Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stable Carbon Isotopes as a Potential Supplemental Tool in Dendrochronology

Tree rings provide an important resource of past environmental information, accessible through established dendroclimatological techniques and more recently through stable isotope analysis. Long (1982) has summarized the current state of climate retrieval from tree rings using oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen stable isotopes. Most of these isotope studies use a series of single rings or groups of rings in exploring such isotope -climate relationships. However, the isotopic signal within the ring may provide important information on seasonal changes in environment and might even furnish a powerful new tool to dendrochronology under favorable circumstances. The basis of such an application lies in a consistent seasonal pattern of variation of an environmental parameter which directly or inversely affects the carbon isotopic composition laid down in the xylem tissue. For stable carbon isotopes such parameters might include temperature, precipitation, sunlight, and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. For example, at mid -latitudes the temperature trend would consist of cool temperatures at initiation of growth, temperature increase to a JulyAugust maximum, then cooling in September and October. Several in vivo and in vitro studies with various plants and plant enzymes have shown good correlations of carbon isotopic composition* with temperature, having coefficients ranging from -1 to + 1.2 ° /oo S13C/ °C (Long 1982). Light intensity could affect rate of photosynthesis and in turn influence the carbon isotopic composition. The driving seasonal pattern might then be associated with day length and sun angle. Park and Epstein (1960), however, found no apparent effect of light intensity on the carbon isotopic composition of tomato plants grown under controlled conditions. Precipitation (or water stress) may also have a seasonal character, and could influence both stomatal opening for carbon dioxide and the water available for photosynthesis. In the southwestern U. S. the pattern might typically be abundant moisture at initiation of growth, moisture stress in late May and June, then abundant moisture in July and August with the onset of summer rains.
Angle- and Thickness-Dependent Response Characteristics of YBa2Cu3O7−δ-Based Atomic-Layer Thermopile Heat Flux Sensors

The atomic layer thermopile (ALTP) heat flux sensor has played an important role in the study of boundary layer transition. However, the response characteristics of the sensors still have not yet been clarified sufficiently. Herein, the angle- and thickness-dependent response characteristics of the ALTP heat flux sensors are investigated. Based on a 1-D thermal conductivity model, the anisotropic thermal conductivity (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\kappa _{\textit {ab}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> = 4.28 W/m <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\cdot $ </tex-math></inline-formula> K, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\kappa _{c}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> = 0.53 W/m <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\cdot $ </tex-math></inline-formula> K) and anisotropic Seebeck coefficient (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Delta {S}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> = <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$16.72 \mu \text{V}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>/K) of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) thin films are obtained by fitting the angle-dependent sensitivities. As the inclined angle increases, the increased thermal conductivity <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\kappa _{z}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> along the normal direction of the thin film leads to a decrease in temperature difference <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\Delta {T}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. Therefore, the sensitivity of the ALTP heat flux sensor only reaches the maximum value <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sim 24.16 \mu \text{V}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>/(kW/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\text{m}^{{2}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) at 18° even if the inclined angle continues to increase. The increased thermal conductivity <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\kappa _{z}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> results in a decrease in the response time of the ALTP heat flux sensor as the inclined angle increases. The results of static calibration experiments and simulations indicate that the sensitivity of the ALTP heat flux sensor is almost independent of the thickness of the thin film, but their response time gradually decreases with increasing thickness based on heat conduction theory. This work may provide a good design basis for the application of ALTP heat flux sensor.
Causal Relationships Between Intangibles and OverallnAssessment of the Service Received in a Travel Agency

La calidad se ha convertido en un factor determinante para el exito de las empresas, en especial las del sector servicios. En el caso de los servicios de intermediacion turistica, las tecnologias de la informacion y, en concreto: Internet, ha abierto nuevos campos de actuacion y vias de comercializacion, donde la competencia es cada vez mayor y donde desapareceran una parte importante de los canales de intermediacion tradicionales. En este articulo intentamos demostrar que algunos factores intangibles estan directamente relacionados con las valoraciones de calidad realizadas parlas clientes en los servicios prestados por las agencias de viajes y, por tanto, son determinantes en su adaptacion a los nuevos modelos de comercializacion.
The Open Boundary Condition in the United Kingdom Fine-Resolution Antarctic Model

