Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fermented table olives from Cyprus: Microbiota profile of three varieties from different regions through metabarcoding sequencing

The knowledge about the microbial diversity of different olives varieties from diverse regions in the Mediterranean basin is limited. This work aimed to determine the microbial diversity of three different fermented olive varieties, collected from different regions in Cyprus, via Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis. Olives were spontaneously fermented for 120 days, microbial DNA was extracted from the final products, and subjected to 16S rRNA gene and ITS1 loci metabarcoding analysis for the determination of bacterial and fungal communities, respectively. Results revealed that the bacterial profile of the studied varieties was similar, while no noteworthy differences were observed in olives from different regions. The bacterial profile was dominated by the co-existence of Lactobacillus and Streptococcus, while the genera Lactococcus and Salinivibrio and the family Leuconostocaceae were also present in increased relative abundances. Regarding fungal communities, the analysis indicated discrimination among the different varieties, especially in Kalamata ones. The most abundant fungi were mainly the genera Aspergillus, Botryosphaeria, Meyerozyma, and Zygosaccharomyces for Cypriot olives, the genera Botryosphaeria, Saccharomyces, Geosmithia, and Wickeromyces for Kalamata variety, while the dominant fungi in the Picual variety were mainly members of the genera Candida, Penicillium, Saccharomyces, Hanseniospora and Botryosphaeria. Potential microbial biomarkers that distinguish the three varieties are also proposed. Moreover, interaction networks analysis identified interactions among the key taxa of the communities. Overall, the present work provides useful information and sheds light on an understudied field, such as the comparison of microbiota profiles of different varieties from several regions in Cyprus. The study enriches our knowledge and highlights the similarities and the main differences between those aspects, booming in parallel the need for further works on this frontier, in the attempt to determine potentially olives’ microbial terroir in Cyprus. Our work should be used as a benchmark for future works in this direction.
Study on the construction deformation of a slotted shield in loess tunnels with different buried depths and large sections

Since there is no precedent for the use of slotted shield tunneling in the large section of high-speed railways in China, the relevant technological accumulation and systematic research achievements are few. Therefore, this paper provides theoretical support for loess tunnel construction decision-making through the study of slotted shields and is expected to promote the mechanization and even intelligent construction of a high-speed iron-loess tunnel. Taking the Luochuan tunnel of the Xiyan high-speed railway as the engineering background, this paper uses the numerical simulation software packages of ANSYS and FLAC3D to study the tunnel deformation (surface settlement, vault settlement, tunnel bottom uplift, and horizontal convergence) caused by the slotted shield construction in three different buried depths of 30, 40, and 50 m surrounding rock. The deformation law and mechanical characteristics of a cutter shield construction of large cross-section loess tunnels under the influence of different buried depths are put forward. Results showed that 1) the mutual interference between the working procedures can be significantly reduced by inserting the cutting tool into the soil instead of the advanced tubule before excavation; 2) the settlement in the upper part of the longitudinal axis of the tunnel is the largest; the greater the depth of the tunnel is, the smaller the surface settlement is; and 3) the horizontal deformation of the arch waist and foot of the tunnel under different buried depths is symmetrically distributed into the tunnel during the whole process of slotted shield tunneling.
An optimized three-dimensional time-space domain staggered-grid finite-difference method

