Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Emission of greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, and N2O from Estonian transitional fens and ombrotrophic bogs: the impact of different land-use practices

Eesti soode kogupindala hinnatakse 240,000–245,000 ha, seejuures on hinnatud nende katvuse vahenemist viimase 60 aasta jooksul 2.6–2.8 kordseks (Paal & Leibak, 2011). Juhul, kui soode looduslik seisund muutub inimtegevuse tottu, voib muutuda ka nende kasvuhoonegaaside bilanss (sidujast voib saada allikas), eriti oluliseks teguriks kasvuhoonegaaside emissioonide muutustes on kuivendus. Toos on hinnatud kasvuhoonegaaside bilanssi boreaalsetes soodes tehtud uurimuste tulemuste pohjal ja Eesti erineva maakasutusega siirdesoodes ning rabades labi viidud kasvuhoonegaaside (CO2, CH4 ja N2O) mootmiste pohjal. Saadud mootmistulemuste pohjal hinnati kuivenduse, turba kaevandamise ja paideroo (Phalaris) kasvatamise moju kasvuhoonegaaside emissioonile ja susiniku bilansile. Hinnanguliselt voivad ligikaudu 30,000 ha mahajaetud ja aktiivseid turbakaevandamisalasid emiteerida 191,499 t CO2 ekv. a-1. Juhul, kui need alad oleksid looduslikus olekus, toimuks nendel susiniku akumuleerumine ulatuses 24,405 t CO2 a-1. Seelabi on Eestis kaevandamise poolt rikutud rabade ja siirdesoode kasvuhooneefekt ligikaudu 10 korda suurem kui juhul, mil need alad oleksid endiselt looduslikus olekus. Susinikubilanss arvutati ka paideroo istanduse kohta, kogutud andmete alusel saab vaita, et vorreldes turbakaevandusaladega muudab paideroo kasvatamine jaaksoodes need alad susiniku emiteerijast susiniku akumuleerijaks. ; The landscape and climate have favoured the formation of peatlands, which constitute a dominant element in the Estonian landscape. Due to human activities the area of natural mires has decreased 2.6–2.8 times during last 60 years, covering presently approximately 240,000–245,000 ha (Paal et al., 1999; Paal & Leibak, 2011). Destruction of mires and alteration of peatlands due to human activities may lead to the changing role (source versus sink) of peatlands in respect to greenhouse gas emissions and their share in greenhouse effect. In this PhD dissertation, emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) CO2, CH4 and N2O are estimated according to literature study of boreal peatlands and field measurements in Estonian transitional fens and ombrotrophic bogs under different land use practices. The effects of drainage, peat extraction and reed canary grass (Phalaris) cultivation on GHG emission and carbon balance are evaluated. Based on the results from this study and the corresponding results from other studies, it is estimated that peat extraction has raised almost ten-fold (from accumulation of 24,405 to emission of 191,499 t CO2 yr-1) the radiative forcing of mire areas (30,000 ha) under peat extraction in Estonia. Emissions and biomass measurements from Phalaris sites showed that these areas had changed from net sources to net sinks of carbon.
Comparative pathology of experimental pulmonary tuberculosis in animal models

Research in human tuberculosis (TB) is limited by the availability of human tissues from patients, which is often altered by therapy and treatment. Thus, the use of animal models is a key tool in increasing our understanding of the pathogenesis, disease progression and preclinical evaluation of new therapies and vaccines. The granuloma is the hallmark lesion of pulmonary tuberculosis, regardless of the species or animal model used. Although animal models may not fully replicate all the histopathological characteristics observed in natural, human TB disease, each one brings its own attributes which enable researchers to answer specific questions regarding TB immunopathogenesis. This review delves into the pulmonary pathology induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) bacteria in different animal models (non-human primates, rodents, guinea pigs, rabbits, cattle, goats, and others) and compares how they relate to the pulmonary disease described in humans. Although the described models have demonstrated some histopathological features in common with human pulmonary TB, these data should be considered carefully in the context of this disease. Further research is necessary to establish the most appropriate model for the study of TB, and to carry out a standard characterisation and score of pulmonary lesions.
SEASONALLY DRIVEN VARIATION IN SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN AGRICULTURAL LAND USE AND IN‐STREAM NUTRIENT CONCENTRATIONS

