Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The GOME-2 total column ozone product: Retrieval algorithm and ground-based validation

The Global Ozone Monitoring Instrument (GOME-2) was launched on EUMESAT's MetOp-A satellite in October 2006. This paper is concerned with the retrieval algorithm GOME Data Processor (GDP) version 4.4 used by the EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facility on Ozone and Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring (O3M-SAF) for the operational generation of GOME-2 total ozone products. GDP 4.4 is the latest version of the GDP 4.0 algorithm, which is employed for the generation of official Level 2 total ozone and other trace gas products from GOME and SCIAMACHY. Here we focus on enhancements introduced in GDP 4.4: improved cloud retrieval algorithms including detection of Sun glint effects, a correction for intracloud ozone, better treatment of snow and ice conditions, accurate radiative transfer modeling for large viewing angles, and elimination of scan angle dependencies inherited from Level 1 radiances. Furthermore, the first global validation results for 3 years (2007–2009) of GOME-2/MetOp-A total ozone measurements using Brewer and Dobson measurements as references are presented. The GOME-2/MetOp-A total ozone data obtained with GDP 4.4 slightly underestimates ground-based ozone by about 0.5% to 1% over the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere and slightly overestimates by around 0.5% over the middle latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. Over high latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, GOME-2 total ozone has almost no offset relative to Dobson readings, while over high latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere GOME-2 exhibits a small negative bias below 1%. For tropical latitudes, GOME-2 measures on average lower ozone by 0% to 2% compared to Dobson measurements.
Scalable And Anonymous Group Communication

Today's Internet is not designed to protect the privacy of its users against network surveillance, and source and destination of any communication is easily exposed to third party observer. Tor, a volunteer-operated anonymity network, offers low-latency practical performance for unicast anonymous communication without central point of trust. However, Tor is known to be slow and it can not support group communication with scalable performance. Despite the extensive public interest in anonymous group communication, there is no system that provides anonymous group communication without central point of trust. This dissertation presents MTor, a low-latency anonymous group communication system. We construct MTor as an extension to Tor, allowing the construction of multi-source multicast trees on top of the existing Tor infrastructure. MTor does not depend on an external service (e.g., an IRC server or Google Hangouts) to broker the group communication, and avoids central points of failure and trust. MTor's substantial bandwidth savings and graceful scalability enable new classes of anonymous applications that are currently too bandwidth-intensive to be viable through traditional unicast Tor communication---e.g., group file transfer, collaborative editing, streaming video, and real-time audio conferencing. We detail the design of MTor and then analyze its performance and anonymity. By simulating MTor in Shadow and TorPS using realistic models of the live Tor network's topology and recent consensus records from the live Tor network, we show that MTor achieves 29% savings in network bandwidth and 73% reduction in transmission time as compared to the baseline approach for anonymous group communication among 20 group members. We also demonstrate that MTor scales gracefully with the number of group participants, and allows dynamic group composition over time. Importantly, as more Tor users switch to group communication, we show that the overall performance and bandwidth utilization for group communication improves. Finally, we discuss the anonymity implications of MTor and measure its resistance to traffic correlation attacks. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Computer and Information Science First Advisor Boon T. Loo
Velocity of compressional waves in dry Franciscan rocks to 8 KB

Compressional velocities to 300/sup 0/C and 8 kbar are presented for dry Franciscan sandstone, metasand-stone, shale, and melange matrix. Mineralogical data, density, and porosity are also given for each rock. Velocity hysteresis was found to vary systematically with experimental temperature and pressure conditions. This result is tentatively explained on the basis of crack behavior in the rocks. Velocity was found to depend strongly on bulk density and weakly on mineralogy. Samples of shale and melange matrix have velocities similar to sandstone of comparable density. Results suggest that structural and lithologic complexities in clastic rocks of uniform metamorphic grade will not lead to complex velocity structure. Velocities in rocks of common density are consistent with velocity profiles measured in the upper crust in central California. On the basis of these data the total thickness of Franciscan rocks east of the San Andreas fault in central California is 12 km.
Subsurface drainage for reversing degradation of waterlogged saline lands