Numerical simulation of three-dimensional (3D) seismic wavefields forms the basis of the research on the migration methods of 3D seismic data based on wave equations. Because the simulation precision of wavefield extrapolation determines the imaging accuracy to a certain extent, it is very important to study how to enhance the forward modeling precision of 3D seismic wavefields. Thus, we build on an optimized 3D staggered-grid finite-difference (SFD) method with high simulation precision based on two-dimensional (2D) seismic modeling. Since it generates the corresponding difference coefficients by utilizing the least square (LS) method to minimize the objective function constructed by the time-space domain dispersion relation of the 3D acoustic wave equation, our optimized time-space domain LS-based 3D SFD method can effectively enhance the modeling precision of the 3D seismic wavefields in theory compared with the 3D SFD methods based on the Taylor-series expansion (TE), especially for the large wavenumber range. Examining the numerical dispersion, algorithm stability and computational cost, we compare our optimized time-space domain LS-based 3D SFD method with three conventional TE-based and LS-based 3D SFD methods to illustrate and demonstrate its effectiveness and feasibility. The numerical examples from different 3D models suggest that our optimized time-space domain LS-based 3D SFD method can generate less numerical dispersion and higher simulation accuracy for 3D seismic wavefields than three other conventional 3D SFD methods, but its stability condition is stricter and its computational cost is slightly higher.
Preservation of molecular fossils in carbonate concretions in cretaceous shales in the songliao basin, northeast China

Paleoenvironmental information is better preserved in carbonate concretions. In this study, carbonate concretions in the Cretaceous Nenjiang shale, Songliao Basin, were examined to determine whether molecular fossils reflective of the paleoenvironment were better preserved at these sites. Organic and inorganic geochemical characteristics of the concretions and surrounding rocks were analyzed using a series of techniques, including SEM, LA-ICP-MS, GC-MS-MS, and GC-IRMS. The concretions are composed of high content microcrystalline dolomite. The δ13Ccarb and δ18Ocarb values of the concretionary dolomite were significantly higher than those of the surrounding rocks. The dolomite show enrichment in the LREEs and have a negative Eu anomaly. The concretion biomarkers showed distribution characteristics similar to those of surrounding rocks. This suggested that the molecular fossils preserved in concretions were mainly inherited from surrounding rocks. However, the concretions contained more C27 sterane and hopanes, with the hopane/sterane ratio being significantly higher than that of surrounding rocks (1.49 v. 0.86). Moreover, the relative content of 2-methylhopane was 2.4–6.6 times that of the surrounding rocks. This indicated changes in the biological equilibrium of source organisms within and outside the concretions. It was possible that the unstable organic matter at the core increased the bacterial concentration and activity inside the concretions. Both the hydrogen index and biomarker-derived indicators implied that the transformation of organic matter in concretions was minimized when compared with their host rock. The isotope δ13C16-30 was 1‰–3‰ more prevalent in individual N-alkane hydrocarbons in the concretions than in surrounding rocks, likely owing to differences in lithology, bacterial action, and degree of weathering. The study concluded that carbonate concretions could preserve molecular fossils better than the surrounding rocks, and the in-depth organic geochemical analysis of concretions could provide a valuable reference for research into early life forms.
An escape probability treatment of line fluorescence and overlap in astrophysics

Une methode de probabilite d'evasion utilisant un profil de raies realiste pour expliquer les effets de superposition de raies est developpee. Elle est comparee avec celle de Elitzur M. et Netzer H. (1985, Ap. J., 291) pour l'analyse de la fluorescence Bowen
Effects of major and trace elements from the El Kahfa ring complex on fish: Geological, physicochemical, and biological approaches

The alkaline rocks are known for enriching rare lithophilic elements, including lithium, uranium, and tin, which negatively impact aquatic life. This study offers an intensive investigation of the influence of alkaline rocks on Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The variation in blood profile, the induction of antioxidant enzymes, morphological erythrocyte, and histological structure have been conducted for the fish after 15 days of exposure to alkaline rocks powder with a dose of 100 μg/L. As a result, there was a pronounced decrease in blood profiles, such as platelets and white blood cell counts. There was a failure in the liver and kidney functions. Moreover, it shows an increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities as antioxidant biomarkers. Also, exposure to alkaline rocks induced DNA mutation and erythrocyte distortion. We concluded that the bulk alkaline rocks induced changes in the hemato-biochemical and antioxidant parameters of Nile tilapia. Additionally, exposure to bulk alkaline rock compounds also caused poikilocytosis and nuclear abnormalities of RBCs. This draws our attention to the seriousness of climatic changes, the erosion of rocks, and their access to water.
LIP5, a MVB biogenesis regulator, is required for rice growth

