Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consequences of winter tropical pressure anomalies in the Australian region

We have performed three general circulation model (GCM) experiments with a view to isolating the direct thermal effects of imposed sea-surface temperature (SST) anomaly patterns to the north of Australia from the dynamic effects associated with the circulation changes they induce. We have done this by a novel technique of adding bias terms to the pressure-tendency equation but leaving all other aspects of the model unchanged. The nature of the three pressure ‘nudging’ terms were designed so that in long model runs the simulated sea-level reductions would be similar to those induced in the SST anomaly experiments performed previously. Hence, we have forced low-level circulation anomalies without imposing any direct surface thermal forcing. The results are compared with standard runs performed with SST forcing. The changes in evaporation in the Australian region were rather different in the comparable pressure-forcing and SST-forced experiments. However, most of the parameters considered here responded to the surface-pressure forcing in a very similar way to that due to ocean-temperature forcing considered in our earlier study. This was true, in particular, for winter precipitation over Australia. The results suggest that, at least in the Australian tropics, the apparently large impacts of SST anomalies are associated fundamentally with the anomalous circulations they set up rather than the direct impact of the heated ocean waters themselves. We find, as have others, that precipitation anomalies are associated closely with changes of the low-level convergence of moisture. Indeed, an intriguing finding from our present study is that anomalies of evaporation and precipitation assume opposite signs over most of the domain. Analyses with the comprehensive ocean-atmosphere data set (COADS) imply that there is some persistence of winter tropical sea-level pressure in the Australian region, independent of the local endurance of SST. Such persistence may provide some independent skill for Australian winter climate outlooks.
The Aquila Digital Community The Aquila Digital Community

Xanthigen TM [100 mg brown seaweed extract (0.8 % fucoxanthin) and 100 mg pomegranate seed oil (70 % punicic acid)] has been shown to significantly reduce body fat, liver fat, and improve serum markers of liver function in obese females. Twenty-nine participants were matched for age, gender, and body fat percentage and randomized into either a Xanthigen TM group or a placebo group. For 16-weeks, participants were asked to consume a reduced calorie diet while supplementing their diet with their respective pills three times per day. Data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA with repeated measures and presented as mean ± standard deviation. While most participants saw weight loss, body fat percentage did not significantly change, indicating that weight loss was from both fat mass and lean mass. Significant changes were seen in serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), total protein, and albumin. The changes in both the placebo and Xanthigen groups were similar, however. No significant changes were seen in other serum markers, but there was a trend for a reduction in triglycerides with a statistical trend for a greater decrease in the Xanthigen group. While both placebo and Xanthigen groups experienced weight loss and reduced liver enzyme levels, the Xanthigen supplementation did not produce significant results.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging in zebra finch discerns the neural substrate involved in segregation of conspecific song from background noise. Abbreviated title fMRI in songbirds exposed to degraded song stimuli Authors and author addresses

Recently, fMRI was introduced in a well-documented animal model for vocal learning, the songbird. Using fMRI and conspecific signals mixed with different levels of broadband noise, we now demonstrate auditory induced activation representing discriminatory properties of auditory forebrain regions in anesthetized male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Preceding behavioral tests showed comparable calling responses to the original conspecific song stimulus heard outside and inside the magnet. A significant fMRI response was elicited by conspecific song in the primary auditory thalamo-recipient subfield L2a, in neighboring sub areas L2b, L3 and L, and in the rostral part of the higher order auditory area NCM. Temporal BOLD response clustering revealed rostral and caudal clusters that we defined as ‘cluster Field L’ and ‘cluster NCM’ respectively. However, since the actual border between caudal Field L subregions and NCM cannot be seen in the structural MR image and is not precisely reported elsewhere, the cluster NCM might also contain subregion L and the medial extremes of the subregions L2b and L3. Our results show that whereas in cluster Field L the response was not reduced by added noise, in cluster NCM the response was reduced and finally disappeared with increasing levels of noise added to the song stimulus. The activation in cluster NCM was only significant for two experimental stimuli that showed significantly more behavioral responses than the more degraded stimuli, suggesting that the first area within the auditory system where the ability to discern song from masking noise emerges is located in cluster NCM. Page 2 of 41
Deforestation and Cultivation with Maize (Zea mays L.) has a Profound Effect on the Bacterial Community Structure in Soil

