Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Cretaceous-Paleogene Boundary on the Brazos River, Texas: New Stratigraphic Sections and Revised Interpretations

The investigation of new sections of the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K/Pg) transition and basal Paleocene in the Brazos River area of Texas provides evidence that the Corsicana Formation sea floor mudstones were significantly eroded by the endCretaceous impact disturbances. Erosional relief on the 75–100 m deep sea floor is visible in Cottonmouth Creek and the new River Bank South section as a series of ridges and erosional troughs. Trough lows are filled, in places, with mud-matrix mass flow deposits containing large blocks of Maastrichtian mudstones and transported concretions. These are overlain with granular shelly layers containing spherules and hummocky cross-stratified storm sandstones. Some of the more positive areas of the sea floor remained exposed to shelf waters and were colonized with a thin oyster pavement before burial with mudstones, siltstones, and sandstones of the Kincaid Formation. A return to quiet water conditions during the basal Paleocene is recorded in a 3–6 m section of foraminifera-rich sandstones bounded above and below with zones of carbonate and pyrite concretions, best seen on the newly described River Bank South section. The distinctive yellow-weathering claystone exposed in Cottonmouth Creek and a new locality (River Bank North), north of the Route 413 bridge, are confirmed as volcanic ashes and dated as latest Maastrichtian, thereby removing the necessity for a pre-K/Pg boundary, and pre-extinction, impact event.
1. CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSIL BIOSTRATIGRAPHY OF THE NANKAI TROUGH1

ODP Leg 131 recovered nannofossil-bearing sediments from Site 808 in the Nankai Trough, western Pacific Ocean. Three holes were examined for nannofossils, 808A, 808B, and 808C. A total of 22 nannofossil events were recognized, of which 10 are used as zonal markers. The sediments recovered from Hole 808A (0-111.4 mbsf) contain Pleistocene nannofossil assemblages that are mostly well preserved. All samples from this hole were assigned to nannofossil Zone NN21. The nannofossil assemblages observed in Hole 808B (111.0-358.8 mbsf) are poorly to well preserved and were all assigned to the Pleistocene. The NN21/NN20 Boundary is placed at 230.7 ± 4.4 mbsf. Hole 808C was cored from 298.5 to 1327 mbsf and basalt was reached at 1289.9 mbsf. The sediments recovered range in age from the upper part of Zone NN20 of the Pleistocene to Zone NN5 of the middle Miocene and contain poorly to well-preserved nannofossil assemblages. The Pliocene/Pleistocene Boundary, marked by the FO Gephyrocapsa caribbeanica, was placed at 776.3 ±1.6 mbsf, and the Miocene/Pliocene Boundary is tentatively placed at 955.9 ±1.5 mbsf. The lowermost sediments above basement as well as a sediment sample intercalated between basalt flows are assigned to Zone NN5, with an age of approximately 15 Ma. Age estimates provided by nannofossils show that the sedimentation rate in the trench-fill deposits of the Nankai Trough was very high, 800-1350 m/m.y (0-0.46 Ma), whereas in the Shikoku Basin deposits (> 0.46 Ma), the sedimentation rate was much lower (24-200 m/m.y). These age estimates also provide an extrapolated age of approximately 15 Ma for the basaltic basement at Site 808.
Series The Deutsch-Jozsa Problem : De-quantization and Entanglement

The Deustch-Jozsa problem is one of the most basic ways to demonstrate the power of quantum computation. Consider a Boolean function f : {0, 1} n → {0, 1} and suppose we have a black-box to compute f. The Deutsch-Jozsa problem is to determine if f is constant (i.e. f (x) = const, ∀x ∈ {0, 1} n) or if f is balanced (i.e. f (x) = 0 for exactly half the possible input strings x ∈ {0, 1} n) using as few calls to the black-box computing f as is possible, assuming f is guaranteed to be constant or balanced. Classically it appears that this requires at least 2 n−1 + 1 black-box calls in the worst case, but the well known quantum solution solves the problem with probability one in exactly one black-box call. It has been found that in some cases the algorithm can be de-quantised into an equivalent classical, deterministic solution. We explore the ability to extend this de-quantisation to further cases, and examine with more detail when de-quantisation is possible, both with respect to the Deutsch-Jozsa problem, as well as in more general cases.
Edinburgh Research Explorer The effect of future ambient air pollution on human premature mortality to 2100 using output from the ACCMIP model ensemble

