Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of termites on atmospheric trace gases: CH4, CO2, CHCl3, N2O, CO, H2, and light hydrocarbons

Based on field studies of mounds of Australian termites we estimate that on a global scale termites emit about 12 × 1012 g/yr of methane (< 20 tg/yr) and about 4 ×1015 g CO2/yr (< 8 pg/yr). Most of the detailed results are based on studies of the species Coptotermes lacteus. We found that in mid-latitudes the emissions vary seasonally. As much methane is emitted in the summers as in all other seasons combined. The soils a few meters from the mounds consumed methane at an average rate of 40 μg/m2/h. We found no evidence of net emissions of CO and found that H2 is consistently consumed by the mounds and the soils near the mounds. All six species studied produced chloroform. The concentrations of chloroform inside the mounds of C. lacteus were a thousand times greater than ambient levels, but our calculations show that termites are not likely to be a significant global source of chloroform. Finally, we used the results of our study, and others before us, to construct a view of the role of termites in the global carbon cycle.
Reverse H\"older inequalities on the space of K\"ahler metrics of a Fano variety and log-concavity

A reverse H\"older inequality is established on the space of K\"ahler metrics in the first Chern class of a Fano manifold X endowed with Darvas L^{p}-Finsler metrics. The inequality holds under a uniform bound on a twisted Ricci potential and extends to Fano varieties with log terminal singularities. Its proof leverages a"hidden"log-concavity. An application to destabilizing geodesic rays is provided, which yields a reverse H\"older inequality for the speed of the geodesic. In the case of Aubin's continuity path on a K-unstable Fano variety, the constant in the corresponding H\"older bound is shown to be universal (i.e. it only depends on p and the dimension of X). Some intruiging relations to Harnack bounds and the partial C^{0}-estimate are pointed out.
A 36-yr Climatological Description of the Evaporative Sources of Warm-Season Precipitation in the Mississippi River Basin

Abstract The terrestrial and oceanic sources of moisture that supply warm-season rainfall to the Mississippi River basin and its subbasins are examined over a 36-yr period (1963–98). Using hourly observed precipitation, National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalyses at 6-h intervals, and a back-trajectory algorithm, the water falling during observed precipitation events is probabilistically traced to its most recent surface evaporative source, terrestrial or oceanic. Maps of these sources generally show dual maxima, one terrestrial and one oceanic, in spring and a dominance of terrestrial sources in summer. Pentad time series averaged over the 36 years show a late-summer maximum of precipitation recycling in all but the Missouri subbasin. During the 36 years analyzed, 32% of warm-season precipitation in the entire Mississippi basin originated as evaporation within the basin (recycled). About 20% of warm-season precipitation was contributed directly by evaporation from the Gulf of Mexico a.
An Integrated Dynamic Model of Road Traffic Congestion based on Simple Car-Following Theory

Abstract This paper presents a dynamic version of the standard static economic model of road traffic congestion, based on car-following theory. It is proven formally and illustrated numerically that the “hypercongested” equilibria found in the standard model are dynamically unstable. For arrival rates of users below the road's maximum capacity, the model reproduces the non-hypercongested stationary state outcomes found in the standard model. When the arrival rate exceeds this maximum capacity, however, the model produces outcomes consistent with Vickrey's model of bottleneck congestion. The model thus offers an integration and a generalization of these two archetype models.
"AI enhances our performance, I have no doubt this one will do the same": The Placebo effect is robust to negative descriptions of AI

Heightened AI expectations facilitate performance in human-AI interactions through placebo effects. While lowering expectations to control for placebo effects is advisable, overly negative expectations could induce nocebo effects. In a letter discrimination task, we informed participants that an AI would either increase or decrease their performance by adapting the interface, but in reality, no AI was present in any condition. A Bayesian analysis showed that participants had high expectations and performed descriptively better irrespective of the AI description when a sham-AI was present. Using cognitive modeling, we could trace this advantage back to participants gathering more information. A replication study verified that negative AI descriptions do not alter expectations, suggesting that performance expectations with AI are biased and robust to negative verbal descriptions. We discuss the impact of user expectations on AI interactions and evaluation and provide a behavioral placebo marker for human-AI interaction
Approximation of $SBV$ functions with possibly infinite jump set

