Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiocarbon and Stable Isotope Evidence for Changes in Sediment Mixing in the North Pacific over the Past 30 kyr

Abstract Deep-sea sediment mixing by bioturbation is ubiquitous on the seafloor, and it can be an important influence on the fidelity of paleoceanographic records. Bioturbation can be difficult to quantify, especially in the past, but diffusive models based on radioactive tracer profiles have provided a relatively successful approach. However, a singular, constant mixing regime is unlikely to prevail in a region where dynamic oceanographic changes in the bottom water environment are a consequence of paleoclimatic variability. In this study, foraminiferal stable isotopes, radiocarbon (14C) dating, and 230Th fluxes are utilized to understand the sediment mixing history in the easternmost region of the North Pacific. In the uppermost sediment, a 12,000-yr offset between planktonic foraminifera species N. incompta and G. bulloides is observed that coincides with age plateaus at 2000–2500 yr for N. incompta and 15,000–16,000 yr for G. bulloides despite coincident glacial-interglacial shifts in δ18O of benthic species. These age plateaus, particularly for G. bulloides, are a result of changing foraminiferal abundance related to assemblage shifts and carbonate preservation changes since the last glacial period, providing a window into the extent of mixing in the past. The 14C and stable isotope results can be simulated using an iterative model that couples these changes in foraminiferal abundance with variability in mixing depth over time. The best-fit model output suggests that the deepest, or most intense, mixing of the past 30,000 yr (30 kyr) may have occurred during the Holocene. Even though changes in mixing affect the 14C and δ18O of planktonic species that have dramatically varying abundance, substantial age control is nevertheless provided by δ18O measurements on the more consistently abundant benthic foraminifera Uvigerina, thus allowing the construction of a reliable chronology for these cores.
Predictors of mortality among hospitalized hypertensive patients with COVID-19 during third and fourth waves in Pakistan.

INTRODUCTION Hypertension significantly contributes to the severity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. It has also been a risk factor for prolonged hospitalization and the need for intensive care. However, the data is still evolving. Therefore, this study investigated the predictors of mortality among hypertensive COVID-19 patients. METHODOLOGY A single-center cohort study was performed at Indus Hospital and Health Network, Karachi, Pakistan, between April 1, 2021, and October 31, 2021. This study included 333 hospitalized hypertensive COVID-19 patients and evaluated their clinical characteristics and survival outcomes. A multivariate logistic regression model was applied in IBM SPSS 27.0 to determine the predictors of mortality. RESULTS The majority of patients were females (54.7%), the median age was 62 [55-70] years, with co-existing diabetes (56.5%) and severely ill (52.6%). The independent predictors of mortality identified were age ≥ 65 years (aOR 20.89, 95% CI, 5.81-75.15; p < 0.001), pulse rate (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.63; p = 0.006), serum creatinine (aOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.11-1.63; p = 0.002), use of antibiotics (aOR 3.40, 95% CI 1.29-8.98; p = 0.014)), corticosteroid (aOR 49.68, 95% CI 1.83-1350.31; p = 0.020), and who needed high flow oxygen supply (aOR 13.08, 95% CI 1.70-100.54; p < 0.001), non-invasive mechanical ventilation (aOR 229.01, 95% CI 29.30-1789.71; p < 0.001) and invasive mechanical ventilation (aOR 379.54, 95% CI 36.60-3935.87; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our study suggests that older age, elevated pulse rate, serum creatinine, use of antibiotics and corticosteroids, and the need for mechanical ventilation predict mortality among hypertensive COVID-19.
Hydrological Storage Length Scales Represented by Remote Sensing Estimates of Soil Moisture and Precipitation

