Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quasi-static fall of planar granular columns: comparison of 2D and 3D discrete element modelling with laboratory experiments

We investigate the fall of planar granular columns in a quasi-static regime using a combination of laboratory experiments and simulations using the discrete element method (DEM). Columns made of alternately coloured sand layers are initially laid out in a box and then released when a retaining wall is set in slow motion with constant speed. The flow of the sand involves failure of the granular material along multiple slip planes at different stages of the deformation, leading to complex flow patterns. DEM simulations, in 2D and 3D, are able to qualitatively and quantitatively reproduce a range of essential elements of this flow, with particle shape being an important contributor to the mobilisation of specific slip planes. We also examine the sensitivity of the DEM predictions to changes in the operating, material and simulation parameters. We find that DEM predictions are invariant to changes of moving wall speed, spring stiffness, particle–particle friction and particle–wall friction. Conversely, they are quite sensitive to the shape of the particles. In particular, the use of 3D blocky particles represented as super-quadrics results in excellent agreement between the DEM predictions and the experiments at the fixed wall and good agreement elsewhere. The particle shape plays a critical role in determining the shear strength of the material and therefore the failure of the particle bed, the formation of shear bands and therefore its flow characteristics.
Three spacecraft measurements of an unusual disturbance in the solar wind: Further evidence for a cometary encounter

On February 11, 1982 the Pioneer Venus orbiter detected an unusual disturbance of the interplanetary magnetic field and solar wind plasma. While this disturbance was being detected at Venus, Venera 13 and 14 were making measurements of the interplanetary magnetic field about 6 million km away. These spacecraft observed at most a very weak disturbance several hours after the peak of the event at Pioneer Venus. Had the event been a solar initiated disturbance it should have been seen almost unaltered by the Venera spacecraft. Thus the Venera 13 and 14 data provide further evidence for the cometary nature of this event.
Many Voices, One Wilderness: Collaborative Conservation in the Greater Chicago Region

There has been a growing recognition in the conservation community that landscape-scale networks of preserves and habitat corridors are needed to adequately protect native biodiversity. While most of the efforts to protect land on this scale have occurred in rural environments dominated by resource lands, an increasing number of efforts are occurring in urban environments. These locales are characterized by biological and political fragmentation that complicate landscape-scale conservation. Chicago Wilderness, a voluntary network of 262 conservation organizations operating in the greater Chicago region, is one group undertaking this work. I use Chicago Wilderness as a case study to explore how voluntary conservation coalitions convince their membership to both adopt and implement regional conservation plans. I identify a number of barriers that prevent coalition members from collaborating and make the work of protecting biodiversity difficult; these include limiting factors like inter-organizational trust, funding, access to information, staff capacity, and political climate. Chicago Wilderness has sought to overcome these barriers by adopting strategies that prioritize information sharing, technical assistance, and relationship building, and that increase public involvement with biodiversity protection. I argue that Chicago Wilderness' mixed success across the region has been closely tied to the conservation strategies that it implicitly promotes. The coalition has been most successful in areas that are accepting of top-down, government-led conservation solutions like direct acquisition and land use regulation. The coalition has been less successful in areas-most often at the edge of the metropolitan area-where citizens and political officials value private property rights and limited government intervention. I conclude with suggestions on how Chicago Wilderness can increase its effectiveness and further promote biodiversity protection across the region.
Disentangling coastal groundwater level dynamics on a global data set

This study aims to identify common hydrogeological patterns and to gain a deeper understanding of the underlying similarities and their link to physiographic, climatic, and anthropogenic controls of coastal groundwater. The most striking aspects of 10 GWL dynamics and their controls were identified through a combination of statistical metrics, calculated from about 8,000 groundwater hydrographs, and pattern recognition, classification, and explanation using machine learning techniques and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP). Overall, four different GWL dynamics patterns emerge, independent of the different seasons, time series lengths, and periods. We show in this study that similar GWL dynamics can be observed around the world with different combinations of site characteristics, but also that the main factors differentiating these patterns can be identified. 15 Three of the identified patterns exhibit high short-term and interannual variability and are most common in regions with low terrain elevation and shallow groundwater depth. Climate and soil characteristics are most important in differentiating these patterns. This study provides new insights into the hydrogeological behavior of groundwater in coastal regions and guides systematic and holistic groundwater monitoring and modelling, motivating to consider various aspects of GWL dynamics when, for example, estimating climate-driven GWL changes – especially when information on potential controls is limited.
Characterization and Application of Non-Formaldehyde Binder Based Citric Acid, Maleic Acid, and Molasses Adhesive for Plywood Composite