Geographic information system (GIS) based distance weighted models were applied to determine critical areas of agricultural influence in nine agriculturally dominated, prairie subcatchments in southern Manitoba, Canada. Models were generated using a range of coefficients to represent nutrient overland and in‐stream attenuation between agricultural source areas and stream sampling stations. Coefficients were also used to represent increased attenuation during overland travel through areas with natural vegetation. Water samples collected at intervals throughout the open water season were used to establish associations between areas of influence and in‐stream total nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in each season and under different flow conditions. Critical areas of influence varied seasonally with areas of influence expanding with individual rainfall events. Inclusion of natural vegetated areas on the landscape resulted in substantial increases in model power for only one scenario. Agriculture in areas within approximately 100 m of the stream channel appears to be the most critical driver of in‐stream nutrient conditions during most seasons and under most flow conditions. Best management practices, such as vegetated buffer strips, should be most effective in controlling nutrient losses to southern Manitoba streams when situated within stream corridor, as opposed to upland areas, which appear to have minimal impact on in‐stream conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization, profiling, and molecular docking analysis of phytochemicals derived from Daucus carota for evaluating their potential role in cardiovascular disease (CVD) assessment

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant global health challenge, prompting this research manuscript's investigation into the potential contributions of phytochemicals extracted from Daucus carota, commonly known as carrots, in assessing CVD. The study employed a comprehensive approach, including spectral characterization through 1H and 13C NMR, and quantitative profiling using HPTLC, to identify and quantify phytochemical markers, namely, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, and chlorogenic acid. Spectral characterization using NMR confirmed the presence of saturated and unsaturated moieties within these markers. Subsequently, these phytoconstituents, three in number found in carrot roots, underwent In-silico screening using the protein structure (PDB ID: 5JAD). The results of the molecular docking simulations revealed that these phytoconstituents exhibited higher docking scores and lower glide energies compared to standard drugs like Felodipine. The methodology and key research sections encompassed the collection, identification, and preparation of carrot samples, as and-performance thin-layer chromatographic TLC and (HPTLC) profiling, NMR spectroscopy, and molecular docking studies. The result findings offer valuable insights into the potential health benefits of carrot phytochemicals, encourage further exploration of varietal differences, suggest optimization of extraction techniques, and advocate for the assessment of synergistic effects. Importantly, the promising cardioprotective properties of these phytochemicals highlight their role in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The phytoconstituents derived from Daucus carota, as evidenced by HPTLC and In-silico studies, demonstrate substantial anti-cardiac potential. This positions them as valuable phytochemicals for the development of innovative anti-CVD/anti-CHF medications, offering promising avenues for the treatment of diverse cardiac diseases and disorders in the future.
Predictability Experiments of Fog and Visibility in Local Airports over Korea using the WRF Model

The objective of this study is to evaluate and improve the capability of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model in simulating fog and visibility in local airports over Korea. The WRF model system is statistically evaluated for the 48-fog cases over Korea from 2003 to 2006. Based on the 4-yr evaluations, attempts are made to improve the simulation skill of fog and visibility over Korea by revising the statistical coefficients in the visibility algorithms of the WRF model. A comparison of four existing visibility algorithms in the WRF model shows that uncertainties in the visibility algorithms include additional degree of freedom in accuracy of numerical fog forecasts over Korea. A revised statistical algorithm using a linear-regression between the observed visibility and simulated hydrometeors and humidity near the surface exhibits overall improvement in the visibility forecasts.
Exploring bimodal multi‐level networks: Network structure and dynamics driving herding effects and growth in livestreaming