Ambient air pollution from ground-level ozone and ﬁne particulate matter (PM 2 . 5 ) is associated with premature mortality. Future concentrations of these air pollutants will be driven by natural and anthropogenic emissions and by climate change. Using anthropogenic and biomass burning emissions projected in the four Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (RCPs), the ACCMIP ensemble of chemistry–climate models simulated future concentrations of ozone and PM 2 . 5 at selected decades between 2000 and 2100. We use output from the ACCMIP ensemble, together with projections of future population and baseline mortality rates, to quantify the human premature mortality impacts of future ambient air pollution. Future air-pollution-related premature mortality in 2030, 2050 and 2100 is estimated for Published
Scale-Up Information for Gas-Phase Ammonia Treatment of Uranium in the Vadose Zone at the Hanford Site Central Plateau

Uranium is present in the vadose zone at the Hanford Central Plateau and is of concern for protection of groundwater. The Deep Vadose Zone Treatability Test Plan for the Hanford Central Plateau identified gas-phase treatment and geochemical manipulation as potentially effective treatment approaches for uranium and technetium in the Hanford Central Plateau vadose zone. Based on laboratory evaluation, use of ammonia vapor was selected as the most promising uranium treatment candidate for further development and field testing. While laboratory tests have shown that ammonia treatment effectively reduces the mobility of uranium, additional information is needed to enable deployment of this technology for remediation. Of importance for field applications are aspects of the technology associated with effective distribution of ammonia to a targeted treatment zone, understanding the fate of injected ammonia and its impact on subsurface conditions, and identifying effective monitoring approaches. In addition, information is needed to select equipment and operational parameters for a field design. As part of development efforts for the ammonia technology for remediation of vadose zone uranium contamination, field scale-up issues were identified and have been addressed through a series of laboratory and modeling efforts. This report presents a conceptual description for field application of themore » ammonia treatment process, engineering calculations to support treatment design, ammonia transport information, field application monitoring approaches, and a discussion of processes affecting the fate of ammonia in the subsurface. The report compiles this information from previous publications and from recent research and development activities. The intent of this report is to provide technical information about these scale-up elements to support the design and operation of a field test for the ammonia treatment technology. « less
Tinman / Nkx 2-5 acts via miR-1 and upstream of Cdc 42 to regulate heart function across species

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in industrialized nations. Since the discovery of the first key determinant of heart development—tinman—in Drosophila (Azpiazu and Frasch, 1993; Bodmer, 1993), numerous regulators, including transcription factors, cell signaling molecules, extracellular matrix proteins, and microRNAs have provided an understanding of an increasingly complex network that guides cardiac specification, differentiation, function, and maturation in all organisms that possess a heart (Bier and Bodmer, 2004; Olson, 2006; Srivastava, 2006; Qian et al., 2008a). The fruit fly Drosophila is an attractive model system to study various human diseases, including cardiac disease (St Johnston, 2002; Bier, 2005). The Drosophila heart is a simple linear tube comprised of myocardial and pericardial cells, which is reminiscent of the primitive vertebrate embryonic heart. Unraveling the gene regulatory networks that govern development and function of the mammalian heart is critical for the rational design of therapeutic interventions in human heart disease. Using the Drosophila heart as a platform for identifying novel gene interactions leading to heart disease, we found that the Rho-GTPase Cdc42 cooperates with the cardiac transcription factor Tinman/Nkx2-5. Compound Cdc42, tinman heterozygous mutant flies exhibited impaired cardiac output and altered myofibrillar architecture, and adult heart– specific interference with Cdc42 function is sufficient to cause these same defects. We also identified K channels, encoded by dSUR and slowpoke, as potential effectors of the Cdc42–Tinman interaction. To determine whether a Cdc42–Nkx2-5 interaction is conserved in the mammalian heart, we examined compound heterozygous mutant mice and found conduction system and cardiac output defects. In exploring the mechanism of Nkx2-5 interaction with Cdc42, we demonstrated that mouse Cdc42 was a target of, and negatively regulated by miR-1, which itself was negatively regulated by Nkx2-5 in the mouse heart and by Tinman in the fly heart. We conclude that Cdc42 plays a conserved role in regulating heart function and is an indirect target of Tinman/Nkx2-5 via miR-1. Tinman/Nkx2-5 acts via miR-1 and upstream of Cdc42 to regulate heart function across species
Financial Institutions Center Derivatives, Portfolio Composition and Bank Holding Company Interest Rate Risk Exposure Derivatives, Portfolio Composition and Bank Holding Company Interest Rate Risk Exposure Section 2: Previous Work on Banks' Interest Rate Risk Exposure Section 3: Market Model Regress