The soil water content profile is often well correlated with the soil moisture state near the surface. They share mutual information such that analysis of surface‐only soil moisture is, at times and in conjunction with precipitation information, reflective of deeper soil fluxes and dynamics. This study examines the characteristic length scale, or effective depth Δz, of a simple active hydrological control volume. The volume is described only by precipitation inputs and soil water dynamics evident in surface‐only soil moisture observations. To proceed, first an observation‐based technique is presented to estimate the soil moisture loss function based on analysis of soil moisture dry‐downs and its successive negative increments. Then, the length scale Δz is obtained via an optimization process wherein the root‐mean‐squared (RMS) differences between surface soil moisture observations and its predictions based on water balance are minimized. The process is entirely observation‐driven. The surface soil moisture estimates are obtained from the NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission and precipitation from the gauge‐corrected Climate Prediction Center daily global precipitation product. The length scale Δz exhibits a clear east‐west gradient across the contiguous United States (CONUS), such that large Δz depths (>200 mm) are estimated in wetter regions with larger mean precipitation. The median Δz across CONUS is 135 mm. The spatial variance of Δz is predominantly explained and influenced by precipitation characteristics. Soil properties, especially texture in the form of sand fraction, as well as the mean soil moisture state have a lesser influence on the length scale.
Specific genotypes of plantain (Plantago lanceolata) vary in their impact on sheep urine volume and nitrification in the urine patch

Plantain has the potential to reduce nitrate leaching through a number of mechanisms. In an indoor study, sheep were offered either perennial ryegrass or different plantain genotypes while aiming to achieve similar dry matter and water intakes. Supplementary water was sprayed on the feed to achieve the latter objective. Animals fed two cultivars (‘Tonic’ and ‘Agritonic’, marketed as “Ecotains” with claims around the potential to reduce nitrate leaching, and breeding lines (from a breeding program aimed at improving aspects of leaching mitigation) produced significantly more urine (4925 and 4887 ml/day, respectively) than those fed a range of commercial plantain cultivars (averaging 4333 ml/day) or perennial ryegrass (3993 ml/day). These results suggest the plantains marketed as “Ecotains” and those in the environmental breeding program may have diuretic effects on sheep, thereby reducing the concentration of nitrogen in the urine. In a soil incubation experiment, urine from sheep grazing either perennial ryegrass or ‘Agritonic’ plantain was applied to soil microcosms (70 ml vials containing 20 g of soil). Urine from sheep grazing the plantain, showed a slower overall nitrification rate (especially in the first 28 days post-application) when a significantly lower proportion of the urinary N was converted to nitrate. Both these observations support the use of specific genotypes of plantain to assist in reducing nitrate leaching.
Ion Nitriding of Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al Alloy for Aerospace Applications

V DEDICATION . VI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . VII LIST OF TABLES . XV LIST OF FIGURES . XVII LIST OF APPENDICES . XXXI LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, SYMBOLS . XXXII CHAPTER
The Public Library System as an Element in the 2007 and 2015 Electoral Programs of Spain's Political Parties in the Region of Castilla-La Mancha

ABSTRACT To assess the relevance of the Public Library System in the political agenda, programs presented by the Political Parties competing in Regional and Local elections in the Spanish Region of Castilla-La Mancha were analyzed and the proposals about these library institutions were identified. All Regional programs were collected and also an ample sample from the Municipalities for the 2007 and 2015 elections, trying to find the differences influenced by the impact of the financial crisis and recession on the public-library policies. The conclusion arrived at was that, although the Public Libraries may be reasonably present in the studied programs, there is a low awareness by the Political Parties of the main problems.
Effect of Methanol on the Microbial Community Structure of Biofilters Treating Dimethyl Sulphide

Odour emissions resulting from reduced sulphur compounds in the kraft pulping industry are frequently found in dilute, high flowrate air streams that are costly to treat using incineration and thermal oxidation. Biofiltration, an air treatment method involving passing air through a packed bed of microorganisms, has emerged as a promising treatment strategy for these dilute waste gas streams. However, biodegradation of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) in biofilters is rather poor and is limiting the application of biofiltration to odour streams rich in DMS. Recently, our group has shown that co-treatment of DMS with methanol can increase DMS removal significantly. In this thesis, the effect of methanol on the microbiology of two biofilters treating DMS was explored. Microbial community analysis revealed that the addition of methanol led to a significant increase of up to an order of magnitude in the abundance of Hyphomicrobium spp. in a biofilter cotreating DMS and methanol compared to a biofilter treating DMS alone with no significant difference in the abundance of Thiobacillus spp. between the two biofilters. Further to the biofiltration experiments, the growth kinetics of Hyphomicrobium spp. and Thiobacillus spp. on DMS and methanol in an enrichment culture created from a biofilter co-treating DMS and methanol were studied. A specific growth rate of 0.099 h -1 and 0.11 h -1 was determined for
Analysis of the Social Barriers Constraining Increased Breadfruit Tree Cultivation in Southeast Nigeria