The majority of social network research in the IS field relies on assumptions that social networks are single‐level unified entities, disregarding the potential bimodal network structure with the coexistence of centralized and decentralized networks and overlooking the essential role of adjacent nodes as decision‐makers. By challenging these assumptions, we propose that both centralized and decentralized networks can coexist within multi‐level bimodal platforms via various role‐based subgroups with different types of decision‐makers. Livestreaming platforms, exemplifying the coexistence of multi‐level networks within a single digital ecosystem, have become increasingly popular in various industries. Drawing on social impact theory (SIT), we examine the role of information from host‐audience centralized and host–host decentralized networks in shaping subscription increment and herding effects. Using a panel dataset in livestreaming, we find that bidirectional ties in host–host networks strengthen fan acquisition and herding effect in the host‐audience decentralized network, with hosts of lower social status gaining more fans than those with higher status in bidirectional ties. Our study contributes to the understanding of social network structure, herding effect, SIT and livestreaming by problematizing assumptions and offering a contextual explanation of livestreaming. Moreover, our work provides practitioners with valuable insights into leveraging network effects for hosts' success in livestreaming.
A Detection and Response Architecture for Stealthy Attacks on Cyber-Physical Systems

There has been an increased reliance on interconnected Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) applications. This reliance has caused tremendous growth in high assurance challenges. Due to the functional interdependence between the internal systems of CPS applications, the utilities' ability to reliably provide services could be disrupted if security threats are not addressed. To address this challenge, we propose a multi-level, multi-agent detection and response architecture built on the formalisms of Hidden Markov Models (HMM) and Markov Decision Processes (MDP). We have evaluated the performance of the proposed architecture on one of the critical smart grid applications, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). This paper utilizes a simulation tool called SecAMI for performance evaluation. A Stealthy attack scenario contains multiple distinct multi-stage attacks deployed concurrently in a network to compromise the system and stop several critical services in a CPS. The results show that the proposed architecture effectively detects and responds to stealthy attack scenarios against Cyber-Physical Systems. In particular, the simulation results show that the proposed system can preserve the availability of more than 93% of the AMI network under stealthy attacks. A future study may evaluate the effectiveness of various stealthy attack strategies and detection and response systems. The high availability of any AMI should be protected against new attack techniques. The proposed system will also determine a distributed IDS's efficient placement for intrusion detection sensors and response nodes within an AMI.
A database of aircraft measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) with high temporal and spatial resolution during 2011–2021

Abstract. To understand tropospheric air pollution at regional and global scales, the SPIRIT (SPectromètre Infra-Rouge In situ Toute altitude) airborne instrument was developed and used on aircraft to measure volume mixing ratios of carbon monoxide (CO), an important indicator of air pollution, during the last decade. SPIRIT provides high-quality CO measurements with 1σ precision of 0.3 ppbv at a time resolution of 1.6 s thanks to the coupling of a quantum cascade laser to a Robert optical multi-pass cell. It can be operated on different aircraft such as Falcon-20 and ATR-42 from the German Aerospace Agency (DLR) and from SAFIRE (CNRS-CNES-Météo France). With support from various projects, measurements were taken for more than 200 flight hours over three continents (Europe, Asia, and Africa), including two intercontinental transects (Europe–Asia and Europe–Africa). Levels of CO and its spatial distribution are briefly discussed and compared between different regions/continents. CO generally decreases with altitude except in some cases, indicating the important contribution of long-distance transport to CO levels. A 3D trajectory mapped by CO level was plotted for each flight and is presented in this study (which includes a Supplement). The database is archived in the AERIS database (https://doi.org/10.25326/440), the French national center for atmospheric observations (Catoire et al., 2023). In addition, it could help to validate model performance and satellite measurements. For instance, the database covers measurements at high-latitude regions (i.e., Kiruna, Sweden, 68∘ N), where satellite measurements are still challenging, and at low-latitude regions (West Africa and Southeast Asia), where in situ data are scarce and satellites need more validation by airborne measurements.
Environmental Dimension of Corporate Social Responsibility and Earnings Persistence: An Exploration of the Moderator Roles of Operating Efficiency and Financing Cost

