training set, as measured by the Wasserstein distance. We formulate the problem of sequence selection as an MDP, which we solve using reinforcement learning. To aid in our estimates of Wasserstein distance, we employ dimensionality reduction through orthonormal projection. We provide both theoretical and empirical evidence that orthonormal projection preserves characteristics of the data at the distributional level. Finally, we apply our distribution shift recovery approach to the ImageNet-C benchmark for distribution shifts, targeting shifts due to additive noise and image histogram modifications. We demonstrate an improvement in average accuracy up to 14.21% across a variety of state-of-the-art ImageNet classifiers.
The occurrence of species flocks in the nematode genus Cloacina (Strongyloidea : Cloacininae), parasitic in the stomachs of kangaroos and wallabies

The occurrence of species flocks within the nematode genus Cloacina was examined using the criteria of host specificity, co-occurrence and monophyly. Species of Cloacina generally exhibited a high degree of host specificity, with most species occurring either in a single host species or in two closely related host species. The frequency distribution of numbers of component species of Cloacina per host species indicated that most host species harboured 2–4 species of nematodes, with an approximately exponential decline in the number of species of parasites to a maximum of 20 species of nematode per host species. Host species harbouring eight or more species of Cloacina were found within a single recent macropodid clade, but there was no correlation between evolutionary age of the host and the number of parasite species harboured. Sampling effort was significantly correlated with the number of nematode species found and, in partial regression analysis, subsumed the effects of host body size and geographic range, which were found to be significant correlates with the number of nematode species present in preliminary analyses. Analysis of co-occurrences of nematode species indicated significant variation between host species, with some hosts (e.g. Macropus agilis) most commonly harbouring a single species of Cloacina, while closely related host species (e.g. M. dorsalis) most commonly harboured numerous species. Parsimony analysis of species of Cloacina based on morphological data suggested that while small series of related nematode species could be identified within a single host species, the species flock in each host species is polyphyletic in origin. Species flocks contributed significantly to community richness in some host species.