Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spirometric Standards for Healthy Iranians Dwelling in the Centre of Iran

Background: In order to determining spirometric reference values in healthy, nonsmoker adult subjects, this study was performed on populations dwelling in the centre of Iran, Kashan city. The area was selected as the representative of a less polluted area in Iran, as we intended to exclude possible effects of air pollution on spirometric values. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on 550 subjects (295 Males, 255 Females) aged 17 to 82 years, randomly selected from the general population, and assessed anthropometrically for age and height by using stepwise regression analysis. The prediction equations were calculated on the basis of age and height for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), and forced expiratory flow during the middle half of the FVC (FEF 25-75% ). Comparisons with predictions of other Caucasians studies are reported. Results: A Comparative study of FVC and FEV 1 values of our subjects, standardized for age and height was much closer to FVC and FEV 1 of other studies. The prediction equations (based on age and standing height) for FVC (liters) in males: -5.546 + 0.065 height – 0.027 age; and females –3.214+ 0.046 height – 0.023 age; FEV 1 (liters) in males: -2.853 + 0.046 height – 0.029 age; and females: - 2.430 + 0.039 height- 0.024 age; for FEF 25-75% in males: + 1.987 + 0.027height – 0.044 age; and females: - 0.769 + 0.037 height – 0.033 age. Conclusion: A comparison between equation from the present study and other available reference data shows that our prediction values were similar to those previously reported. The present regression equations for predicted values of lung function measurements may be regarded as the definitive norms for adult population dwelling in the centre of Iran and will be useful for diagnostic and research purposes. (Tanaffos 2005; 4(15): 19-26)
Flow and tracer transport in a single fracture: A stochastic model and its relation to some field observations

Calculations for the flow and solute transport through a single rough-surfaced fracture were carried out. The fracture plane was discretized into a square mesh to which variable apertures were assigned. The spatially varying apertures of each single fracture were generated using geostatistical methods, based on a given aperture probability density distribution and a specified spatial correlation length. Constant head boundary conditions were assumed for the flow in the x direction of a single fracture with no flow boundaries in the y direction. The fluid potential at each node of the discretization mesh was computed and the steady state flow rates between all the nodes were obtained. Our calculations showed that fluid flow occurs predominantly in a few preferred paths. Hence, the large range of apertures in the single fracture gives rise to flow channeling. The solute transport was calculated using a particle tracking method. Both the spatial and time variations of tracer breakthrough results are presented. The spatial variation of tracer transport between a line of injection points and a line of observation points are displayed in contour plots which we labeled “transfer matrix. ” Our results indicate that such plots can give information on the spatial correlation length of the heterogeneity in the fracture. The tracer breakthrough curve obtained from a line of point measurements is shown to be controlled by the aperture density distribution and is insensitive to statistical realization and spatial correlation length. These results suggest the importance of making line measurements in the laboratory and the field. Sensitivity of our results on parameter variations was also investigated.
Can we dismiss the effect of changes in land‐based water storage on sea‐level rise?