Emissions of formaldehyde from wood-based panels, such as plywood, are gaining increased attention due to their carcinogenic impact on human health and detrimental effects on the environment. Plywood, which is primarily bound with a urea-formaldehyde adhesive, releases formaldehyde during hot pressing and gradually over time. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the impact of non-formaldehyde adhesive types on plywood performance. In addition, plywood performance was assessed by comparing Jabon wood (Anthocephalus cadamba Miq) veneer with other Indonesian wood veneers such as Mempisang (Alphonse spp.) and Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni). To manufacture a three-layer plywood panel, a two-step manufacturing process was devised. The first step involved the use of Jabon veneers treated with citric acid (CA), maleic acid (MA), and molasses (MO), and another step was carried out for various wood veneers such as Jabon, Mempisang, and Mahogany using CA. The performance of plywood was examined using JAS 233:2003. The performance of plywood bonded with CA was better than that of plywood bonded with MA and MO. The Jabon wood veneer resulted in a lower density of plywood than other wood veneers. The water absorption, thickness swelling, modulus of elasticity, and tensile shear strength of plywood from Jabon wood veneer were similar to those of plywood from Mahogany wood veneer and lower than those of Mempisang wood veneer. The ester linkages of plywood bonded with CA were greater than those of plywood bonded with MA and MO because plywood bonded with CA has better performance than plywood bonded with MA and MO.
Enhanced Industrial Dye Degradation and Antibacterial Activity Supported by the Molecular Docking Study of Yttrium and Carbon Sphere-Doped Lanthanum Oxide Nanostructures

As the population grows, the scientific community remains focused on researching new materials, methods, and devices to ensure the availability of safe drinking water. The main aim of this research was to decrease the recombination rate of the charge carriers of La2O3 and enhance the catalytic and antimicrobial activity by employing Y/Cs- doped La2O3, respectively. In the current study, different concentrations of yttrium (Y) and a fixed amount of carbon spheres (Cs) doped into lanthanum oxide (La2O3) nanostructures (NSs) were synthesized by the coprecipitation technique. Cs are used as a cocatalyst as they have a high surface area and small size attributed to increased active sites and decreased recombination rate. Moreover, Y was further incorporated as it activates the generation of reactive oxygen species in the inhibition zone, enhancing the antibacterial activity and reducing the emission intensity. Advanced techniques were utilized to determine the structural properties, optical emission and absorption, elemental composition, and d-spacing of the synthesized samples. The reported ternary catalyst works efficiently, improving the catalytic activity and bactericidal potential. Moreover, in silico molecular docking studies, Cs-doped La2O3 and Y/Cs-doped La2O3 nanostructures toward DNA gyrase Escherichia coli showed good efficacy for antibacterial activity.
IGWO-SoE: Improved Grey Wolf Optimization Based Stack of Ensemble Learning Algorithm for Anomaly Detection in Internet of Things Edge Computing

With the tremendous growth and popularization of the Internet of Things (IoT), the number of attacks targeting such devices has also increased. Therefore, enhancing the anomaly detection model to maximize detection accuracy and mitigate cyber-attacks in time-critical IoT edge scenarios is essential. Furthermore, there is a lack of vivid, precise, cross-layered, and diverse datasets in IoT for evaluating these anomaly detection models. This paper aims to develop an improved anomaly detection model based on an optimized stacked ensemble learning algorithm at edge computing. Initially, a novel synthetic dataset with multiple cross-layer attacks is generated using the Cooja simulator to train our proposed model. In addition, by introducing an improved grey wolf optimization (IGWO) approach, the parameters of ensemble learning algorithms, such as number of trees, learning rate, and sample rate, are tuned precisely, and the stacking ensemble concept is applied to the optimized ensemble learning algorithms to enhance their prediction capabilities. The experimental results demonstrate that the developed model produces a detection accuracy of 99.44% for our proposed Cooja simulated dataset, which is higher than the contemporary methods. The generalizability of the proposed model is expressed explicitly using four different datasets: NSL KDD, UNSW NB 15, MQTTset, and CICIDS 2017. Finally, we assess the befitting of the proposed model using a chi-square statistical significance test, thereby providing an enriched contribution to the recent works in anomaly detection.
Two types of the Asian continental blocking and their relation to the east Asian monsoon during the boreal winter

The relationships between two types of blocking over the Asian continent (60E–140E) during northern winter are examined by using both the NCEP‐NCAR and the ECMWF reanalysis data for the period 1958–2005. Both the Ω‐type blocking occurring over the region of 60E–100E and the dipole‐type blocking occurring over the region of 100E–140E contribute to a stronger than normal east Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). However, their blocking frequency shows rather different interannual variation. In addition, the dipole‐type blocking frequency is negatively correlated with ENSO activity. While the blocking frequency of the Ω type is positively correlated with the snow cover during the preceding autumn over the Siberian High region and far eastern Russia, that of the dipole type is negatively correlated with the Eurasian snow cover. Thus, the combination of the variation in tropical SST and snow cover may exert a favorable influence on a relatively strong EAWM by the generation and maintenance of blocking patterns.
Investigating and Quantifying Food Insecurity in Nigeria: A Systematic Review