The Wharton Financial Institutions Center provides a multidisciplinary research approach to the problems and opportunities facing the financial services industry in its search for competitive excellence. The Center's research focuses on the issues related to managing risk at the firm level as well as ways to improve productivity and performance. The Center fosters the development of a community of faculty, visiting scholars and Ph.D. candidates whose research interests complement and support the mission of the Center. The Center works closely with industry executives and practitioners to ensure that its research is informed by the operating realities and competitive demands facing industry participants as they pursue competitive excellence. Copies of the working papers summarized here are available from the Center. If you would like to learn more about the Center or become a member of our research community, please let us know of your interest. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or the Federal Reserve System. I would like to thank Rebecca Demsetz, Lawrence Radecki, Marc Saidenberg, Philip Strahan and participants in seminars at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York for many helpful suggestions. Joanne Collins and Oba McMillan provided excellent research assistance. Finally, I would especially like to thank Rebecca Demsetz and Philip Strahan for making the panel of bank holding company stock market data available to me. Abstract: This paper examines the role played by derivatives in determining the interest rate sensitivity of bank holding companies' (BHCs') common stock, controlling for the influence of on-balance sheet activities and other bank-specific characteristics. The major result of the analysis suggests that derivatives have played a significant role in shaping banks' interest rate risk exposures in recent years. For the typical bank holding company in the sample, increases in the use of interest rate derivatives corresponded to greater interest rate risk exposure during the 1991-94 period. This relationship is particularly strong for bank holding companies that serve as derivatives dealers and for smaller, enduser BHCs. During earlier years, however, there is no significant relationship between the extent of derivatives activities and interest rate risk exposure. There are two plausible interpretations of the relationship between interest rate derivative activity and interest rate risk exposure in the latter part of the sample period: one interpretation suggests that derivatives tend to enhance interest rate …
Hydrological field data from a modeller's perspective: Part 2: process‐based evaluation of model hypotheses

The current generation of hydrological models has been widely criticized for their inability to adequately simulate hydrological processes. In this study, we evaluate competing model representations of hydrological processes with respect to their capability to simulate observed processes in the Mahurangi River basin in Northland, New Zealand. In the first part of this two‐part series, the precipitation, soil moisture, and flow data in the Mahurangi were used to estimate the dominant hydrological processes and explore several options for their suitable mathematical representation. In this paper, diagnostic tests are applied to gain several insights for model selection. The analysis highlights dominant hydrological processes (e.g. the importance of vertical drainage and baseflow compared to sub‐surface stormflow), provides guidance for the choice of modelling approaches (e.g. implicitly representing sub‐grid heterogeneity in soils), and helps infer appropriate values for model parameters. The approach used in this paper demonstrates the benefits of flexible model structures in the context of hypothesis testing, in particular, supporting a more systematic exploration of current ambiguities in hydrological process representation. The challenge for the hydrological community is to make better use of the available data, not only to estimate parameter values but also to diagnostically identify more scientifically defensible model structures. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetic diversity investigation of bitter melon ( Citrullus colocynthis L . ) populations using morphological and molecular markers