In irrigated agriculture of arid and semiarid regions waterlogging coupled with salinity is a serious problem. Experimental evidence at several locations has led to the realization that subsurface drainage is an essential intervention to reverse the processes of land degradation responsible for the formation of waterlogged saline lands. This paper presents the results of a study conducted from 1995 to 2000 to evaluate the impacts of subsurface drainage on soil properties, groundwater‐table behaviour and crop productivity in a waterlogged saline area of 2200 ha. A subsurface drainage system was installed at 1·6 m depth with 60 m drain spacing covering an area of 1200 ha (23 blocks) during 1997–99 and compared with an undrained block of 1000 ha. Subsurface drainage facilitated the reclamation of waterlogged saline lands and a decrease in the soil salinity (ECe, dS m−1) that ranged from 16·0 to 66·3 per cent in different blocks. On average, 35·7 per cent decrease in salt content was observed when compared with the initial value. Provision of subsurface drainage controlled the water‐table below the root zone during the monsoon season and helped in bringing the soil to optimum moisture content for the sowing of winter crops. In the drained area, the increase in yields of different crops ranged from 18·8 to 27·6 per cent. However, in the undrained area the yield of different crops decreased due to the increased waterlogging and soil salinity problems. Overall the results indicated that investment in subsurface drainage is a viable option for reversing the land degradation of waterlogged saline lands in a monsoon climate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vertical variability of aerosol properties observed at a continental site during the Lindenberg Aerosol Characterization Experiment (LACE 98)

[1] In the summer of 1998, an aerosol column closure experiment was conducted over eastern Germany as part of the Lindenberg Aerosol Characterization Experiment (LACE 98). The experimental platforms involved were two aircraft equipped with aerosol in situ instrumentation, an airborne aerosol backscatter lidar and solar irradiance sensors (upwelling and downwelling) to measure optical and microphysical aerosol properties relevant for radiative forcing in the entire atmospheric column from the boundary layer to the tropopause region. Using Mie theory and reasonable assumptions on the particle complex refractive index, the hemispheric backscatter fraction and spectral light scattering coefficients were calculated from the measured aerosol size distribution data. A comparison between optical parameters derived from particle size distribution measurements and optical properties measured by independent techniques yields an uncertainty range of ±30% for the calculated aerosol optical parameters. Detailed information on the vertical variability of the particle size distribution, the aerosol extinction coefficient and the hemispheric backscatter fraction is given, which is applicable for a realistic representation of aerosol properties in climate models. The estimated daily averaged aerosol shortwave radiative forcing varies from −33 ± 12 to −12 ± 5 W m−2, and respective aerosol optical depths at λ = 0.710 μm range from 0.18 to 0.06.
Blood Lipid Levels, Lipid Lowering Medications, and the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Background— Several cardiovascular risk factors have been associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Limited and inconsistent evidence exists on the association of blood lipid levels and lipid lowering medication use with AF risk. Methods and Results— We analyzed 13,969 participants (25% African-American, 45% men) free of AF at baseline from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Fasting HDL cholesterol (HDLc), LDL cholesterol (LDLc), triglycerides, and total cholesterol were measured at baseline (1987–89) and each of three follow-up visits. Incidence of AF was ascertained through 2007. The association of the use of statins and other lipid lowering medications with AF was estimated in 13,044 ARIC participants attending visit 2 (1990–92), adjusting for covariates from the previous visit. During a median follow-up of 18.7 years there were 1433 not on medications, while those taking statins had an adjusted HR of 0.91 (0.66–1.25) compared to those taking other lipid lowering mediations. Conclusions— Higher levels of LDLc and total cholesterol were associated with a lower incidence of AF. HDLc and triglycerides, however, were not independently associated with AF incidence. No association was found between the use of lipid lowering medications and incident AF. results regarding the impact of statins on the incidence of AF in otherwise healthy populations. An observational study reported statin use reduced the risk of developing AF independently of the reduction in serum cholesterol levels. 20 However, a large randomized clinical trial (ALLHAT) showed no relationship between randomly assigned pravastatin use and a reduction in incident AF, after a follow-up time of six years. 8 These data are consistent with a meta-analysis in which the analysis of randomized controlled trials showed no significant effect of statins on AF incidence, but indicated statins significantly reduced the relative risk of AF in observational studies. 21 To the best of our knowledge, no information exists on the effect of other lipid lowering medications on the risk of AF. The present study estimates the association of participants’ blood lipid profile over time with the incidence of AF in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort, a community-based study of cardiovascular disease in the US. We also assess whether use of statins or other cholesterol lowering medications affects the risk of AF, taking advantage of the large number of incident AF cases and ample follow-up time in the ARIC cohort. Risk in Communities Study is carried out as a collaborative study supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute contracts N01-HC55015, N01-HC55016, N01-HC55018, N01-HC55019, N01-HC55020, N01-HC55021, and N01-HC55022. This study was additionally supported by grants RC1-HL099452 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and 09SDG2280087 from the American Heart Association.
Phenotypic features of CRB1 associated early-onset severe retinal dystrophy and the different molecular approaches to identify the disease-causing variants