We prove an approximation result for functions $u\in SBV(\Omega;\mathbb R^m)$ such that $\nabla u$ is $p$-integrable, $1\leq p<\infty$, and $g_0(|[u]|)$ is integrable over the jump set (whose $\mathcal H^{n-1}$ measure is possibly infinite), for some continuous, nondecreasing, subadditive function $g_0$, with $g_0^{-1}(0)=\{0\}$. The approximating functions $u_j$ are piecewise affine with piecewise affine jump set; the convergence is that of $L^1$ for $u_j$ and the convergence in energy for $|\nabla u_j|^p$ and $g([u_j],\nu_{u_j})$ for suitable functions $g$. In particular, $u_j$ converges to $u$ $BV$-strictly, area-strictly, and strongly in $BV$ after composition with a bilipschitz map. If in addition $\mathcal H^{n-1}(J_u)<\infty$, we also have convergence of $\mathcal H^{n-1}(J_{u_j})$ to $\mathcal H^{n-1}(J_u)$.
Adversarial Examples Might be Avoidable: The Role of Data Concentration in Adversarial Robustness

The susceptibility of modern machine learning classifiers to adversarial examples has motivated theoretical results suggesting that these might be unavoidable. However, these results can be too general to be applicable to natural data distributions. Indeed, humans are quite robust for tasks involving vision. This apparent conflict motivates a deeper dive into the question: Are adversarial examples truly unavoidable? In this work, we theoretically demonstrate that a key property of the data distribution -- concentration on small-volume subsets of the input space -- determines whether a robust classifier exists. We further demonstrate that, for a data distribution concentrated on a union of low-dimensional linear subspaces, exploiting data structure naturally leads to classifiers that enjoy good robustness guarantees, improving upon methods for provable certification in certain regimes.
Clinical Trial Recommendations Using Semantics-Based Inductive Inference and Knowledge Graph Embeddings

Designing a new clinical trial entails many decisions, such as defining a cohort and setting the study objectives to name a few, and therefore can benefit from recommendations based on exhaustive mining of past clinical trial records. Here, we propose a novel recommendation methodology, based on neural embeddings trained on a first-of-a-kind knowledge graph of clinical trials. We addressed several important research questions in this context, including designing a knowledge graph (KG) for clinical trial data, effectiveness of various KG embedding (KGE) methods for it, a novel inductive inference using KGE, and its use in generating recommendations for clinical trial design. We used publicly available data from clinicaltrials.gov for the study. Results show that our recommendations approach achieves relevance scores of 70%-83%, measured as the text similarity to actual clinical trial elements, and the most relevant recommendation can be found near the top of list. Our study also suggests potential improvement in training KGE using node semantics.
Evaluation of Sand Fence and Vegetation for Dune Building Following Overwash by Hurricane Opal on Santa Rosa Island, Florida

Santa Rosa Island, a barrier island located in the panhandle of Florida, was severely impacted by hurricane Opal's 3-4 m tidal surge in October 1995. Rapid reestablishment of the fragmented dune system through sand accumulation and stabilization is essential for many wildlife and plant species and protection of coastal structures against storm surge. Comparisons of sand accumulation rates for two biodegradable materials, three-fence orientations and non-fenced controls were assessed in a secondary dune position. Effect of winter and spring planting without supplemental water on survival and growth of nursery-grown sea oats and bitter panicum was also evaluated. Wood and Geojute material sand fences in three orientations were installed at six sites. Sand accumulation associated with these fence material/orientation combinations and non-fenced controls was measured twice a year (1996-99). There were no significant differences in sand accumulation between Geojute and wood fences at most positions for the first eight months. Following this, Geojute degraded and its accumulated sand was no more than that of the controls 18 months after installation. Sand accumulation did not differ significantly among wood fence configurations at most distances from the fence. Through time the straight-conventional wood and perpendicular-wood fence treatments had consistently higher sand accumulation values compared to unfenced controls. While survival of transplanted sea oats and bitter panicum was not effected by season of planting, growth varied with planting season.
Investigation of polynya dynamics in the northern Bering Sea using greyscale morphology image-processing techniques

Arctic coastal polynyas, defined here as persistent openings in the winter sea ice pack, are significant areas for ocean–atmosphere heat exchange, high winter sea ice production with resulting brine rejection and the dependence of local ecosystems. It is therefore critical to accurately quantify polynya dynamics to understand their spatial and temporal variability, particularly in the context of recent dramatic Arctic sea ice declines. In this study, the so-called erosion algorithm (a greyscale morphology image-processing technique) is applied to satellite-derived sea ice concentrations in the northern Bering Sea to investigate polynya dynamics throughout this region. Greyscale morphology allows for the estimation of sea ice extent with a defined error tolerance through the removal of regions with low sea ice concentrations in the marginal ice zone. Furthermore, since polynyas are the primary source of water within the sea ice pack, the presence of water here can therefore be utilized to define the areal extent of polynyas. We utilized AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS) sea ice concentrations during January–April from 2003 to 2008 in the northern Bering Sea to extract daily time series of water area within polynyas by a water integration method after data are preprocessed using greyscale morphology techniques. These results compare well with those calculated by more traditional methods utilizing sea ice concentration thresholds and show the great utility of greyscale morphology techniques as a preprocessing method (which eliminates artificial determination of polynya areal extents and enables automation of the overall image-processing routine). In addition, based on the results of our algorithms we investigated the potential driving forces (e.g. offshore wind velocity) of polynya development in the northern Bering Sea as well as calculate the spatial and interannual variability of heat fluxes across these water surfaces owing to polynya formation.
Methods for calculating forest ecosystem and harvested carbon with standard estimates for forest types of the United States