Citrullus colocynthis L. is growing as a weed in Iran, has much medicinal application. Fifteen different populations of this plant were collected from different regions and genetic diversity among them evaluated using morphological and molecular markers. First, cluster analysis based on nine evaluated morphological traits divided populations into four distinct groups. Principle component analysis based on morphologic traits showed that first three components were explained 78.04 percent of variation among populations. Second, ten primers were applied on whole genome extract to disclose DNA polymorphism among populations. Many bands were appeared and display a 99.16 percent polymorphism. Cluster analysis categorized populations into four groups. The least and the most genetic similarity were observed between Dezful and Bandan and Dezful and Lendeh populations, respectively. Finally, it was proved that random amplified polymorphic DNA markers could be a proper tool for genetic diversity investigation in Iranian populations of Bitter melon.
East African Rift System (EARS) Plume Structure: Insights from Quaternary Mafic Lavas of Turkana, Kenya

Quaternary mafic lavas from Lake Turkana (northern Kenya) provide information on processes operating beneath the East African Rift in an area of anomalous lithospheric and crustal thinning. Inferred depths of melting beneath Turkana (15---20km) are shallower than those recorded elsewhere along the rift, consistent with the anomalously thin crustal section. The mafic lavas have elevated incompatible trace element contents when compared with midocean ridge basalts, requiring an enrichment event in the source region. Basalts with low Sr isotopic ratios ( � 0� 7030) have high 143 Nd/ 144 Nd (40� 5129) and 206 Pb/ 204 Pb values ( � 19� 4) and incompatible trace element abundances that indicate derivation from a sub-lithospheric mantle source region. Quaternary mafic rocks with 10---15 wt % MgO record contributions from a mantle plume that is isotopically similar to the deep mantle source region for global hotspots. These Turkana basalts have isotope and incompatible trace element ratios that overlap with those of Quaternary mafic lavas from the Red Sea, the western Gulf of Aden, and northern Kenya, interpreted as being derived from mixtures of plume and ambient mantle sources. The Turkana data imply a common and long-lived mantle plume composition beneath both the Ethiopia and Kenya domes. This scenario is supported by tomographic results indicating a discontinuous thermal and chemical anomaly that originates in the deep mantle beneath southern Africa, and is also consistent with the seismically determined shallow mantle structure beneath East Africa.
Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Detection of trends in surface ozone in the presence of climate variability

Trends in trace atmospheric constituents can be driven not also by trends in their (precursor) emissions but also by trends in meteorology. Here we use ground-level ozone as an example to highlight the extent to which unforced, low-frequency climate variability can drive multidecadal trends. Using output from six experiments of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory chemistry-climate model (CM3), we demonstrate that 20 year trends in surface ozone driven by climate variability alone can be as large as those forced by changes in ozone precursor emissions or by anthropogenic climate change. We highlight regions and seasons where surface ozone is strongly inﬂuenced by climate variability and thus where a given forced trend may be more diﬃcult to detect. A corollary is that this approach identiﬁes regions and seasons of low variability, where measurement sites may be most eﬀectively deployed to detect a particular trend driven by changing precursor emissions. We ﬁnd that the representative concentration pathways 4.5 (RCP4.5) and RCP8.5 forced surface ozone trends in most locations emerge over background variability during the ﬁrst half of the 21st century. Ozone trends are found to respond mostly to changes in emissions of ozone precursors and unforced climate variability, with a comparatively small impact from anthropogenic climate change. Thus, attempts to attribute observed trends to regional emissions changes require consideration of internal climate variability, particularly for short record lengths and small forced trends.
Autonomous UGV Delivery Systems