LYST-INTERACTING PROTEIN5 (LIP5) is a conserved regulator of multivesicular body (MVB) biogenesis in eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis, AtLIP5 is a target of stress-responsive MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE3 and 6 and mediates stress-induced MVB biogenesis to promote stress responses. However, Arabidopsis atlip5 knockout mutants are normal in growth and development. Here we report that rice OsLIP5 gene could fully restore both the disease resistance and salt tolerance of the Arabidopsis oslip5 mutant plants to the wild-type levels. Unlike Arabidopsis atlip5 mutants, rice oslip5 mutants were severely stunted, developed necrotic lesions and all died before flowering. Unlike in Arabidopsis, LIP5 regulated endocytosis under both stress and normal conditions in rice. These findings indicate that there is strong evolutionary divergence among different plants in the role of the conserved LIP5-regulated MVB pathway in normal plant growth.
Coseismic and early postseismic deformation of the 2020 Nima Mw 6.4 earthquake, central Tibet, from InSAR and GNSS observations

The 2020 Mw6.4 Nima earthquake is one of the largest normal-faulting earthquakes recently occurring north of the Banggong suture zone in remote central Tibet, where geologic investigation of active faults is extremely limited. We analyze jointly InSAR and GNSS observations over 9 months after the Nima earthquake and calculate the coseismic and postseismic displacement. The optimal coseismic slip model suggests this event is the result of moderate-angle down-dip slip on a complex reversed “S-shape” three-segmented structure at fault junctions of the West Yibu-Chaka fault, the Heishi fault, and an unmapped blind fault, with a small component of left-lateral slip. The superposition of seismic waves from faults with different strikes and dips accounted for a large non-double-couple component in the long-period point-source solutions. The geodetic moment released by the mainshock is 6.4 × 1018 N⋅m, equivalent to Mw 6.42. Coseismic rupture concentrated at a depth of 4–15 km, with a peak slip of 1.36 m at 8.5 km depth. The cumulative afterslip moment within 9 months after the mainshock is 1 × 1018 N m, about 15.6% of that released by the mainshock coseismic slip. The afterslips contributed largely to the release of additional strain energy. In addition, shallow creep on the northern part of the blind fault, and deep uplift on the east normal fault system are promoted by stress perturbations. A significant proportion of down-dip coseismic slip spreading to more than 20 km beneath the surface, and deep up-slip afterslip have implications for the rheology of down-dip extension of the dipping faults in northern Tibet. Two obvious stress loading zones of more than 1 bar highlight seismic hazards in the region, especially in the junction between normal faults and ends of the large-size sinistral Riganpei-Co and Jiangai-Zangbu faults. It is necessary to forecast accurately by longer-term afterslip observation over timescales of years for the faults. Compared with previous studies, our results suggest a more complex subsurface fault geometry linking the normal and strike-slip faults and dynamic stress adjustment in this poorly-known region of Tibet.
Vegetation history and its links to climate change during the last 36 ka in arid Central Asia: Evidence from a loess-paleosol sequence in the Eastern Ili Valley