In this study, the effect of deforestation and cultivation of maize (Zea mays L.) on the physicochemical characteristics and the bacterial community structure in soil were studied at the national park Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Nevado de Toluca in Mexico. Soil was sampled from three forested areas in the national park, from three deforested areas grazed by animals and from three areas cultivated with maize. The soil was characterized chemically and biologically, whilst the bacterial community structure was investigated through 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The pH in the forest soil decreased from 6·1 to 5·3 in the maize‐cultivated soil, whilst the soil organic C content decreased 1·4 times in the arable soil compared with the forest soil. The microbial biomass C decreased 2·9 times in the arable soil compared with the forest soil, but the metabolic quotient qCO2 (ratio basal respiration to microbial biomass C) nearly doubled. Deforestation and maize cultivation reduced the abundance of Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, whereas Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes and Firmicutes were resistant to these changes. It was found that soil characteristics were affected negatively by deforestation and nearly half of the organic matter was lost, and on these sloped fields, erosion will be high, further decreasing soil fertility. Although the relative abundance of a number of bacterial groups was reduced by deforestation, others were not affected by land‐use change. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Shape , Illumination , and Reflectance from Shading Supplementary Material

• J.T. Barron and J. Malik are with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720. E-mail: barron,malik@eecs.berkeley. edu usage of spherical harmonic illumination. Directly modeling log-shading makes optimization easier by guaranteeing that shading is greater than 0 without needing to clamp shading at 0, as is normally done. The gradient of the log-shading at this point with respect to the surface normal is:
Adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, risky behaviors, and motorcycle injuries: a case-control study

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the association of motorcycle traffic injuries with motorcycle riding behavior and subtypes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while controlling for individual correlates of motorcycle traffic injuries. Methods: A case-control study was carried out in 298 patients with motorcycle trauma along with 151 control patients admitted to the Shohada and Imam Reza university hospitals as the two referral specialty centers in the East Azarbyjan Province of Iran in 2013. The Persian version of the Motorcycle Riding Behavior Questionnaire and the Persian version of Conner’s Adult ADHD Rating Scales (the self-report short version) were used to assess riding behavior and screen for adult ADHD, respectively. The scale has four subscales, comprising subscale A (inattention), subscale B (hyperactivity, impulsivity), subscale C (A + C), and subscale D (ADHD index). The statistical analysis was done using Stata version 11. Results: All subjects were male and aged 13–79 years. Approximately 54% of the participants were married and 13% had academic education. Approximately 18% of the motorcycle riders stated that their motorcycle riding was only for fun purposes. More than two thirds of the participants did not have a motorcycle riding license. Variables found to be significantly associated with motorcycle injuries in bivariate analysis included age, marital status, educational level, having a motorcycle riding license, using a helmet while riding, daily amount of riding, riding just for fun, riding behavior score, and ADHD scale scores. It was found in multivariate analysis that if the ADHD index (subscale D) score was used to assess the association of ADHD with motorcycle injuries, a protective role for ADHD was observed. However, the two other subscales showed a different predictive pattern for subscale A versus subscale B, with only subscale B increasing the likelihood of motorcycle traffic injuries. The score based on motorcycle rider behavior was found to be associated with motorcycle injuries. Other variables that were significant in multivariate models were the purpose of riding, educational level, economic status, and marital status. Conclusion: ADHD and riding behavior scores affect the likelihood of motorcycle traffic injuries among motorcycle riders independent of other injury indicators, and include education, purpose of riding, and economic status.
Inverse modelling methods for identifying unknown releases in emergency scenarios: an overview

The fast and accurate identification of unknown releases helps in an effective implementation of emergency preparedness (including plume exposure assessment) and public safety programs. The identification is based on networking of several receptors, limited a priori information, remotely measured concentrations, use of dispersion model, site description, meteorology, etc. This is considered as an ill-posed inverse problem. An overview of recently proposed/utilised inversion techniques is discussed with their various applications ranging from local scale to regional scale, limitations and inter-comparisons. The studies addressing identification of multiple-point releases are also included. In addition, the current issues, limitations and future scope associated with the inverse modelling are mentioned.
Solutions for Deep Water Imaging

The transition from the shallower coastal waters to the deep shelf often encounters significant topographical variation in the sea bed, which gives rise to numerous effects which must be dealt with by the processing geophysicist. These challenges include: deep channels, steep slopes, surface scatters (eg glacial scour, boulder fields), gas hydrates, cold-water column statics, etc. Some areas also have a “hard” water bottom, resulting in high amplitude multiple reflections relative to primary energy. Scouring, channel formation and extreme rugosity can be common features of the outer slope. Diffracted and “out-of-plane” multiples present extreme challenges. Depending upon acquisition geometry, multiples are frequently aliased at far source-receiver offsets (Stewart, 2004).
Application of 3D Interbed Multiple Attenuation in the Santos Basin, Brazil

