Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relation of the South China Sea Precipitation Variability to Tropical Indo-Pacific SST Anomalies during Spring-to-Summer Transition

AbstractThe present study investigates the relationship of South China Sea (SCS) precipitation to tropical Indo-Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) during April–June (AMJ), which is the transition season from spring to summer. It is revealed that SCS rainfall anomalies in AMJ are influenced by SST anomalies in the equatorial Pacific (EP), tropical Indian Ocean (TIO), and western North Pacific (WNP). Three types of SST-influenced cases are obtained based on different combinations of SST anomalies in the above three regions. When same-sign EP and TIO SST anomalies are accompanied by opposite WNP SST anomalies, both anomalous cross-equatorial flows from the southwestern TIO induced by negative SST anomalies there and an anomalous Walker circulation forced by negative EP SST anomalies contribute to enhanced convection over the SCS and the surrounding regions with additional contribution from positive WNP SST anomalies via a Rossby wave–type response. In the cases of combined effects of EP and WNP SST anomal.
Paleoecology of the early Eocene Willwood mammal fauna from the central Bighorn Basin, Wyoming

Abstract The mammal fauna of the Willwood Formation, central Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, is ideal for paleoecological analysis because it is extensive, well studied, and continuously distributed over sediments representing the first 3 Myr of the early Eocene. The geology of the Bighorn Basin is also well known, providing a precise temporal framework and climatic context for the Willwood mammals. Previous analysis identified three “biohorizons,” based on simple counts of the first and last appearances of species. This study uses species diversity and appearance rates calculated from more extensive collections to approximate the ecological dynamic of the ancient fauna and assess whether the biohorizons were significant turnover events related to recently described climatic variation. Diversity and appearance data collected for this project are extensively corrected for uneven sampling, which varies by two orders of magnitude. Observed, standardized appearance and diversity estimates are subsequently compared with predicted background frequencies to identify significant variation. Important coincident shifts in the biotic parameters demonstrate that ecological change was concentrated in two discrete intervals ≤300 Kyr each that correspond with two of the original biohorizons. The intervals coincide with the onset and reversal of an episode of climate cooling identified directly from Bighorn Basin floras and sediments. Ecological changes inferred from the diversity and turnover patterns at and following the two biohorizons suggest short- and long-term faunal response to shifts in mean annual temperature on the order of 5–8°C.
Soil type influences the leaching of microbial indicators under natural rainfall following application of dairy shed effluent

The ability of soil to function as a barrier between microbial pathogens in wastes and groundwater following application of animal wastes is dependent on soil structure. We irrigated soil lysimeters with dairy shed effluent at intervals of 3–4 months and monitored microbial indicators (somatic coliphage, faecal enterococci, Escherichia coli) in soil core leachates for 1 year. The lysimeters were maintained in a lysimeter facility under natural soil temperature and moisture regimes. Microbial indicators were rapidly transported to depth in well-structured Netherton clay loam soil. Peak concentrations of E. coli and somatic coliphage were detected immediately following dairy shed effluent application to Netherton clay loam soil, and E. coli continued to leach from the soil following rainfall. In contrast, microbial indicators were rarely detected in leachates from fine-structured Manawatu sandy loam soil. Potential for leaching was dependent on soil moisture conditions in Manawatu soil but not Netherton soil, where leaching occurred regardless. Dye studies confirmed that E. coli can be transported to depth by flow through continuous macropores in Netherton soils. However, in the main E. coli was retained in topsoil of Netherton and Manawatu soil.
Synaptic Function *

C. elegans has emerged as a powerful genetic model organism in which to study synaptic function. Most synaptic proteins in the C. elegans genome are highly conserved and mutants can be readily generated by forward and reverse genetics. Most C. elegans synaptic protein mutants are viable affording an opportunity to study the functional consequences in vivo. Recent advances in electrophysiological approaches permit functional analysis of mutant synapses in situ. This has contributed to an already powerful arsenal of techniques available to study synaptic function in C. elegans. This review highlights C. elegans mutants affecting specific stages of the synaptic vesicle cycle, with emphasis on studies conducted at the neuromuscular junction. 1. Overview C. elegans is a powerful genetic system to study the molecular basis of synaptic function. Using behavioral and pharmacological selection criteria, genetic screens have identified many key proteins required for synaptic transmission (Brenner, 1974). With few exceptions synaptic proteins identified in C. elegans are highly conserved offering an opportunity to study universally important proteins in a relatively simple system. One of the great 1
The lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary in the Tien Shan‐Karakoram region from S receiver functions: Evidence for continental subduction