Abstract The United Kingdom Fine-Resolution Antartic Model (FRAM project) it a community program to study the Southern Ocean. Central to this is an eddy-resolving three-dimensional primitive-equation ocean general circulation model. The open boundary condition at the northern boundary is described here. The boundary condition is based on that of Stevens (1990).
Hydrogen Isotope Geochemistry of the Mantle: Constraints from Back Arc Basin Basalts and Mantle Xenoliths

A new technique for measuring the hydrogen isotopic compositions of small quantities of hydrous and nominally anhydrous silicate materials was developed. The hydrogen isotopic composition of mantle derived basalts and nominally anhydrous minerals were measured to examine the systematics of the hydrogen isotope geochemistry of the mantle and to better constrain the mantle water cycle. Back arc basin basalts (BABB) from the Mariana Trough are variably enriched in deuterium relative to mid ocean ridge basalts (MORBs). The δD values of 15 Mariana Trough BABB samples range from -74 ‰ to -34 ‰. High δD values in BABB lavas are associated with the trace element signature of H2O rich fluids derived from the altered oceanic crust that is subducting into the mantle. We calculate a mixing model to constrain the isotopic composition and trace element chemistry of the fluid infiltrating the back arc lava source region. The δD value of the infiltrating fluid is close to -30 ‰. When the composition of the infiltrating fluid is compared to a forward calculation of the hydrogen isotopic evolution of altered oceanic crust it indicates that hydrous fluids in the back arc source region originate from the hydrated lithospheric mantle section of altered oceanic crust. Forward model calculations predict that hydrogen deeply subducted into the mantle may have an isotopic composition that is highly fractionated from the initial composition of altered oceanic crust. Pyroxenes from mantle xenoliths are deuterium depleted relative to all mantle materials, with δD values ~50 ‰ lower than average MORB. Using continuous flow mass spectrometry we analyzed the hydrogen isotopic composition of clinopyroxene and orthopyroxene from mantle xenoliths. Our results confirm the previous observations of very low δD values for xenoliths from continental interiors but found δD values similar to MORB in Central American arc xenoliths. The relationship between δD and water content observed in pyroxenes suggests that most mantle xenoliths have undergone extensive degassing (40% – 60%) and therefore the hydrogen content of upper mantle minerals may be higher than previously thought.
Low-Latency Communications for Digital Twin Empowered Web 3.0

The vision of Web 3.0 is to promote decentralized, intelligent, and autonomous Internet by self-learning and self-adaption of user demands. Such Internet evolution is enabled by ubiquitous and low-latency communication and powerful computing, imposing significant challenges on the Web 3.0 architecture and its network orchestration. The successful implementation of Web 3.0 relies on dynamic perception and intelligent decision-making, which is difficult to conceive owing to the heterogeneity and dynamics of networks. Digital twins, as an emerging technology, can map the real-time network status and make optimal decisions to enable intelligent low-latency communications. This article introduces a digital twin architecture to achieve networking virtualization and digitalization for Web 3.0. Based on the architecture, the digital twin-empowered low-latency communication scheme is proposed by disseminating tasks to the resource-sufficient infrastructure, while considering the communication cost of deploying digital twins. Illustrated results demonstrate the superiority of digital twins for low-latency communications in Web 3.0.
A potpourri of pristine moon rocks, including a VHK mare basalt and a unique, augite-rich Apollo 17 anorthosite