Imaging of pre-salt reservoirs in the Santos Basin can be significantly affected by the presence of strong interbed multiples in the data. These multiples can be predicted using a data-driven, true azimuth convolution method similar to surface-related multiple elimination (SRME), and removed using a suitably constrained subtraction technique. We discuss the application of this method to Santos Basin data, and present results on 2D synthetic data and 3D real data.
UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Dynamic changes in gene expression of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in response to nitrogen starvation

a analysis of the of the we designed a new covering the genome of Synechocystis PCC 6803, using the Agilent custom 60-mer oligonucleotide platform. Observed changes in gene expression previous on The full transcriptome that was recorded 12 of the apparatus, of detailed of the functional changes in of added for neutralization. Not-incorporated fluorescent nucleotides were removed with a QIAquick PCR purification kit (Qiagen). The reverse transcription and fluorescent dye incorporation efficiency was monitored in Nanodrop spectra. Cy3 and Cy5 labelled cDNA probes from control and nitrogen-starved cells, respectively, were combined, denatured for 2 min at 98 ° C, and mixed with Control Targets and 2x Hybridization Buffer (Agilent in situ hybridization kit-plus, Agilent Technologies). The mixture was then loaded on the glass slide. Hybridization and washing conditions were as described in the “Agilent 60-mer oligo microarray processing protocol, 6-screw chamber, SSPE Wash, version 2.0” (Agilent Technologies). Slides were scanned at 10 micron resolution in an Agilent microarray scanner and the spot intensities profiles thus derived were extracted by Feature Extraction Software version 7.5 (Agilent Technologies). To eliminate artefacts from differences in dye incorporation efficiency between the Cy3 and Cy5 dyes, all experiments were performed with use of the dye-swap strategy (Churchill, 2002). To estimate the reliability of the microarray platform two self-self hybridizations have been performed.
Construct validity and reliability of the Bilateral Vestibulopathy Questionnaire (BVQ)

Background The Bilateral Vestibulopathy Questionnaire (BVQ) is a recently developed 54-item Patient Reported Outcome Measure (PROM) that evaluates the clinically important symptoms of bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) and its impact on daily life. This study aimed to assess the construct validity and reliability of the BVQ in a large BVP cohort. Methods Patients diagnosed with BVP were asked to complete a set of questionnaires, including the BVQ, the EuroQol-5D-5L, the Health Utilities Index, the Dizziness Handicap Inventory, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Oscillopsia Severity Questionnaire. The construct validity of the BVQ was evaluated by confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses (CFA and EFA), followed by hypotheses testing and known groups validity. Structural properties were explored for each individual item. Reliability was assessed by testing the internal consistency of the BVQ constructs (Cronbach's alpha) and test–retest reliability [intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs)]. Results A total of 148 patients with BVP (50% women, mean age 66 years) completed the set of questionnaires. The CFA did not show a satisfactory model in the original BVQ. However, the EFA showed a four-factor solution with 20 Likert-scale items related to oscillopsia, imbalance, emotion, and cognition. The succeeding CFA provided evidence for construct validity and an acceptable model of fit. Hypothesis testing confirmed that this shortened version validly measures the constructs to be measured. Statistically significant differences in scores between known groups were found, providing further support for good construct validity. The structural properties were acceptable. Cronbach's alpha confirmed good internal consistency for the four constructs, ranging from 0.80 to 0.89. The ICCs of the 20 Likert-scale items and four visual analog scale (VAS) items were interpreted as good (range 0.76–0.93). Conclusion This study showed evidence of good construct validity of the new shortened version of the BVQ, consisting of four constructs with a total of 20 Likert-scale items and four VAS items. The final 24-item BVQ proved to be a reliable and valid multi-item PROM that captures the clinically important symptoms of BVP and evaluates its impact on daily life. Consequently, the BVQ enables the gathering of high-level evidence of treatment effectiveness in a systematic and quantitative manner.
Long-term monitoring of microseismic emissions: Earth tides, fracture distribution, and fluid content

AbstractMonitoring of microseismic emissions for periods of 10–30 days has established a clear relationship between solid earth tides and microseismic activity. In addition, an event magnitude versus recurrence relationship has been established that can be used to predict oil, gas, or water content of open fractures in imaged rock volumes. Originally developed to explore for oil and gas, the detection technology used has been applied in Eurasia, the Middle East, and Texas. When visualized in three dimensions at scales of several kilometers on a side, including depth, the observations shows systems of subvertical fracture volumes distributed as clusters in the subsurface. When visualized in sequential time windows, microseismic activity can be seen to respond in detail to lunar-solar gravitational changes. The seismic imaging technology used to detect the location and temporal changes within these fracture systems is based on deploying geophone receiver arrays using array patterns and processing algorithms.
Results of monitoring groundwater above the natural gas underground storage at Stenlille, Denmark