Significant S‐to‐P converted wave energy from the crust‐mantle and lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundaries (the Moho and the LAB, respectively) has been observed in the Tien Shan and Karakoram orogenic belts and used for the determination of the thickness of the crust and the mantle lithosphere. The Moho lies at depths of 45–65 km in the Tien Shan and adjacent regions and deepens to ∼70 km depth in Pamir and Karakoram. The thickness of the lithosphere varies between 90 and 120 km underneath the Tien Shan and increases to a value of 160 km beneath the Tarim Basin. To the south of the Tarim Basin the lower boundary of the Asian lithosphere can be clearly followed to a depth of 270 km beneath central Pamir and Karakoram, while the Indian lithosphere is observed beneath the Karakoram dipping from 130 km to 170 km towards the north. The observations indicate a scenario of continental collision and subduction, consistent with seismicity and the surface wave tomography results.
Reconstruction of a destructive debris‐flow event via numerical modeling: the role of valley geometry on flow dynamics

Debris‐flows are widespread natural phenomena characterized by high mobility (high velocity and long runout distance) and impact forces, which frequently cause human casualties and significant damage to infrastructure. To better understand the dynamics of such events, analyzing in particular the effect induced by the valley geometry on flow velocity, runout and mobilized volumes, in this work we reconstruct a real debris‐flow event through numerical modeling. Specifically, we used a modified version of the BING model, a fluid‐dynamic depth‐integrated numerical model for debris flows, which has been properly modified to account for width changes along the valley. The studied event, which occurred in Scaletta Zanclea (Messina, north‐eastern Sicily, Italy) on October 1, 2009, is exceptionally well constrained by field and topographic information. In this respect the flow velocity, estimated from two specific locations on the basis of field evidence, the distribution of erosional and depositional areas along the Racinazzo valley, based on the comparison of pre‐ and post‐event digital elevation models (DEMs), and the runout distance were used as constraints to calibrate the model. Furthermore, we report a detailed description of the main event characteristics based on hydrological records and witness reports. The numerical modeling results are consistent with witness reports and the severe damage recorded in the Scaletta Marina village, and highlight the effect of the valley geometry on both the debris flow velocity and the erosion/deposition processes. The effect of changing valley width has been also quantified, resulting in accelerations of the debris in correspondence of the valley narrowing and stagnations at the plateaus. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Seismic evidence for reactivation of a buried hydrated fault in the Pacific slab by the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku earthquake

We employ seismic tomography to estimate detailed 3D seismic velocity structures in the focal area of an intraslab earthquake (M7.1), which occurred on April 7, 1 month after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake (M9.0) near its source area. The results show a low‐velocity zone around the focal area of the M7.1 event, and that the aftershock activity is limited to the upper 15 km of the oceanic mantle. The lateral extent of the low‐velocity zone is comparable to the distribution of aftershocks, suggesting a concentration of fluids in the aftershock area. The angle between the aftershock alignment and the dip of the slab surface is estimated to be ∼60°, which is consistent with the dip of an oceanward‐dipping normal fault observed at the outer‐trench slope. These observations suggest that the M7.1 intraslab event occurred as a result of reactivation of a buried hydrated fault that formed prior to subduction. The upper ∼15 km of the oceanic mantle may be locally hydrated by bending‐related tensional faulting at the outer‐trench slope.
Benefits and challenges of tourism for village populations in India’s marine protected areas : case studies from the Sundarbans National Park and the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park

The success or failure of a marine protected area (MPA) is a direct result of the governing body’s ability to alleviate prevalent stresses on the respective ecosystem. In India, a nation hindered by overpopulation and poverty, resource dependency by local communities constitutes the greatest challenge for effective governance. For this, tourism is widely heralded as a sustainable alternative, providing a platform on which the needs of multiple stakeholders can be met. Conversely, as the term tourism continues to become synonymous with local economic benefit, one would be remiss to ignore that when improperly managed, the institution can lead to social conflict, increased marginalisation and socioeconomic degradation. This study investigates tourism trends, and the impacts of tourism in two of India’s MPAs– The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and the Sundarbans National Park– with a focus on community perspectives. Data collection techniques included secondary literature and policy review, ethnographic field observations, 54 semistructured interviews, focus groups, and a social survey, across a wide scale of stakeholders in the two parks. Adopting Miller and Auyong’s (1991) Broker, Local, Tourist Model (BLT) as an organizational tool, points of conflict are extracted and sources of social conflict categorised. Findings are similar in both MPAs, demonstrating above all, that while India is enthralled with tourism development, financial benefits reach too high to help the communities it occupies. Many villagers feel unheard and underrepresented, and institutional obstacles impede the prospect of tourism work. Freedoms are increasingly restricted, while tourism is given free rein to grow. Most notably, this study identifies the principal cause of social conflict to be poorly integrated decision-making bodies. An absence of coordination by governing actors breeds a lack of enforcement and accountability. Looking ahead, it is recommended that clear demarcation of the roles and responsibilities of governing agents should be a priority, while further studies are needed to better understand institutional obstacles impeding community involvement in MPA tourism. Of course, none of this would have been possible without the ongoing support of my parents, Yasmeen and Sammy Minocher, two brothers, Kurush and Xerxes, and partner, Ffeon Elliot, who have stood by my side every step of the way. They are as much a part of this project as I am, and for that, I hope they accept my dedication of this work to them as a symbol of my gratitude and admiration.
Efficient motion segmentation for H.264 compressed video