The study analysed the social barriers constraining increased breadfruit (Treculia africana) planting in Southeast Nigeria. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered on 260 respondents selected through a simple random sampling process from 13 communities in Anambra and Enugu States of Southeast Nigeria. From the respondents, 4 in-depth interviews were conducted for more detailed information and verification of some answers in the questionnaire. Data were realised with descriptive statistics. The results reveal that significant proportion (52%) of the farmers had certain beliefs about the crop, but that the beliefs that the crop is not meant to be cultivated, planted by young people and others are unlikely to be significant reasons for its limited planting. The result, however, indicates that systems norm of free fruit head collection (32.14%) is likely to be a significant reason for the limited planting of the trees in the farm fields of some communities in the study area. The result suggests that the norm may be a barrier to using the crop for climate stress adaptation in those communities. The study, therefore, recommends that proactive measures such as holistic education and awareness programmes should be employed by change agencies to overcome breadfruit planting social barriers. Original Research Article Enibe; AJAEES, 28(3): 1-9, 2018; Article no.AJAEES. 44833 2
Understanding the quality‐of‐life experiences of older or frail adults following a new dens fracture: Nonsurgical management in a hard collar versus early removal of collar

Abstract Introduction In the United Kingdom, fractures of the cervical dens process in older and/or frail patients are usually managed nonsurgically in a hard collar. However, hard collars can lead to complications and this management approach is now being questioned, with growing interest in maximising patients' short‐term quality‐of‐life. It is vital that patients' perspectives are considered; yet, there is a dearth of literature examining the aspect. To help inform wider decision‐making about use of collar/no collar management of dens fractures in older/frail people, we explored older/frail people's experience of the two management approaches and how they affected their perceived quality‐of‐life. Methods We interviewed older and/or frail adults with a recent dens fracture (aged ≥65 years or with a clinical frailty score of ≥5) or their caregiver. Participants were recruited from both arms of a clinical trial comparing management using a hard collar for 12 weeks (SM) with early removal of the collar (ERC) and were interviewed following randomisation and again, 12–16 weeks later. Data were analysed using a framework approach. Results Both participant groups (SM/ERC) reported substantial, negative quality‐of‐life (QoL) experiences, with the fall itself and lack of access to care services and information being frequent major contributory factors. Many negative experiences cut across both participant groups, including pain, fatigue, diminished autonomy and reduced involvement in personally meaningful activities. However, we identified some subtle, yet discernible, ways in which using SM/ERC reinforced or alleviated (negative) QoL impacts, with the perceived benefits/burdens to using SM/ERC varying between different individuals. Conclusion Study findings can be used to support informed decision‐making about SM/ERC management of dens fractures in older/frail patients. Patient or Public Contribution Public and patient involvement contributors were involved in the study design, development of interview topic guides and interpretation of study findings.
Stability and Reactions of CaCO3 Polymorphs in the Earth's Deep Mantle