Groundwater in the Stenlille area is regularly analysed for light hydrocarbons after a natural gas underground storage facility was established there in 1989. The monitoring is carried out by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland and is part of the authorities’ requirements for the environmental approval of the natural gas storage run by the state-owned Danish Oil and Gas company DONG A/S. Groundwater from observation wells and water wells in the area was analysed every month during the first year of operation and four times a year in the following years. More frequent analyses are undertaken on special occasions.
Barriers for teachers to use Internet as a Teaching Aid in Rural Areas of Vietnam - An Example of Upper Secondary Schools in Dienbien Province

2008, Vietnam Military Telecom Corporation (Viettel) has donated and deployed Education Network Project which connects all the schools, educational institutions into Internet, help educational institutions enhance the applying ICT in educational management and teaching – learning activities. Up to 2010, the Education Network Project has connected to Internet for about 100% upper secondary schools, 75% of lower secondary schools and 40% of primary schools in whole country. In the cities which has a good conditions on geographic as well as the economic, the Internet use of teacher for teaching is quite convenience. But in the difficult areas as well as the rural areas, the internet use of teachers has been facing disadvantages, obstacles, limitations and reduces the effectiveness of the Internet because of the limitation of Internet infrastructure, Internet use skills of teachers, the lack of foreign language (English), as well as the limitation of finance in the school, etc. Base on the survey on Internet use in 28 upper secondary schools in Dienbien province (one of the difficult as well as a rural areas in Vietnam) on Internet use in school, the author wants to identify the barriers for teachers in using Internet in teaching in the rural areas of Vietnam.
Evidence and Causes of Spatiotemporal Changes in Runoff and Sediment Yield on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Climate change and human activities are strongly influencing the eco‐hydrological processes of the Chinese Loess Plateau. It is challenging to investigate the spatiotemporal changes of water and sediment yields and identify their potential causes. In this study, we used the annual runoff index (WI) and specific sediment yield (SSY) derived from 58 hydrological stations to quantify the changes and attempted to explain their potential causes. The WI exhibited significant (P < 0.05) decrease ranging from −0.1 to −2.6 mm yr−1 during 1957–2012 in 44 sub‐catchments. Similarly, the SSY in 52 sub‐catchments reduced in a range between −2.86 and −636 Mg km−2 yr−1. The region of Toudaoguai–Longmen has extremely high SSY ranging from 8000 to 41 000 Mg km−2 yr−1 during 1957–1969. Budget analysis suggested that the area of Lanzhou–Toudaoguai contributed limited sediment but extracted large amount of water. The areas with negative SSY were increasing and mainly distributed along the mainstream of the Yellow River. The Loess plateau was becoming drier and warmer since the 1950s, whereas the intensive human activities including water withdrawal, soil and water conservation projects and the operation of dams and reservoirs are the dominant factors for the decline in WI and SSY on the Loess Plateau. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
O papel das augas freáticas nas interacións terra-atmósfera, no clima e no réxime pluviométrico da península ibérica

Most current climate models do not include groundwater dynamics in their representations of land-atmosphere interactions. However, the groundwater reservoir plays an important role on regional climate simulations in arid and water-stressed areas. This is the case of wide regions within the Iberian Peninsula, where the water table is found to be shallow and strongly affects land-atmosphere water and heat fluxes. In order to demonstrate this, we started our study by calculating the Equilibrium Water Table Depth (EWTD) for the whole Peninsula. The water table was found to be shallow in many of the arid and semi-arid areas inland Iberia, as a result of lateral flow convergence. This equilibrium water table was used, first of all, to simulate the complete soil dynamics with the soil-hydraulic model LEAFHYDRO. A remarkable intensification of evapotranspiration and humidity fluxes from the upper soil to the atmosphere was found to take place with regard to the simulations which did not include the water table as the soil lower boundary condition. Finally, the LEAFHYDRO soil model was coupled to a well-known meteorological model, WRF-ARW, giving birth to a new computational tool named WRF-HYDRO. This permitted us to get a complete implementation of the hydrological cycle and therefore evaluate its impact on the precipitation regime and the climate of the Iberian Peninsula. Coupled simulations performed with WRF-HYDRO represented in a much more realistic way the convective precipitation taking place in the dry season, which tends to be underestimated by the conventional models, as they do not include operatively the memory that the groundwater gives to the soil moisture. This extra precipitation, related to recycling of wetness, was found to be of the same order as the decrease in precipitation 91 Revista Real Academia Galega de Ciencias. Vol. XXIX expected as a consequence of climate change in the aridest areas of the Iberian Peninsula.