Detailed vegetation history response to complex influencing factors of arid Central Asia (ACA) is crucial to understanding ecological sustainability. Here, we present the first pollen record in the Ili Valley during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) using the Jirentai (JRT) loess-paleosol sequence. Combining the results of multi-climate proxies and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, we aim to reconstruct the vegetative response to climate change during the last 36 ka. Our results show that rapid loess accumulation in the JRT section began in the Late MIS3 (Marine isotope stage 3), and a thin paleosol layer developed in the Late LGM and Post Glacial. The pollen concentrations in the loess are significantly lower than in the paleosol, but the pollen assemblages are richer. Artemisia and Asteraceae are the dominant non-arboreal types in the loess, and abundant arboreal species are present (e.g., Pinus, Picea, Quercus, Betulaceae). The percentage of Artemisia remains high in the paleosol, and typical drought-tolerant plants are an important component (e.g., Orthomorphic, Ephedra). We suggest that the rich variety of pollen in loess is transported by frequent and intense dust activities, and these pollen may come from regional vegetation. Less diverse pollen assemblages in paleosol respond to the vegetation surrounding the JRT section. The vegetation history obtained from the JRT section shows that the lowlands of the Ili Valley were typical desert or desert-steppe vegetation for the past 36 ka. The surrounding mountains are dominated by Pinus and Picea forests. During the Early LGM, vegetation conditions deteriorated in both of mountainous and lowland. The above phenomena coincide with the pollen records from lakes in the ACA. Our results further suggest that mountain forests reappear and the lowland environment improves in response to increased insolation in the Northern Hemisphere at high latitudes in the Late LGM. This point in time is earlier by about 5–10 ka compared to previous records. We attribute it to the fact that pollen assemblages from the loess-paleosol sequence are more sensitive to vegetation and climate change during the transition from the glacial to interglacial and propose a simple model to characterize them.
Development and validation of a highly dynamic and reusable picture-based scale: A new affective measurement tool

Emotion measurement is crucial to conducting emotion research. Numerous studies have extensively employed textual scales for psychological and organizational behavior research. However, emotions are transient states of organisms with relatively short duration, some insurmountable limitations of textual scales have been reported, including low reliability for single measurement or susceptibility to learning effects for multiple repeated use. In the present article, we introduce the Highly Dynamic and Reusable Picture-based Scale (HDRPS), which was randomly generated based on 3,386 realistic, high-quality photographs that are divided into five categories (people, animals, plants, objects, and scenes). Affective ratings of the photographs were gathered from 14 experts and 209 professional judges. The HDRPS was validated using the Self-Assessment Manikin and the PANAS by 751 participants. With an accuracy of 89.73%, this new tool allows researchers to measure individual emotions continuously for their research. The non-commercial use of the HDRPS system can be freely accessible by request at http://syy.imagesoft. cc:8989/Pictures.7z. HDRPS is used for non-commercial academic research only. As some of the images are collected through the open network, it is difficult to trace the source, so please contact the author if there are any copyright issues.
Optical and molecular diversity of dissolved organic matter in sediments of the Daning and Shennong tributaries of the Three Gorges Reservoir

Introduction: Damming significantly modifies the function of natural river networks and influences sediment dynamics with a reservoir’s operation. The dissolved organic matter (DOM) in reservoir sediments severely affects carbon flow from land to sea. However, the properties of DOM (e.g., quantity and quality) in reservoir sediments and their relationship with carbon cycling remain unclear as complex reservoir construction interrupts the environmental processes. Methods: This study characterizes the optical and molecular properties of sediment water-extractable organic matter (WEOM) in the Daning and Shennong tributaries of the world’s largest reservoir—the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR)—by applying optical techniques and ultrahigh-resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). Results and Discussion: We first assessed the link between light-absorbing components and the individual molecules in WEOM, which were significantly different than DOM in water and indicated that there might be an intrinsic variation between DOM in sediment and in water. Then, with the unique optical–molecular property linkage assessed, multiple sources (autochthonous and terrestrial) were identified, and a declining trend of terrestrial and recalcitrant WEOM was revealed from the tributaries upstream to downstream. Finally, through covariance analysis of the properties between WEOM and sediment particles, we demonstrated that the WEOM dynamic was most likely regulated by hydrologic sorting-induced particle size and mineral composition variations of sediment. Moreover, assessment between lability and WEOM molecular properties suggested that the WEOM dynamic likely contributes to carbon burial in the reservoir. This study emphasizes the influence of dam construction on organic matter accumulation and riverine carbon cycling.
Separability of the Killing–Maxwell system underlying the generalized angular momentum constant in the Kerr–Newman black hole metrics