This study presents techniques for calculating average net annual additions to carbon in forests and in forest products. Forest ecosystem carbon yield tables, representing stand-level merchantable volume and carbon pools as a function of stand age, were developed for 51 forest types within 10 regions of the United States. Separate tables were developed for afforestation and reforestation. Because carbon continues to be sequestered in harvested wood, approaches to calculate carbon sequestered in harvested forest products are included. Although these calculations are simple and inexpensive to use, the uncertainty of results obtained by using representative average values may be high relative to other techniques that use site- or project-specific data. The estimates and methods in this report are consistent with guidelines being updated for the U.S. Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program and with guidelines developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The CD-ROM included with this publication contains a complete set of tables in spreadsheet format.
Microscopical and elemental FESEM and Phenom ProX-SEM-EDS analysis of osteocyte- and blood vessel-like microstructures obtained from fossil vertebrates of the Eocene Messel Pit, Germany

The Eocene (∾48 Ma) Messel Pit in Germany is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its exceptionally preserved fossils, including vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Messel fossil vertebrates are typically characterized by their articulated state, and in some cases the skin, hair, feathers, scales and stomach contents are also preserved. Despite the exceptional macroscopic preservation of Messel fossil vertebrates, the microstructural aspect of these fossils has been poorly explored. In particular, soft tissue structures such as hair or feathers have not been chemically analyzed, nor have bone microstructures. I report here the preservation and recovery of osteocyte-like and blood vessel-like microstructures from the bone of Messel Pit specimens, including the turtles Allaeochelys crassesculpta and Neochelys franzeni, the crocodile Diplocynodon darwini, and the pangolin Eomanis krebsi. I used a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and a Phenom ProX desktop scanning electron microscope (LOT-QuantumDesign) equipped with a thermionic CeB6 source and a high sensitivity multi-mode backscatter electron (BSE) for microscopical and elemental characterization of these bone microstructures. Osteocyte-like and blood vessel-like microstructures are constituted by a thin layer (∾50 nm thickness), external and internal mottled texture with slightly marked striations. Circular to linear marks are common on the external surface of the osteocyte-like microstructures and are interpreted as microbial troughs. Iron (Fe) is the most abundant element found in the osteocyte-like and blood vessel-like microstructures, but not in the bone matrix or collagen fibril-like microstructures. The occurrence of well-preserved soft-tissue elements (at least their physical form) establishes a promising background for future studies on preservation of biomolecules (proteins or DNA) in Messel Pit fossils.
Centromeric Localization of Dispersed Pol III Genes in Fission Yeast

The authors show that Pol III transcribed genes such as tRNA and 5S rRNA genes localize to centromeres in fission yeast. The centromeric localization of Pol III genes is mediated by condensin. This study suggests that there is a functional link between the centromeric localization of dispersed Pol III genes and mitotic chromosome condensation.
Biomass for energy: supply prospects.

Biomass for energy can be obtained from residues of ongoing agricultural and forest-product industries, from harvesting forests, and from dedicated plantations. The harvesting of forests for biomass is likely to be limited by environmental concerns. Over the next couple of decades new bioenergy industries will be launched primarily using residues as feedstocks. Subsequently, the industrial base will shift to plantations, the largest potential source of biomass. The most promising sites for plantations are deforested and otherwise degraded lands in developing countries and excess croplands in the industrialized countries. Revenues from the sale of biomass crops grown on plantations established on degraded lands can help finance the restoration of these lands. Establishing plantations on excess croplands can be a new livelihood to farmers who might otherwise abandon their land because of foodcrop overproduction. In either case, biomass plantations can, with careful planning, substantially improve these lands ecologically relative to their present uses. But a substantial and sustained research and development effort is needed to ensure the realization and sustainability of high yields under a wide range of growing conditions. Moreover, the establishment and maintenance of biomass plantations must be carried out in the framework of sustainable economic development in ways thatmore » are acceptable and beneficial to the local people. Ultimately, land and water resource constraints will limit the contributions that biomass can make as an energy source in advanced societies. But biomass energy can nevertheless make major contributions to sustainable development before these limits are reached, if biomass is grown productively and sustainably and is efficiently converted to modern energy carriers that are used in energy-efficient end-use technologies. 88 refs., 5 figs., 13 tabs. « less
The Life-Cycle of Operons