Society has gradually realized that companies’ actions have consequences. Companies can fulfill their accountability to society by disclosing information beyond their financial data, providing better decision making for stakeholders. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on earnings persistence (EP) for the moderator roles of operational efficiency and financing cost for the companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange. For this purpose, the statistical population consists of 714 firm-year observations from 2014 to 2020 (7 years). A multivariate regression method was used based on the panel data analysis method to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that corporate social responsibility for earnings persistence has a positive and significant relationship with the moderator role of operational efficiency, but is unrelated to the moderator role of financing cost. The majority of the prior research in this field has focused on developing countries. An international perspective is critical, and this study helps draw a more contextualized picture of sustainability than before.
Tracking above- and below- ground seed persistence and mortality in a native tallgrass prairie restoration

The large cost of seed and low seedling establishment rates make restoring native tallgrass prairies expensive and difficult. Tallgrass prairie restorations typically achieve seedling emergence rates of only 10%. This begs the question of what happens to the remaining 90% of seeds that do not emerge as seedlings. This thesis sought to assess or quantify the importance of seed predators and death by microorganisms or to senescence on seed survival and seedling establishment within a newly planted native tallgrass prairie restoration under typical restoration conditions. I hypothesized that small vertebrate seed predators would play be detrimental to overall seedling emergence and would shift species composition in favor of smaller seeded species in newly restored areas. A second hypothesis was that the recovery rate of seeds within the soil seed bank and the viability of recovered seeds would decrease over time due to natural decay and death. To explain these questions I used an aboveand below-ground approach. The above-ground approach used sham and closed exclosures to measure the amount of seedling emergence and loss to small vertebrate granivores at three sites. The below-ground seed fates approach attempted to measure the loss of seeds and viability of four prairie species over three sampling dates. The above-ground approach found that small vertebrate predators had a significant effect on overall seedling establishment but did not affect species composition regardless of response variable: percent emergence, seedlings emerged/g planted, and the difference in seedling emergence between the sham and closed exclosure. The belowground approach found that, while each species varied, the overall percent recovery declined and the viability of the recovered seeds decreased over time. Though the fate of many seeds was unknown, my results suggest that granivores significantly reduce seedling emergence. By excluding small vertebrate granivores, my study was able to increase overall seedling emergence by four percent or 17 seedlings/m2 which could result in fewer seeds planted and hundreds of dollars saved in future restorations. Further studies should test methods to reduce predation by small vertebrate granivores, focusing on methods that are feasible for practitioners. It is also important to investigate the causes of as yet unknown seed losses. This thesis has demonstrated that there is still more work that needs to be done and questions to be answered about seed loss to aboveand below-ground sources in tallgrass prairie restorations. TRACKING ABOVEAND BELOW-GROUND SEED PERSISTENCE AND MORTALITY IN A NATIVE TALLGRASS PRAIRIE RESTORATION A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science
Delineation of Pothole-Dominated Wetlands and Modeling of Their Threshold Behaviors

AbstractTime-invariant contributing area and full hydrologic connectivity are commonly assumed in traditional watershed delineation and modeling. In reality, however, contributing area of a depression-dominated prairie basin varies and undergoes a progressive evolution process that is characterized by unique threshold behaviors associated with the depression filling–spilling–merging–splitting–depleting dynamics. The research reported in this paper aims to precisely delineate prairie potholes and the associated wetlands, effectively characterize their dynamic hydrotopographic properties, and further quantify the resultant threshold behaviors and spatiotemporal variability in hydrologic connectivity. Delineation and modeling for a wetland site in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) highlighted the crucial role of topographic characteristics in the formation, evolution, and connectivity of prairie potholes. Particularly, the modeling tests for real rainfall demonstrated the significant impacts of complex rainfa.
Sedimentology and geochemistry of thermokarst ponds in discontinuous permafrost, subarctic Quebec, Canada