In this paper, we propose to explain the application of automated ground vehicles as delivery robots. This system is developed and designed with the intended application being delivery of items within large campuses and buildings. The system proposed in this paper uses Google maps and direction API for getting the navigation data, but the same can be implemented without using third party application if the map of the intended area of usage is available. Donkey and carrot algorithm has been developed and used for navigation using the data obtained from the used API. To get the data on to the unmanned ground vehicle, a server is set up on the onboard microcontroller which gets the data from the cloud, on which further processing is done.
Structural geology in the eastern margin of the canadian rocky mountains

ABSTRACT Hydrocarbon accumulations in the "foothills" at the eastern margin of the Canadian Rocky Mountains are structurally trapped. Exploration for them entails predicting the deep geometric configuration of potential reservoir beds in imperfectly understood areas. This prediction is commonly derived from analogies with the most appropriate of the region's typical structures, a pragmatic approach which is effective because the "foothills" contain a limited suite of relatively simple structural types: Concentric folds (with their attendant decollement) Low-angle thrust faults (commonly folded) Tear faults (usually transverse) Late normal faults (commonly listric) The assemblage in a particular area is also a function of the degree of deformation and of the lithology of the deformed rocks. Intensity of deformation increases from east to west. Regional stratigraphic changes alter the major lithologic units, while local isopach or facies changes alter the distribution of incompetent rocks within units. The structural styles are all "thin-skinned," as the underlying Hudsonian basement is not involved. This review article summarizes current knowledge of the geometry of "foothills" structures, their mode of occurrence, and some of the empirical rules for their interpretation. Application of this knowledge is illustrated by attempts to provide geometric solutions for the structural conundrums posed by the Brazeau Range, the Flathead Fault and the Rocky Mountain Trench.
Part III: Total greenhouse gas emissions

CO2 emissions from fuel combustion represent the majority of anthropogenic GHG emissions. However, comprehensive analysis of emission trends considers other sources of CO2 as well as other gases, knowing that data on gases and sources other than CO2 from fuel combustion are much more uncertain. Countryspecific estimates of CO2 from biomass burning and F-gas emissions are particularly difficult to ascertain. To complement work regarding the emissions of CO2 from fuel combustion, the IEA elected to include EDGAR data on other CO2 sources and on five other greenhouse gases; methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and the fluorinated gases (or “F-gases”) HFCs, PFCs and SF6, all gases addressed by the Kyoto Protocol. Main changes in this edition are: (a) CO2 emissions from fuel combustion were calculated by the IEA using the default emission factors from the 2006 IPCC guidelines instead of the 1996 Guidelines, thereby increasing emissions by about 0.5% to 2%; (b) CO2 emissions from carbon released in fossil fuel use, labelled in the sectoral energy balance as ‘non-energy use’ or ‘chemical feedstock’, are now reported in the Tables under Industrial Processes and Others and taken from the EDGAR4.3. 0 dataset (mainly based on the production of specific chemicals, whereas previously estimated by IEA using consumption of specific fuels and default fractions stored by fuel type); (c) CO2 emissions of fugitive nature (such as leakages, transformation losses, flaring) and of non-combustion emissions from industrial processes are also taken from the EDGAR4.3. 0 dataset and reported in the Tables under Fugitives and Industrial Processes. The information in Part III (with the exception of CO2 emissions from fuel combustion) has been provided by Jos G.J. Olivier from the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency and Greet JanssensMaenhout from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, using the EDGAR database (version 4.3.0 and 4.2FT2010) developed jointly by JRC and PBL. Please see Chapter 2 for further details on data sources and methodology. URI: Authors: OLIVIER Jos JANSSENS-MAENHOUT Greet Publication Year: 2015 Science Areas: Environment and climate change [1]
Can Online Learning Materials Improve Student Access to Digital Libraries?

We present preliminary investigations into how text alignment techniques can be used to align the content of undergraduate textbooks against the journal papers from which they were developed, or which may be recommended further reading. We propose that such methods could be used to improve student access to academic material, particularly in distance learning environments. Weshow that our initial techniques determine which passages of textbooks align against appropriate academic documents