1 Department of Ophthalmology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Czech Republic 2 Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic 3 Department of Genetics, Faculty Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic 4 GENNET, Prague, Czech Republic 5 Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom 6 UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
The use of satellite imagery for the identification and protection of important oak areas

The successful implementation of habitat protection requires ecological and spatial monitoring of system dynamics. Data collection and mapping of habitats has been boosted by the rapid growth of remote sensing. An island-wide combined survey, focused on Aleppo oak (Q.infectoria) habitats, was undertaken using freely available on-line satellite imagery (Google Earth) and field inspection. The results of the survey, in combination with a weighting methodology, identified areas with high conservation value-Important Oak Areas (IOAs), for potential habitat protection. It is suggested that World Wide Web- based methodologies of habitat identification could be a complementary ecological and conservation tool for remote mapping and assessment of habitats over a broad spatial scale
Diffuse optical imaging

Diffuse optical imaging is a medical imaging technique that is beginning to move from the laboratory to the hospital. It is a natural extension of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which is now used in certain niche applications clinically and particularly for physiological and psychological research. Optical imaging uses sophisticated image reconstruction techniques to generate images from multiple NIRS measurements. The two main clinical applications—functional brain imaging and imaging for breast cancer—are reviewed in some detail, followed by a discussion of other issues such as imaging small animals and multimodality imaging. We aim to review the state of the art of optical imaging.
Rates of Organic Carbon Burial in a Floodplain Lake of the Lower Yellow River Area During the Late Holocene

The rapid outward and upward growth of the world's large fluvial sedimentary systems during the second half of the Holocene is a remarkable geologic process that may have buried considerable areas of pre-existing riparian wetlands, which in turn would sequester massive carbon. However, the role of floodplain lakes in the global carbon budget has long been neglected. This article demonstrates the potential of organic carbon burial due to floodplain aggradation during the late Holocene by analyzing a sediment core from a buried floodplain lake in the lower Yellow River area. Based on detailed radiocarbon dating, this study inferred that landscape development in the study area has experienced three disparate stages closely related to the displacement of the lower Yellow River channel. The first stage (∼2250–1700 cal yr BP) represents a widespread pedogenic process while the Yellow River discharged to the northern Bohai Sea through a course much farther north from the present-day position. The subsequent stage (∼1700–1000 cal yr BP) broadly corresponds to the calm period of the Yellow River while it discharged to the southern Bohai Sea through a course slightly north from the present-day position. A lacustrine environment prevailed during this period, sequestering organic carbon at a rate of ∼0.58 kg m 2 yr 1. The final stage (∼1000 cal yr BP to present) is marked by the rapid growth of the floodplain due to the frequent rerouting of the lower Yellow River. This analysis suggests that fluvial sedimentary systems should be integrated into the terrestrial carbon budget when accounting for the aberrant rise of the atmospheric CO2 in the face of global cooling during the second half of the Holocene.
A numerical model of interactions between a polar ice stream and the ocean: Application to ice stream E, West Antarctica

A time-dependent numerical model has been developed to study the dynamics of a polar ice stream grounded below sea level. The model was applied to ice stream E, one of the two most active ice streams draining the Ross Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet. The retarding force, or back stress, from the floating Ross Ice Shelf needed to hold the model grounding line in dynamic equilibrium was found to compare closely with retarding force mapped from field data by earlier investigators. This implies that the grounding line of ice stream E is in fact close to dynamic equilibrium, neither advancing nor retreating rapidly, if the ice stream and its catchment area are approximately in mass balance. Sensitivity tests showed that the model ice stream is more sensitive to changes in back stress from the ice shelf than to changes in the accumulation rate. Changes in back stress can be caused by changes in the average thickness of the ice shelf. The model was used to simulate retreat of the ice stream from the edge of the continental shelf in the Ross Sea during the Holocene period of rising sea level. The sea-floor was assumed to be isostatically depressed but to remain rigid during retreat. The effect of the assumed retreat history of the Ross Ice Shelf on the computed timing of grounding-line retreat was investigated by considering several alternative ice shelf histories. The results support the conclusion of earlier investigators that the Ross Ice Shelf caused the grounding line to stop retreating near its present position, after extensive retreat during the Holocene. In addition, the timing of retreat of the calving front of the Ross Ice Shelf exerted major influence on the timing of retreat of the ice stream grounding line.
Freezing Fronts and their Possible Influence upon Processes of Subglacial Erosion and Deposition