The H.264 standard is a new state-of-the-art video coding standard with extensive applications. This paper presents a simple and efficient approach for motion segmentation in H.264 compressed video. Several preprocessing steps are used before actual motion segmentation. The raw motion vector (MV) field extracted from H.264 video is first spatially normalized and then accumulated by the forward projection scheme to obtain the dense MV field. The following global motion compensation is performed on the accumulated MV field to acquire the residual MV field. Based on the residual MV field, a hybrid scheme including edge detection and region growing for motion segmentation is proposed. The edge map is used as a mask to guide region growing, which is created by Canny operator based on the magnitude map of residual MV field. At last, hypothesis testing as the major postprocessing technique is exploited to distinguish between the background and different moving objects. Experiment results demonstrate that the high-efficiency performance and good segmentation quality of the proposed approach.
Modelling of elevated mesoscale convective systems

Elevated convection occurs when convection originates from above the boundary layer. The interaction of an elevated storm with the stable layer beneath it often generates features such as waves and bores that maintain the convection. The Convective Storm Initiation Project (CSIP) took place in the UK in 2005. Only one case of elevated convection was observed during CSIP, in which several mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) formed. One MCS remained elevated and wave-lifted throughout the observation period. Another elevated MCS observed during IOP 3 was associated with Kelvin-Helmholtz billows. The billows and the elevated convection appeared to interact. The aim of this thesis is to use high-resolution numerical models to investigate the processes occurring in the elevated MCSs observed during CSIP. The thesis is presented in two parts. In the first part a simulation is performed using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The model reproduces the wave-lifted elevated convection in the early stages of the simulation but, unlike the observations, the simulated convection becomes surface-based and gravity current-lifted. The sensitivity of the simulated MCS to surface heat fluxes and diabatic cooling processes is explored. Surface heating and advection are shown to increase the buoyancy of the boundary layer air and enhance the transition to surface-based convection. Diabatic cooling processes are shown to maintain the simulated MCS in two ways: they strengthen the descent of the rear-inflow jet, generating a wave, and they also strengthen the undercurrent via cold outflow from the north of the storm. In the second part of this thesis the Met Office Large Eddy Model is used to investigate the interaction between Kelvin-Helmholtz billows and elevated convection. It is shown that there is a strong coupling between the updraughts and downdraughts in the billows and convective clouds.
Coral assemblages and reef growth in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (Western Pacific Ocean)

Reef development varies considerably around the high, raised-limestone islands of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). Here we examine the modern assemblages at 30 sites for coral composition, colony density, colony size, and fidelity. We defined four reef types and hypothesize the presence of environmentally driven ecological stasis, whereby the environment continuously selects for coral species membership, defines colony sizes, and over time creates the noted reef types. Our results show that constructional spur-and-groove reefs supported significantly larger coral-colony sizes and higher coral species richness compared with high-relief interstitial framework, low-relief incipient, and non-constructional coral assemblages. Non-constructional reefs supported much smaller coral colony sizes, despite similar population densities, and were consistently found in association with high wave exposure. The distinct coral assemblages found on interstitial framework and low-relief incipient reefs were not affiliated with any wave exposure regime, but were located adjacent to large watersheds and on islands with unique geological history. These assemblages were nested within the spur-and-groove species pool. Overall, modern coral cover was well predicted by bathymetric slope and watershed size, while species richness was additively influenced by two proxies of pollution, suggesting the latter is better suited for establishing management targets. In contrast with previous studies that suggested modern assemblages were biologically controlled in the CNMI, we show reef assemblages and reef development are highly influenced by long-term environmental forcing.
Pain Assessment–Can it be Done with a Computerised System? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Mobile and web technologies are becoming increasingly used to support the treatment of chronic pain conditions. However, the subjectivity of pain perception makes its management and evaluation very difficult. Pain treatment requires a multi-dimensional approach (e.g., sensory, affective, cognitive) whence the evidence of technology effects across dimensions is lacking. This study aims to describe computerised monitoring systems and to suggest a methodology, based on statistical analysis, to evaluate their effects on pain assessment. Methods: We conducted a review of the English-language literature about computerised systems related to chronic pain complaints that included data collected via mobile devices or Internet, published since 2000 in three relevant bibliographical databases such as BioMed Central, PubMed Central and ScienceDirect. The extracted data include: objective and duration of the study, age and condition of the participants, and type of collected information (e.g., questionnaires, scales). Results: Sixty-two studies were included, encompassing 13,338 participants. A total of 50 (81%) studies related to mobile systems, and 12 (19%) related to web-based systems. Technology and pen-and-paper approaches presented equivalent outcomes related with pain intensity. Conclusions: The adoption of technology was revealed as accurate and feasible as pen-and-paper methods. The proposed assessment model based on data fusion combined with a qualitative assessment method was revealed to be suitable. Data integration raises several concerns and challenges to the design, development and application of monitoring systems applied to pain.
Global precipitation measurement (GPM) progress

Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) is an international Earth observing "System of Systems" that will initiate the measurement of precipitation, a key climate factor, globally. GPM is a joint initiative with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and other international partners. It integrates previously planned and dedicated missions in a scalable and evolving constellation of multiple spacecraft and data processing and validation ground systems. Its science objectives are: - To improve ongoing efforts to predict climate by providing near-global measurement of precipitation, its distribution, and physical processes; - To improve the accuracy of weather and precipitation forecasts through more accurate measurement of rain rates and latent heating; and - To provide more frequent and complete sampling of the Earth's precipitation. GPM is a potential NASA contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) as envisioned by the intergovernmental ad hoc Group on Earth Observations (GEO) through the U.S. Group on Earth Observations (US GEO). GPM directly supports three of the nine societal benefits identified by the GEO. GPM is envisioned to consist of a core spacecraft to measure precipitation structure and to provide a calibration standard for the constellation spacecraft, an international constellation of NASA and contributed spacecraft to provide frequent precipitation measurements on a global basis, calibration/validation sites distributed globally with a broad array of precipitation-measuring instrumentation, and a global precipitation data system to produce and distribute global rain maps andclimate research products. GPM is now in formulation phase and recently began the acquisition of the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI), NASA's principal instrument. GPM launches are targeted to begin in 2010.
Trends in Streamflow of the San Pedro River, Southeastern Arizona

Total annual streamflow of the San Pedro River at Charleston in southeastern Arizona (fig. 1) decreased by about 66 percent from 1913 to 2002 (fig. 2). The San Pedro River is one of the few remaining free-flowing perennial streams in the arid Southwestern United States, and the riparian forest along the river supports several endangered species and is an important habitat for migratory birds. The decreasing trend in streamflow has led to concerns that riparian habitat may be damaged and that overall long-term water supply for a growing population may be threatened. Resource managers and the public have an interest in learning more about the trend and the possible causes of the trend. Thomas and Pool (2006) investigated the decreasing trends in Figure 2. Trends in annual and seasonal streamflow of San Pedro River at Charleston, Arizona. Lines are LOWESS fit to data. Prepared in cooperation with the BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Mathematical modeling of nitrous oxide emissions from an agricultural field during spring thaw

Confidence in regional estimates of N2O emissions used in national greenhouse gas inventories could be improved by using mathematical models of the biological and physical processes by which these emissions are known to be controlled. However these models must first be rigorously tested against field measurements of N2O fluxes under well documented site conditions. Spring thaw is an active period Of N2O emission in northern ecosystems and thus presents conditions well suited to model testing. The mathematical model ecosys, in which the biological and physical processes that control N2O emissions are explicitly represented, was tested against N2O and CO2 fluxes measured continuously during winter and spring thaw using gradient and eddy covariance techniques. In the model, ice formation at the soil surface constrained soil‐atmosphere gas exchange during the winter, causing low soil O2 concentrations and consequent accumulation of denitrification products in the soil profile. The removal of this constraint to gas exchange during spring thaw caused episodic emissions of N2O and CO2, the timing and intensities of which were similar to those measured in the field. Temporal variation in these emissions, both simulated and measured, was high, with those of N2O ranging from near zero to as much as 0.8 mg N m−2 h−1 within a few hours. Such variation should be accounted for in ecosystem models used for temporal integration of N2O fluxes when making long‐term estimates of N2O emissions.