Analysis of previously unstudied Apollo lithic fragments continues to yield surprising results. Among this year's samples is a small anorthosite fragment, 76504,18, the first pristine anorthosit e found from Apollo 17. This unique lithology strongly resembles the main type of Apollo anorthosites (ferroan anorthosites), but 76504, 18 has a far higher ratio (about 9) of high-Ca pyroxene to low-Ca pyroxene, higher Na in its plagioclase, higher contents of incompatible elements such as REE, and a higher Eu/Al ratio. Assuming that 76504, 18 is a cumulate with less than 45% trapped liquid, its parent melt probably had a negative Eu anomaly. In all these respects, 76504,18 seems more likely than (other) ferroan anorthosites to be closely related to typical mare basalts. Apparently this anorthosite was among the latest to form by plagioclase flotation above a primordial magmasphere; typical mare basalt source regions probably accumulated at about the same time or even earlier. Another previously unstudied fragment, 14181c, is a VHK (very high potassium) basalt that is similar in most respects to typical (“aluminous”) Apollo 14 mare basalt but has a K/La ratio of 1050. This lithology probably formed after a normal Apollo 14 mare basaltic melt partially assimilated granite. New data for siderophile elements in Apollo 12 mare basalts indicate that only the lowest of earlier data are trustworthy as being free of laboratory contamination.
The use of adaptive finite-element limit analysis to reveal slip-line fields

The numerical method known as finite-element limit analysis (FELA) is generally employed as a tool for obtaining lower and upper bounds on the exact collapse load of a perfectly plastic structure or continuum. Most applications of FELA in geotechnical engineering have focused on plane strain problems involving the classical Tresca and Mohr–Coulomb yield criteria, and considerable computational effort has been expended on the calculation of lower- and upper-bound solutions for particular problems. This paper discusses and demonstrates an alternative use of FELA – as a tool for ascertaining slip-line fields for plane strain problems. A simple but effective strategy for adaptive mesh refinement is a key feature of the process; it allows the layout of plastic regions, rigid regions and velocity discontinuities to be determined by inspection of the FELA mesh. The corresponding slip-line field can then be constructed numerically in the usual way. The examples presented are restricted to purely cohesive soil, bu.
Determining Shape and Reflectance Using Multiple Images

Abstract : Distribution of surface orientation and reflectance factor on the surface of an object can be determined from scene radiances observed by a fixed sensor under varying lighting conditions. Such techniques have potential application to the automatic inspection of industrial parts, the determination of the attitude of a rigid body in space and the analysis of images returned from planetary explorers. A comparison is made of this method with techniques based on images obtained from different viewpoints with fixed lighting. (Author)
Thermospheric meridional wind at low latitude from measurements of F layer peak height

Thermospheric meridional winds are calculated in this paper for the low-latitude station, Cachoeira Paulista, in Brazil using ionospheric F layer peak height hmax as the primary database for different seasons and solar activity conditions. A servo model is used that expresses the ionospheric F layer peak height displacements as a function of chemical loss, diffusion, thermospheric meridional wind and vertical plasma drift. The method used is similar to, and an extension of, the one used in recent years for midlatitudes, where the effect of vertical plasma drift is considered negligible. We have included in our analysis the effect of vertical plasma drift on hmax over Cachoeira Paulista by using a vertical drift model which is a field line extension of an equatorial electric field model developed for our longitude, for which the radar data from Jicamarca, Peru, are complemented, in the sunset sector, by vertical drift from ionosonde data over Fortaleza. A numerical model on the electrodynamic coupling of the E and F regions is used to obtain the equatorial height dependence of the vertical drift needed for its field line mapping to low latitude. Meridional winds were calculated using the servo equations in which the vertical plasma drifts, and hmax values deduced from Cachoeira Paulista ionograms, were the main inputs. The magnetic meridional winds calculated for the summer equinoctial and winter months of high and low solar activity epochs are compared with the HWM-90 and with the measurements by Fabri-Perot technique available for Cachoeira Paulista. The results show varying agreements. The paper presents details of the method of analysis and the comparison of the results.
Comparison of the Accuracy of Epistasis and Haplotype Models for Genomic Prediction of Seven Human Phenotypes