[1] Thermokarst (thaw) ponds and lakes are distributed throughout arctic and subarctic regions; however their natural variability and temporal evolution recorded in the bottom sediments are poorly understood. This paper presents a multiproxy study conducted in a subarctic site with many thermokarst ponds near Kuujjuarapik-Whapmagoostui, on the eastern shore of Hudson Bay. Sedimentological, geochemical and chronological analyses have been performed on short sediment cores (10–20 cm) retrieved from limnologically contrasted ponds. Analyses revealed two distinct sedimentary facies, from bottom to top: 1) massive marine silts and clays deposited during postglacial Tyrrell Sea transgression (ca. 8000 to 6000 cal yr BP), subsequently emerged by glacio-isostatic rebound and more recently (ca. 1500 to 400 cal yr BP) affected by permafrost inception and growth; 2) laminated organic-rich lacustrine muds deposited since permafrost thawing and subsidence, i.e., since thermokarst pond inception (the last centuries). Despite displaying strikingly different water colors, the study ponds showed similar long-term developmental patterns regarding their physico-chemical properties (as recorded in the sediments), such as decreasing mineral grain size (from silts to clays), decreasing major chemical element concentrations, increasing organic matter content, and decreasing bottom water oxygen concentrations (from well-oxygenated to anoxic/hypoxic conditions).
Transition from oblique subduction to collision: Earthquakes in the southernmost Ryukyu arc‐Taiwan region

Tectonic characteristics of the region between Taiwan and the southernmost Ryukyu arc are inferred from a detailed analysis of local seismicity and source parameters of 62 recent earthquakes of 5.5≤mb≤6.6. Five major seismogenic structures can be delineated: the Collision Seismic Zone (CSZ), the Interface Seismic Zone (ISZ), the Wadati-Benioff Seismic Zone (WBSZ), the Lateral Compression Seismic Zone (LCSZ), and the Okinawa Seismic Zone (OSZ). In the CSZ, located along the east coast of Taiwan and offshore, earthquake focal mechanisms show horizontal P axes distributed in two directions, 287°±10° and 333°±16°, possibly reflecting a strain partition associated with the relative plate convergence between the Eurasia plate and the Philippine Sea plate. The corresponding seismic strain tensor indicates a maximum compressive strain rate of 1.2×10−7 yr−1 along 293° and a comparable extension in vertical direction, presumably resulted from plate collision in the region. The geometry of the ISZ, which is distorted significantly at its westernmost end, can be approximated by a north dipping plane that is gradually pushed northward with increasing dip. The seismogenic portion of the interface spans a short depth range from ∼10 km to ∼35 km. A clear pattern of earthquake slip partition is observed; the average slip vector residual is as large as 35°. Seismic strain patterns within the subducted Philippine Sea slab show predominantly downdip extension between 80 and 120 km and downdip compression at ∼270 km, different from the pattern of strain segmentation observed for the rest of the Ryukyu arc where the northern and southern portions are dominated by downdip extension and compression, respectively. Owing to the large convergence obliquity, the slab is descending at a rate significantly slower near Taiwan than in the southern Ryukyu. Thus we interpret the appearance of downdip extension within the subducted lithosphere as a combined result of oblique subduction and the slab's negative buoyancy. A number of thrust or oblique strike-slip earthquakes between ISZ and WBSZ show a consistent pattern of lateral compression with P axes oriented roughly parallel to the local strike of the trench-arc system. They are probably due to the compressive strain originated from the collision and transmitted laterally within the lithosphere. Shallow normal-faulting earthquakes show successive rotation of T axes from approximately N-S in the Okinawa trough to approximately E-W in northeast Taiwan, possibly as a result of interaction between the extension from the opening of the Okinawa trough and the compression from collision. One normal event (January 18, 1991, mb=5.9) occurred in the Central Range with T axis roughly parallel to the structural trend of Taiwan, implying that the nature of the orogeny in Taiwan has changed from “thin-skinned” deformation to lithospheric collision involving the whole crust and uppermost mantle.