As an important component of carbonates in the mantle, CaCO3 is a major carrier of carbon from the surface to the deep interiors. In recent years, new varieties of CaCO3 polymorphs have been continuously predicted by first principles simulations and verified by experiments. The findings of these polymorphs open the possibility of stabilizing CaCO3 component in the lowermost mantle. Here, through extensive first principles simulations, we inspect the stability and reactions of high‐pressure CaCO3 polymorphs at high temperatures. Systematic errors from approximations to the exchange‐correlation functional in density functional theory have been essentially eliminated with a generalized rescaling method to increase the predictability of the simulations. We find temperature has important effects on the stabilities and the reactions of CaCO3 polymorphs with mantle minerals. In particular, the tetrahedrally structured CaCO3‐polymorph (space group P21/c) is found to be sensitive to temperature with a positive Clapeyron slope of 15.81(6) MPa/K. Reacting with MgSiO3, CaCO3 is shown to be less stable than MgCO3 over the whole mantle pressures (to ~136 GPa) above ~1500 K. And CaCO3 is demonstrated to readily react with SiO2 even in the cold subduction slabs. Thus, high temperature greatly increases the tendency of partitioning calcium into the silicates, and CaCO3 is not likely to be the major host of carbon in the Earth's deep mantle.
Estimation of the Population Size of Street- and Venue-Based Female Sex Workers and Sexually Exploited Minors in Rwanda in 2022: 3-Source Capture-Recapture

Background HIV surveillance among key populations is a priority in all epidemic settings. Female sex workers (FSWs) globally as well as in Rwanda are disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic; hence, the Rwanda HIV and AIDS National Strategic Plan (2018-2024) has adopted regular surveillance of population size estimation (PSE) of FSWs every 2-3 years. Objective We aimed at estimating, for the fourth time, the population size of street- and venue-based FSWs and sexually exploited minors aged ≥15 years in Rwanda. Methods In August 2022, the 3-source capture-recapture method was used to estimate the population size of FSWs and sexually exploited minors in Rwanda. The field work took 3 weeks to complete, with each capture occasion lasting for a week. The sample size for each capture was calculated using shinyrecap with inputs drawn from previously conducted estimation exercises. In each capture round, a stratified multistage sampling process was used, with administrative provinces as strata and FSW hotspots as the primary sampling unit. Different unique objects were distributed to FSWs in each capture round; acceptance of the unique object was marked as successful capture. Sampled FSWs for the subsequent capture occasions were asked if they had received the previously distributed unique object in order to determine recaptures. Statistical analysis was performed in R (version 4.0.5), and Bayesian Model Averaging was performed to produce the final PSE with a 95% credibility set (CS). Results We sampled 1766, 1848, and 1865 FSWs and sexually exploited minors in each capture round. There were 169 recaptures strictly between captures 1 and 2, 210 recaptures exclusively between captures 2 and 3, and 65 recaptures between captures 1 and 3 only. In all 3 captures, 61 FSWs were captured. The median PSE of street- and venue-based FSWs and sexually exploited minors in Rwanda was 37,647 (95% CS 31,873-43,354), corresponding to 1.1% (95% CI 0.9%-1.3%) of the total adult females in the general population. Relative to the adult females in the general population, the western and northern provinces ranked first and second with a higher concentration of FSWs, respectively. The cities of Kigali and eastern province ranked third and fourth, respectively. The southern province was identified as having a low concentration of FSWs. Conclusions We provide, for the first time, both the national and provincial level population size estimate of street- and venue-based FSWs in Rwanda. Compared with the previous 2 rounds of FSW PSEs at the national level, we observed differences in the street- and venue-based FSW population size in Rwanda. Our study might not have considered FSWs who do not want anyone to know they are FSWs due to several reasons, leading to a possible underestimation of the true PSE.
Comparative Assessment of the Environmental Dynamics of Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (DON) and Dissolved Organic Phosphorus (DOP) from Three Wetlands in Northern Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study focused on the comparative assessment of the environmental dynamics of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in water samples obtained from three wetlands in northern Nigeria. The levels of nitrogen and phosphorus were determined using the persulphate wet-oxidation method. The samples were taken in the dry and wet seasons. The average values for DON and DOP obtained ranged from 9.49±1.83 mg/l to 21.8±14.7 mg/l and 1.65±0.38 mg/l to 6.11±0.58 mg/l respectively. The values obtained for DON during the dry and wet seasons for Jebba, Matara-Uku, Lokoja, and Nguru were 14.1±3.92, 13.7±3.43, 21.0±5.04, 21.8±14.7, 7.14±2.40 and 13.9±1.97, 11.3±2.62, 9.59±1.46, 9.49±1.83, 11.1±1.78 mg/l respectively. The mean values for DOP were 1.85±0.07, 2.60±0.55, 2.65±0.31, 2.52±0.46, 1.65±0.38 and 3.70±0.16, 5.55±0.24, 6.11±0.58, 4.93±0.90, 3.65±0.37 mg/l in the dry and wet seasons respectively. The DON concentrations were significantly higher in the dry season while the DOP concentrations were significantly higher in the wet season. This dynamics was attributed to run off from agricultural farm lands, hydrology and the rate of utilization of these nutrients by water plants. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), of the data confirmed this observed significant difference at (p
Diversity and preserved shell coloration patterns of Miocene Conidae (Neogastropoda) from an exposure of the Gatun Formation, Colón Province, Panama