The accuracy of predicting seven human phenotypes of 3657–7564 individuals using global epistasis effects was evaluated and compared to the accuracy of haplotype genomic prediction using 380,705 SNPs and 10-fold cross-validation studies. The seven human phenotypes were the normality transformed high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), weight (WT), and the original phenotypic observations of height (HTo) and body mass index (BMIo). Fourth-order epistasis effects virtually had no contribution to the phenotypic variances, and third-order epistasis effects did not affect the prediction accuracy. Without haplotype effects in the prediction model, pairwise epistasis effects improved the prediction accuracy over the SNP models for six traits, with accuracy increases of 2.41%, 3.85%, 0.70%, 0.97%, 0.62% and 0.93% for HDL, LDL, TC, HTo, WT and BMIo respectively. However, none of the epistasis models had higher prediction accuracy than the haplotype models we previously reported. The epistasis model for TG decreased the prediction accuracy by 2.35% relative to the accuracy of the SNP model. The integrated models with epistasis and haplotype effects had slightly higher prediction accuracy than the haplotype models for two traits, HDL and BMIo. These two traits were the only traits where additive × dominance effects increased the prediction accuracy. These results indicated that haplotype effects containing local high-order epistasis effects had a tendency to be more important than global pairwise epistasis effects for the seven human phenotypes, and that the genetic mechanism of HDL and BMIo was more complex than that of the other traits.
Exploration of Healthcare Sensitive Systems and Services for Supporting Ambient Assisted Living of Diversified Social Groups in South Korea

Different social groups normally have specific sets of requirements and priorities in relation to their surrounding living environment. In our research, we conducted an extensive survey on the preferred conditions and demands for four different domains of daily life: healthcare, environment, activity, and information. Carefully composed sets of questionnaires were distributed to 800 people representing diversified social groups in South Korea classified by gender, age, occupation, co-residents, home location, housing style, economic level, and chronic disease. Their responses were collected and analyzed through cross-tabulation to identify characteristic preference patterns concerning their immediate housing unit, residential cluster, and close neighborhood environment and services. Based on the extracted socio-environmental preferences of the different social groups in South Korea, we developed a web-based information system called AALPSS (Ambient Assisted Living Pattern Support System), which includes a total of 100 selected healthcare-sensitive system/service patterns to support the optimum design and operation of artifacts and facilitate the promotion of a healthy silver life. Each pattern is organized based on Christopher Alexander's 'Pattern Language' format and can be browsed and rated by different online users with diverse social profiles. This information system, therefore, has the potential to evolve into a better-tuned healthcare-related system/service decision support system, enhancing social sustainability within a community. Keywords: social group, ambient assisted living, preferred life pattern, healthcare sensitive environment, online information system
Multifeature fusion tracking in a particle filter framework

Particle filtering has been proven very successful for non-gaussian and non-linear estimation problems. In this study we used the particle filtering technique with multiple features to track the moving object effectively in video image. The object tracking system relies on the deterministic search of window, whose color content matches a reference histogram model. A simple histogram-based color model is used to develop our observation system. Secondly and finally, we describe a new approach for moving object tracking with particle filter by PCA transform technique. Our observation system of particle filter uses the combination of color and PCA features with a likelihood measurement. Experiment results show that the algorithm can effectively handle the effect of illumination, and is stable and robust.
The Role of Fire Disturbance in the Invasion of South Florida