Received 16 October 2007 Accepted 10 January 2008 Introduction The rate of global mean sea-level rise (SLR) during the 20th century is estimated to be 1·7 mm yr−1 ± 0·3 yr−1 (Church and White, 2006). SLR during the 20th century was a result of thermal expansion of the oceans and the release of water from terrestrial storage reservoirs (Bindoff et al., 2007). The latter process is thought to be dominated by the melting of glaciers and polar ice caps, but human alterations to the landscape and climate-change driven feedbacks may also affect landbased water storage (Gornitz et al., 1997; Mitrovica et al., 2001; Bindoff et al., 2007). Estimates of the amount of SLR that can be explained by the combination of thermosteric effects and the melting of ice and snow consistently underestimate SLR determined from observations based on tide gages and satellite altimetry (Gornitz et al., 1997; Church et al., 2001; Miller and Douglas, 2004; Lombard et al., 2006; Bindoff et al., 2007). Refinements in estimates of changes in volumes of land ice and thermosteric effects have reduced the component of SLR that remains unexplained between the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change third assessment (Church et al., 2001) and current estimates (Lombard et al., 2006). Anthropogenic alterations that result in or imply net land-to-ocean transfers include groundwater depletion (GWD), sedimentation in reservoirs, wetland loss, surface water depletion (SWD), and deforestation. GWD occurs when the rate of withdrawal exceeds the rate of recharge over decadal time scales (Sahagian, 2000; Konikow and Kendy, 2005). SWD occurs when the rate of withdrawal from rivers, lakes or impoundments exceeds natural inputs to these water bodies (Falkenmark and Lannerstad, 2005; Haddeland et al., 2006). There are also indirect effects of human alterations of the landscape, such as deforestation and desertification that can affect local or regional precipitation and, ultimately, reduce recharge and decrease water storage in soils and underlying aquifers (Wang and Eltahir, 2000). Anthropogenic or climate-driven changes in land use can affect albedo and alter energy and water budgets resulting in changes in soil moisture storage. Climate feedbacks can also alter terrestrial water balance (Milly et al., 2003) and hydrologic conditions in permafrost environments (Hinzman et al., 2005). Anthropogenic alterations that result in ocean-to-land transfers include reservoir construction for surface water storage and leakage of water impounded behind dams into underlying aquifers (Vörösmarty and Sahagian, 2000).
Species data: National inventory of range maps and distribution models

The Gap Analysis Program (GAP) species data includes vertebrate range maps and distribution models for the continental United States, as well as Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. The vertebrate species include amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. Furthermore, data used to create the distribution models (for example, percent canopy cover, elevation, and so forth) also are available.
Borehole flexural modes in transversely isotropic formations: Low-frequency asymptotic velocity

Dipoleacousticloggingiswidelyusedforinsitumeasurement of formation shear velocity. This technique is based on the theoretical result in isotropic formations that the velocity ofthedispersiveflexuralmodeapproachestheshearvelocity at the low-frequency limit. Transversely isotropic TI formations frequently are encountered in petroleum engineering, so it is necessary to determine if shear velocity along the borehole can be determined from the low-frequency flexural wave in TI cases. The flexural wave in a borehole parallel to thesymmetryaxisofaTIformationisinvestigated.Theborehole acoustic field is formulated in the frequency-wavenumber domain as the sum of a direct field from the source and a reflected field from the borehole wall. Poles and branch points of the reflection coefficient are analyzed, and component waves contributed by those singularities are calculated. ThedispersionfeatureoftheflexuralmodeinsomeTIformationsdiffersfromisotropiccases.Thelow-frequencylimitof flexural-mode velocity trends to a value lower than the shear velocity when parameters of the formation satisfy c44/2c33,where and areThomsenparametersandc33 and c44 are the elastic moduli. That asymptotic value corresponds to a newly found branch point of the reflection function. Numerical results show that the low-frequency flexural wave travels slower than the shear wave in the synthetic full waveforms in Mesaverde clayshale 5501. Extracting the shearvelocityfromtheflexuralarrivalleadstoinaccuracyon theorderof10%inthisformation.
Climate changes and human–environment interactions in the Apulia region of southeastern Italy during the Neolithic period

The objective of our research was to define the main human–environment interactions during the Neolithic period (6500–3700 bc) in the Apulia region of southeastern Italy based on available published and unpublished data. Knowledge of these interactions is crucial to understanding the cultural and social dynamics of the period, particularly concerning the earliest farmers. Using a multidisciplinary approach, paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatological data at the regional and Mediterranean scales were compared with the results of analyses performed on natural deposits and deposits in Neolithic settlements. The following data sets were used: (1) 121 14C dates for settlements, from which probability curves (%) of the Apulian Archaeological Occupation (AAO) were developed; (2) offshore data obtained from analyses performed on two offshore sediment cores drilled in the Adriatic Sea; (3) offsite data from studies conducted in two natural coastal contexts; and (4) onsite archaeobotanical data from 35 settlements. This study allowed us to tentatively define the main climatic features between 6200 and 3700 bc. We identified two dry phases (one between 5000 and 4600 bc and a second that peaked c. 4000 bc) and two wet intervals (one between 6200 and 5500 bc and a second that peaked around 4400 bc). Climate changes appear to have been relatively gradual. The use of archaeobotanical data allowed us to determine a direct link between paleoclimatic and archaeological sequences. These data highlight the variations in agricultural strategies (species used and harvest times) as humans responded to changes in the rainfall regime.
Chemical composition of crude oil from the seeds of pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) and mamey sapota (Pouteria sapota Jacq.) grown in Yucatan, Mexico