Operons are a major feature of all prokaryotic genomes, but how and why operon structures vary is not well understood. To elucidate the life-cycle of operons, we compared gene order between Escherichia coli K12 and its relatives and identified the recently formed and destroyed operons in E. coli. This allowed us to determine how operons form, how they become closely spaced, and how they die. Our findings suggest that operon evolution may be driven by selection on gene expression patterns. First, both operon creation and operon destruction lead to large changes in gene expression patterns. For example, the removal of lysA and ruvA from ancestral operons that contained essential genes allowed their expression to respond to lysine levels and DNA damage, respectively. Second, some operons have undergone accelerated evolution, with multiple new genes being added during a brief period. Third, although genes within operons are usually closely spaced because of a neutral bias toward deletion and because of selection against large overlaps, genes in highly expressed operons tend to be widely spaced because of regulatory fine-tuning by intervening sequences. Although operon evolution may be adaptive, it need not be optimal: new operons often comprise functionally unrelated genes that were already in proximity before the operon formed.
Icnofaunas triásicas en abanicos aluviales distales: evidencias de la Formación Cerro Puntudo, Cuenca Cuyana, Argentina

Alluvial fan deposits of the Cerro Puntudo Formation (Triassic, Cuyo Basin, San Juan province) contain a low-diversity ichnofauna. The analyzed section indicates sedimentation in the most distal portion of an alluvial fan system. Palaeophycus tubularis Hall, Palaeophycus striatus Hall, and small sub-horizontal and inclined trace fossils occur in laterally extensive tuffaceous limestone, interpreted as playa-lake deposits originated by flash floods. They are attributed to the Scoyenia ichnofacies. Massive and trough cross-stratified medium- and fine-grained sandstones, filling small channelized bodies, contains a monospecific association of sparse Skolithos isp. illustrating the Skolithos ichnofacies. Low diversity, moderate abundance, and the presence of simple dwelling structures suggest an opportunistic association. Based on cross-cutting relationships among biogenic structures and preservation of morphological details, an evolution from a soft to a relatively firm substrate is proposed. Two suites have been distinguished in connection to progressive dewatering of floodplain sediments: 1) Palaeophycus tubularis Hall and small sub-horizontal and inclined trace fossils, developed in a soft substrate, and 2) Palaeophycus striatus Hall associated with small sub-horizontal and inclined trace fossils, developed in a relatively firm substrate.
River adjustment to changes in sediment load: The effects of tin mining on the Ringarooma River

A cam selecting device comprising a plurality of ornament cams packed in a row, a cam follower provided opposite to the ornament cams and shiftable along the cams, a selecting cam for shifting the cam follower along the ornament cams, and a rack mechanism for releasably securing the cam follower in any predetermined positions along the ornament cams so that precise cam selecting relation of the constituent parts may be established to obtain correct ornamental zigzag stitches.
Wilderness recreation use: the current situation

The total amount of recreational use of the National Wilderness Preservation System is currently at about 14.5 million visitor days per annum. Trends indicate a stable or declining overall use; use on a per acre basis is declining. The common stereotype of the wilderness user as young, wealthy, urban, leisured, and a nonresident of the State or region is largely incorrect. The one characteristic that does sharply distinguish wilderness users is their very high education level. Use patterns in wilderness also differ from commonly held perceptions. Size of individual user groups is small, and getting smaller. Most visits are day-use only. Distribution of use is highly skewed toward weekends and summers, but the trend is toward increased dispersal of use across time and space. Higher impact and consumptive activities like hunting and horse use are declining as a percentage of total use.
Continuités et ruptures culturelles entre chasseurs mésolithiques et chasseurs néolithiques en Vercors: analyse préliminaire des niveaux du Mésolithique récent et du Néolithique ancien...

The ongoing excavations in the site of La Grande Rivoire allow to resume the discussion on the neolithization of the subalpine Vercors massif. Currently, the occupations of the Late Mesolithic sensu stricto are placed between 6400 and 6100 BC cal by radiocarbon dating, the « intermediate assemblages » with Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic lithic components between 5500 and 5350 BC cal and the Early Aceramic Neolithic at about 5300-4900 BC cal. Sedimentological analyses as well as studies on the spatial distribution of the vestigial remains finally cast doubt on the cultural reality of intermediate assemblages that may group together asynchronous elements due to a slowingdown in sedimentation process. Nonetheless, the study of the phenomenon remains interesting if considered over a large time span, between 6400 and 5000 BC cal. As a matter of fact, clear continuity in spatial organization and hunting orientations can be observed, whilst a break appears in the evolution of the chipped stone industries and in the composition of the faunal assemblages.