Given the recent increase in the number of Nigerians estimated to be at risk of food insecurity, it is crucial to explore the array of tools used to quantify food insecurity (FI). This exploration will help determine the prevalence and severity of FI in Nigeria. This review explored the scope of FI research carried out in Nigeria to examine how the design was quantified. A systematic review was performed to compile the accessible Nigerian studies. Seventy-nine studies were reviewed. Eighteen used the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale module (HFIAS) to investigate FI status; thirteen used the recommended daily calorie requirement approach; twelve employed the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM); ten used the food insecurity index (through household per capita food expenditure); seven used the Food Insecurity Experienced Scale (FIES); two used the Food Consumption Score (FCS); and the others employed less standardized or thorough approaches. Different prevalence levels and gravities of FI in the Nigerian populations were documented. The prevalence of FI varied from 12% to 100%, based on the instrument and demography being studied. In accordance with the findings of this review, the authors propose standardization of the FI instrument and highlight the need for a measurement tool that would be appropriate for the Nigerian setting. This will enable researchers to attain a comprehensive knowledge of the occurrence rate of FI in Nigeria, leading to improved food- and nutrition-sensitive policy development.
Mineralogy, petrology and geochemistry of carbonaceous chondritic clasts in the LEW 85300 polymict eucrite

— We have performed a detailed petrologic and mineralogic study of two chondritic clasts from the polymict eucrite Lewis Cliff (LEW) 85300, and performed chemical analyses by INAA and RNAA on one of these. Petrologically, the clasts are identical and are composed of dispersed aggregates, chondrules and chondrule fragments supported by matrix. The aggregates and chondrules are composed of olivine (Fo100–45), orthopyroxene (Wo1–2En98–60), plus some diopside. The matrix consists of fine-grained olivine (Fo60–53), and lesser orthopyroxene and augite. Fine-grained saponite is common in the matrix. The bulk major element composition of the matrix is identical in both clasts and similar to that of CM, CO and CV chondrites. The bulk composition of the clast studied by INAA and RNAA shows unusual abundance patterns for lithophile, siderophile and chalcophile elements but is basically chondritic. The INAA/RNAA data preclude assignment of the LEW 85300,15 clast to any commonly accepted group of carbonaceous chondrite. The unusual rare earth element abundance pattern may, in part, be due to terrestrial alteration.
Early Holocene and Late Pleistocene slip rates of the southern Dead Sea Fault determined from 10Be cosmogenic dating of offset alluvial deposits

[1] Two sites located along the Wadi Araba Fault (WAF) segment of the Dead Sea Fault are targeted for tectonic-morphological analysis. 10Be cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN) dating of embedded cobbles is used to constrain the age of offset alluvial surfaces. At the first site a 48 ± 7 m offset alluvial fan, for which 10Be CRN model ages average 11.1 ± 4.3 ka, yield a slip rate of 5.4 ± 2.7 mm/a, with conservative bounds of 1.3–16.4 mm/a. At the second site the scattered distributions of the 10Be CRN ages from an offset bajada attest to the complex processes involved in sediment transport and emplacement. There, two offsets were identified. The 160 ± 8 m offset of an incised alluvial fan dated at 37 ± 5 ka shows a slip rate of 4.5 ± 0.9 mm/a, with a conservative minimum value of 3.2 mm/a. A larger offset, 626 ± 37 m, is derived from a prominent channel incised into the bajada. Cobbles from the bajada surface have ages from 33 to 141 ka, with a mean of 87 ± 26 ka. A slip rate of 8.1 ± 2.9 mm/a is derived from the mean age, with conservative bounds of 3.8–22.1 mm/a. These results and other published slip rates along the linear WAF segment, from GPS to geological time scales, lack the resolution to fully resolve the question of temporal variations versus consistency of the fault slip rate of the WAF. Yet, given the uncertainties, they are not inconsistent with each other.
PEKORA: High-Performance 3D Genome Reconstruction Using K-th Order Spearman’s Rank Correlation Approximation

Advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have enabled the use of genomic information to better understand biological processes through studies such as genomewide association studies, polygenic risk score estimation and chromosome conformation capture. The study of spatial chromosome organization of the human genome plays an important role in understanding gene regulation. Chromosome conformation capture techniques, such as Hi-C, are able to simultaneously capture long-range interactions between all possible pairs of loci on all chromosomes. These interactions are then quantified as interaction frequency and represented as contact matrices which are quantized at a specific genomic resolution, i.e., interaction frequencies are accumulated for all 5 kb bins. These techniques have revealed structures of genome organization, such as A/B compartments, topologically associated domains (TADs), chromatin loops and frequently interacting regions (FIRE). Although the advancement of Hi-C techniques enables the generation of massive amounts of high-resolution data, we still face several challenges, such as a high proportion of missing data and noisy observed interaction frequencies. To address these problems, we can first predict the spatial structure of the genome in three-dimensional space, using the interaction frequency as a proxy for the distance between two loci. Second, given a predicted structure, we can then infer the missing interaction frequencies. Unfortunately, it is computationally expensive to accurately and efficiently reconstruct high-resolution genome structures using the existing stateof-the-art methods such as FLAMINGO [5], H3DG [4], and SuperRec [6]. This is due to the fact that the number of interactions increases quadratically with an increase in resolution. In this work, we present a High-PErformance 3D Genome Reconstruction using K-th Order Spearman’s Rank Correlation Approximation method to reconstruct high-resolution 3D chromosome models at 5 kb. It exploits the sparse matrix property, uses an approximation of Spearman correlation as the loss function, and adjusts automatically the step size of gradient descent method at each iteration. Methods: In our work, we focus on predicting the spatial organization of each chromosome at high resolution. Let C ∈ Rn×n be a contact matrix representing all in-cis interactions of a chromosome. The number of rows or columns n is determined by the length of a chromosome and the resolution of the contact matrix. Due to missing data, we only have partial observations of C over an index set Ω ⊂ {1, 2, . , n} × {1, 2, . , n}. To describe the contact matrix concisely, we define the observation operator PΩ : Rn×n → Rn×n as follows:
Novel Grafted Hydrogel for Iron and Ammonia Removal from Groundwater: A Synthesis and Computational Chemistry Study

Current research is moving towards iron and ammonia elimination from groundwater. Here, we are using a poly acrylic–poly acrylamide hydrogel that is grafted with 3-chloroaniline. This copolymer was synthesized by addition polymerization technique. The effects of agitation time, dosage and adsorbent temperature on the removal process sensitivity were investigated. The copolymer was described experientially and theoretically. Isothermal kinetic adsorption models are discussed. This hydrogel could be regenerated efficiently (98.3% removal of iron and 100% removal of ammonia). The density functional theory (DFT) method, using B3LYP/6-311G(d,p), and the LANL2DZ level of the theory were managed to investigate the stationary states of the grafted copolymer and the complexation energy of the hydrogel with the studied cations. DFT has been used to investigate the Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) properties to locate the most negative centers on the hydrogel. The calculated complexation energy showed hydrogel selectivity with regard to the studied cations.
Soil charcoal analysis: a reliable tool for spatially precise studies of past forest dynamics: a case study in the French southern Alps

This paper presents and discusses the use of soil charcoal analysis (pedoanthracology) to reconstruct past forest dynamics in a larch forest of the upper Guil valley (French Alps, Queyras). We also discuss the role of anthropogenic fire in forest dynamics. The radiocarbon dates from this site demonstrate that arolla pine (Pinus cembra) and larch were present in the area since 7566—7673 cal. BP and 5934—6123 cal. BP, respectively. The identification of a piece of charcoal to fir (Abies alba) dated to 5734—5908 cal. BP suggests that this species was present at 1980 m a.s. l. since c. 6000 cal. BP and had a higher ecological tolerance than previously assumed. The cover of larch forests has increased since the second half of the Holocene because of anthropogenic practices (eg, clearing with fire, cattle grazing). However, today, owing to the abandonment of pastoral practices, the arolla pine has become dominant, which greatly modifies the forest structure and the landscape.
Floods in Kansas and techniques for estimating their magnitude and frequency on unregulated streams

Techniques are presented for generalizing the skewness coefficients of log-Pearson Type III distributions of annual maximum discharges and for flood magnitudes that have selected recurrence intervals from 2 to 100 years. A weighted least-squares (WLS) regression model was used to generalize the coefficients of station skewness that resulted in a root-mean-square error of prediction of 0.35 compared to 0.55 for the skewness map published in Bulletin 17B of the U.S. Water Resources Council. Estimates of generalized skewness were computed for each of 245 streamflow-gaging stations with a minimum of 10 years of record and a contributing-drainage area of less than 20,000 square miles. The WLS regression model also was used to develop equations for estimating flood magnitudes for selected recurrence intervals for ungaged stream locations by using data from 218 of the 245 streamflowgaging stations that had contributing-drainage areas of less than 10,000 square miles. The errors of prediction of the most reliable WLS equations ranged from 28 to 42 percent. The WLS equations were compared statistically to previously developed equations and were determined to be different and more accurate than previously published equations. Flood magnitudes and frequencies for 245 streamflow-gaging stations, based on data collected through the 1983 water year, are presented along with a summary of the seasonal distribution of annual maximum discharges and an analysis of the maximum observed discharges.