The concept of a Killing–Maxwell system may be defined by the relation A[μ;v];ρ =(4π/3)j[μgν]. In such a system the one‐form Aμ is interpretable as the four‐potential of an electromagnetic field Fμv, whose source current j μ is an ordinary Killing vector. Such a system determines a canonically associated duality class of source‐free electromagnetic fields, its own dual being a Killing–Yano tensor, such as was found by Penrose [Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 224, 125 (1973)] (with Floyd) to underlie the generalized angular momentum conservation law in the Kerr black hole metrics, the existence of the Killing–Yano tensor being also a sufficient condition for that of the Killing–Maxwell system. In the Kerr pure vacuum metric and more generally in the Kerr–Newman metrics for which a member of the associated family of source‐free fields is coupled in gravitationally, it is shown that the gauge of the Killing–Maxwell one‐form may be chosen so that it is expressible (in the standard Boyer–Lindquist coordinates) by 1/.
A preliminary biomechanical study on trachea reconstruction surgery using the clavicular periosteum

Introduction: The clavicular periosteum is a suitable material for trachea reconstruction. However, because the periosteum is softer and has different mechanical properties than tracheal cartilage, the mechanical loads under physiological conditions after trachea reconstruction may cause collapse or stenosis of the repaired trachea. Methods: In this study, the mechanical properties of the clavicular periosteum were tested, and the 3D trachea geometry was constructed based on CT-scanning images acquired before the surgery. Differing degrees of stenosis (0%, 33%, and 55%) for the repaired trachea sections were predetermined, presenting the different degrees of the tracheal cross-sectional area immediately after clavicular periosteum reconstruction. Then the biomechanical environments of the trachea and the airflow were simulated and analyzed. Results: In the fluid mechanics simulation, the air pressure on the patch area decreased with increasing degrees of stenosis, while the fluid velocity increased as stenosis increased. In solid mechanics simulations, patch area deformation increased as the cross-sectional area of the trachea decreased, and the stress in the patch increased as stenosis increased. Discussion: The solid stress changes may cause tissue remodeling, thickening, and scarring of the patch area. The fluid mechanical changes in the repaired trachea would further aggravate the stenosis. The numerical simulation study would provide references for biomechanical evaluation of trachea reconstruction surgery. The surgical indications may be expanded in the future based on the model prediction results.
Aircraft observations on a continuous haze pollution event in Shijiazhuang area

A continuous haze event was recorded on November 14th∼17th, 2020 over Shijiazhuang. Two flights of King-air 350 meteorological research aircraft were performed on November 14th and 16th for the retrieval and observations of meteorological elements, aerosols, and black carbon. In this study, we combined airborne data with air pollution data (PM2.5), ground meteorological data, and ERA-5 reanalysis data to describe the vertical distribution of aerosols (namely 0.1–3.0 μm) and black carbon. We further explicated the formation of this haze event. PM2.5 pollution dominated this haze event, and the highest concentration of PM2.5 was 209 μg/m3. The intensity and height of thermal layers highly linked with the vertical transport of pollution. The highest number concentration of aerosols and black carbon was found below the thermal layers on both airborne sounding days. On the 14th, both BC and aerosol concentrations showed unimodal distribution, and the highest concentrations of BC and aerosols were 12683 ng/m3 and 6965.125#/L at 250 m within layer Ⅰ. The intensity of the thermal layer near-ground was weaker on the 16th that the number concentrations of BC and aerosols also remained at high levels in layer Ⅱ. Backward trajectories of air mass indicated the long-range transport of pollution contributed to the high level of pollution on the 16th. Vapor conditions were more favorable for aerosols growth through moisture absorption. The maximum concentration of 943.58#/L was recorded at particles with a diameter of 0.4 μm on the 16th, while 749.26#/L was reached at 0.14 μm on the 14th. The corresponding height was consistent with the height of maximum concentration in the vertical distribution.