Abstract. Extant members of the neogastropod family Conidae (cone snails) are renowned for their often dazzling shell coloration patterns and venomous feeding habits. Many cone snail species have also been described from the fossil record, but to date have been little used to understand the evolutionary history of extant clades. The cone snail fauna of the Miocene Gatun Formation of Colón Province, Panama is especially important for understanding the temporal and biogeographic history of tropical American Conidae. Intensive, focused collecting from an exposure of the lower Gatun Formation (deposited ca. 11–10 Ma) resulted in the discovery of nearly 900 specimens of Conidae. Remarkably, many of these well-preserved specimens exhibit revealed coloration patterns when exposed to ultraviolet light. The fluorescing coloration patterns were used in conjunction with other features of shell morphology to differentiate species and, in most cases, evaluate their potential relationships to members of the extant tropical American fauna. Nine species are fully described from this locality, one of which is recognized as new: Conus (Stephanoconus) woodringi n. sp. At least one, and perhaps more, additional Conidae species are also present at the study locality. The diversity of this Conidae fauna is considered moderate relative to other recently analyzed tropical American fossil assemblages. The phylogenetic diversity of the assemblage, however, is noteworthy: six of the ten species can be confidently assigned to six different clades of extant Conidae, providing potentially useful calibration points for future phylogenetic studies.
Chikungunya virus infection disrupts MHC-I antigen presentation via nonstructural protein 2

Infection by chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a mosquito-borne alphavirus, causes severe polyarthralgia and polymyalgia, which can last in some people for months to years. Chronic CHIKV disease signs and symptoms are associated with the persistence of viral nucleic acid and antigen in tissues. Like humans and nonhuman primates, CHIKV infection in mice results in the development of robust adaptive antiviral immune responses. Despite this, joint tissue fibroblasts survive CHIKV infection and can support persistent viral replication, suggesting that they escape immune surveillance. Here, using a recombinant CHIKV strain encoding the fluorescent protein VENUS with an embedded CD8+ T cell epitope, SIINFEKL, we observed a marked loss of both MHC class I (MHC-I) surface expression and antigen presentation by CHIKV-infected joint tissue fibroblasts. Both in vivo and ex vivo infected joint tissue fibroblasts displayed reduced cell surface levels of H2-Kb and H2-Db MHC-I proteins while maintaining similar levels of other cell surface proteins. Mutations within the methyl transferase-like domain of the CHIKV nonstructural protein 2 (nsP2) increased MHC-I cell surface expression and antigen presentation efficiency by CHIKV-infected cells. Moreover, expression of WT nsP2 alone, but not nsP2 with mutations in the methyltransferase-like domain, resulted in decreased MHC-I antigen presentation efficiency. MHC-I surface expression and antigen presentation was rescued by replacing VENUS-SIINFEKL with SIINFEKL tethered to β2-microglobulin in the CHIKV genome, which bypasses the requirement for peptide processing and TAP-mediated peptide transport into the endoplasmic reticulum. Collectively, this work suggests that CHIKV escapes the surveillance of antiviral CD8+ T cells, in part, by nsP2-mediated disruption of MHC-I antigen presentation.