Recent studies have shown the important influence of pore-water movement and the subglacial thermal regime on processes of erosion and deposition at the subglacial interface. the influence of migrating freezing fronts within subglacial material has been largely ignored. the phenomena of ice-water interface processes will be examined and their relevance to subglacial processes illustrated. four case studies are presented that deal with the various effects that freezing-front movement may have on pore water, consolidation, shear strength, and likely diagenetic characteristics of subglacial deposits. the influence upon erosional and depositional processes will be outlined, and a mechanism related to potential surge-like conditions within the subglacial zone postulated.
Influence of the Wetted Perimeter Estimated by the Parable Arch Equation on Infiltration Profile in Furrow Irrigatio

This research had the purpose of analyzing the influence of the wetted perimeter estimated by the parable arch equation in the infiltration profile in furrow irrigation. The infiltration profiles were compared to those obtained by equation presented in the literature and field data. The infiltrated area was obtained multiplying the wetted perimeter by the accumulated infiltration depth expressed by Kostiakov equation, while the product of average water depth, wetted perimeter and furrow length gave the infiltrated volume. The results show to exist larger approach to field data of the infiltration profile and infiltrated volume values, when the wetted perimeter was estimated by the parable arch equation, which contributes for a better design and evaluation of the furrow irrigation systems.
Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, Laboratory Diagnosis, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Antimicrobial Management of Invasive Salmonella Infections

SUMMARY Salmonella enterica infections are common causes of bloodstream infection in low-resource areas, where they may be difficult to distinguish from other febrile illnesses and may be associated with a high case fatality ratio. Microbiologic culture of blood or bone marrow remains the mainstay of laboratory diagnosis. Antimicrobial resistance has emerged in Salmonella enterica, initially to the traditional first-line drugs chloramphenicol, ampicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Decreased fluoroquinolone susceptibility and then fluoroquinolone resistance have developed in association with chromosomal mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region of genes encoding DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV and also by plasmid-mediated resistance mechanisms. Resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins has occurred more often in nontyphoidal than in typhoidal Salmonella strains. Azithromycin is effective for the management of uncomplicated typhoid fever and may serve as an alternative oral drug in areas where fluoroquinolone resistance is common. In 2013, CLSI lowered the ciprofloxacin susceptibility breakpoints to account for accumulating clinical, microbiologic, and pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic data suggesting that revision was needed for contemporary invasive Salmonella infections. Newly established CLSI guidelines for azithromycin and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi were published in CLSI document M100 in 2015.
Assimilation of sparse crown by using GO and GORT model with remotely sensed data in the Tarim River Basin, Xinjiang, China

The sparse crown along both riversides of the Tarim River plays an important role in firming the sand and restraining the desertification. It is very difficult to obtain the spectrum information from the remotely sensed data because of the low percentage of coverage of the sparse vegetation, which affects the classification accuracy of the identification of ground objects and the extraction of vegetation biophysics. It is a key obstruction in developing the quantification of the RS technology. Taking the sparse vegetation at the Tarim River Basin as the research object, this paper predicts the surface bidirectional reflectance of the discontinuous plant canopies in the extremely arid based on the observed ground spectrum. Two different approaches are presented for the tree and the shrub. The first is to simulate the spectrum of the tree with the Geometric Optical-Radiative Transfer model based on ground observation. In the second approach,the spectral responses of sparse shrub and bare soil have been simulated using the linear Geometric Optical (GO) model. Comparing the simulated bidirectional reflectance with actual remote sensing data (EO-1), the spectral differences of these data are analyzed.
Modelling blue and green water resources availability in Iran

Knowledge of the internal renewable water resources of a country is strategic information which is needed for long‐term planning of a nation's water and food security, among many other needs. New modelling tools allow this quantification with high spatial and temporal resolution. In this study we used the program Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in combination with the Sequential Uncertainty Fitting program (SUFI‐2) to calibrate and validate a hydrologic model of Iran based on river discharges and wheat yield, taking into consideration dam operations and irrigation practices. Uncertainty analyses were also performed to assess the model performance. The results were quite satisfactory for most of the rivers across the country. We quantified all components of the water balance including blue water flow (water yield plus deep aquifer recharge), green water flow (actual and potential evapotranspiration) and green water storage (soil moisture) at sub‐basin level with monthly time‐steps. The spatially aggregated water resources and simulated yield compared well with the existing data. The study period was 1990–2002 for calibration and 1980–1989 for validation. The results show that irrigation practices have a significant impact on the water balances of the provinces with irrigated agriculture. Concerning the staple food crop in the country, 55% of irrigated wheat and 57% of rain‐fed wheat are produced every year in water‐scarce regions. The vulnerable situation of water resources availability has serious implications for the country's food security, and the looming impact of climate change could only worsen the situation. This study provides a strong basis for further studies concerning the water and food security and the water resources management strategies in the country and a unified approach for the analysis of blue and green water in other arid and semi‐arid countries. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.