Exotic plant species may facilitate their invasion into native communities through the modification of ecosystem disturbances such as fire regimes. Where frequent fires are common, invasive plants that suppress fire may induce a positive feedback which further suppresses fire and promotes their continued invasion. In the pine rockland savanna ecosystem of south Florida, the frequent understory fire regime may be altered by the fire-resistant invasive shrub Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius). In this thesis, I document the interaction of Brazilian pepper and fire in these savannas. I show that fire causes significant (30%-50%) mortality among low-density populations of Brazilian pepper. However, Brazilian pepper exhibits rapid growth and reproduces quickly following fire, and in the absence of fire it has a low mortality rate. Furthermore, Brazilian pepper can cause a reduction in fire temperature from 47° C at low densities, to almost 200° C at high densities, where it can completely impede fire spread. This creates the potential for Brazilian pepper to initiate a fire-suppressing feedback if it can reach a density threshold during extended fire-free intervals. At a landscape scale, I analyzed digital aerial photographs to show that fire frequency correlates with the extent of Brazilian pepper invasion into pine savanna fragments in southern Florida. In savannas where fire is frequent, Brazilian pepper does not heavily invade, but savannas that are heavily invaded tend to be unburned for more than 20 years. This supports both the regulation of low-density Brazilian pepper populations by fire, and the potential for high-density Brazilian pepper populations to suppress fire and facilitate further invasion.
EVALUATING SHALLOW‐WATER BATHYMETRY FROM THROUGH‐WATER TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING UNDER A RANGE OF HYDRAULIC AND PHYSICAL WATER QUALITY CONDITIONS

The fine‐scale structure of the water–sediment boundary in fluvial environments is dynamic and complex, influencing near‐bed flows, sediment transport and instream ecology. However, accurate high‐resolution surveying of marginally or partially inundated areas of river channels is problematic. Previous work has shown that terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) through relatively shallow‐water columns using standard green‐wavelength equipment introduces errors of <5 mm in a static, clear water column. This paper presents seven laboratory and field tests of through‐water TLS under variable flow velocities, depths, suspended sediment concentrations, water colour levels and scan ranges. Flow velocity decreased point accuracy only for supercritical flows, whereas point density decreased as a function of both water depth and suspended sediment concentration. A similar point return threshold was observed for water colour variations with no grains in suspension. Conversely, point precision and accuracy were a function of suspended sediment concentration alone (a threshold of 0.11 g L−1 was observed). Field tests showed larger errors (<10 mm) and lower point precisions. A clear‐water depth‐penetration limit of 0.68 m was identified. Fluvial bathymetry acquired from through‐water TLS is presented for a gravel/boulder bed reach. Despite observed limits, these experiments demonstrate that our approach provides centimetre‐resolution bathymetry and sub‐aerial survey in an integrated dataset without the need for the following: (i) additional financial resources; (ii) concurrent depth measurements; or (iii) extra field effort for bathymetry acquisition, thereby enabling regular surveys to characterize the fine‐scale structure of channel beds and to constrain the geomorphic effect of individual flood events. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Annexin A2 Stabilizes Oncogenic JAG1 Intracellular Domain by Inhibiting Proteasomal Degradation in Glioblastoma Cells

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal brain cancer, causing inevitable deaths of patients owing to frequent relapses of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The significance of the NOTCH signaling pathway in CSCs has been well recognized; however, there is no NOTCH-selective treatment applicable to patients with GBM. We recently reported that Jagged1 (JAG1), a NOTCH ligand, drives a NOTCH receptor-independent signaling pathway via JAG1 intracellular domain (JICD1) as a crucial signal that renders CSC properties. Therefore, mechanisms regulating the JICD1 signaling pathway should be elucidated to further develop a selective therapeutic regimen. Here, we identified annexin A2 (ANXA2) as an essential modulator to stabilize intrinsically disordered JICD1. The binding of ANXA2 to JICD1 prevents the proteasomal degradation of JICD1 by heat shock protein-70/90 and carboxy-terminus of Hsc70 interacting protein E3 ligase. Furthermore, JICD1-driven propagation and tumor aggressiveness were inhibited by ANXA2 knockdown. Taken together, our findings show that ANXA2 maintains the function of the NOTCH receptor-independent JICD1 signaling pathway by stabilizing JICD1, and the targeted suppression of JICD1-driven CSC properties can be achieved by blocking its interaction with ANXA2.