The objective of this work was to determine the chemical composition of crude oil from the seeds of pumpkin and mamey fruits grown in the Yucatan, Mexico. Through the extraction method utilized, it was possible to obtain 50 and 40% of crude oil from pumpkin and mamey seeds, respectively. The refractive index at 40°C and peroxide index of crude oil from mamey seeds were similar to those reported for pumpkin var. Xnuuk K'úum, but significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those reported for pumpkin var. Xmejen K'úum. The acidity and iodine indexes were significantly higher in crude oil obtained from mamey seeds in comparison with the oils obtained from pumpkin seeds. The main fatty acid identified in mamey seed oil was oleic acid (60.32%), whereas in pumpkin seed oils from var. Xnuuk K'úum and var. Xmejen K'úum it was linoleic acid (69.12% and 63.11% respectively). The results achieved suggest that the seeds of mamey and pumpkin might be an important source of vegetable oil for industrial uses.
Reflection and transmission coefficients for transversely isotropic media

It has become necessary in seismology to consider more complicated models of the Earth's structure in order to obtain synthetic seismograms that are more consistent with actual field data. Gassmann (1964) and Postma (1955) have presented results dealing with travel-time methods in anisotropic media—in particular, transversely isotropic media. Kinematic properties alone, however, are not enough to conclusively interpret seismic records. Consequently, dynamic properties must be considered producing a need for synthetic seismograms. One of the most efficient methods for obtaining synthetic seismograms is through the use of asymptotic ray theory (Hron and Kanasewich, 1971; Hron, 1973; Hron, Kanasewich and Alpaslan, 1974). A necessary step in the implementation for layered media displaying transverse isotropy is the computation of reflection and transmission coefficients at the interface between two such layers. Reflection coefficients for a free interface and the corresponding surface conversion coefficients must be computed, as well. Theoretical formulas for reflection, transmission, and surface conversion coefficients corresponding to the zero-order approximation of asymptotic theory are presented for the above-mentioned media.
Water drag coefficient of first‐year sea ice

In May 1977, eddy flux measurements of momentum were made with a three-component ultrasonic current meter in the oceanic boundary layer under a first-year floe of fast sea ice in Barrow Strait, N.W. T. By using eddy correlation methods, values of horizontal Reynolds' stress were computed from each of 20 data runs of about 1-hour duration during which the mean current was reasonably steady. A least squares analysis in which water stress was assumed proportional to the square of the mean current yielded a value for the 1-m water drag coefficient of 1.32×10−3 with a standard deviation of 0.06×10−3. The diameter of the floe was greater than 1 km and its mean thickness was 128 cm, with a standard deviation of 4 cm and a maximum deviation of 7 cm.
An iterative approach to partially supervised classification problems

A novel partially supervised classification technique is proposed, which allows the efficient mapping of a specific land-cover class (or a few land-cover classes) of interest, by using only training samples belonging to the class or classes selected. It is based on a combined use of a Radial Basis Function network, which models the image data distribution, and a Markov Random Field approach, which exploits the spatial-contextual information. The result is high classification accuracy comparable to that provided by fully supervised classifiers.
Effects of Heparan sulfate acetyl-CoA: Alpha-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT) inactivation on the structure and function of epithelial and immune cells of the testis and epididymis and sperm parameters in adult mice

Heparan sulfate (HS), an abundant component of the apical cell surface and basement membrane, belongs to the glycosaminoglycan family of carbohydrates covalently linked to proteins called heparan sulfate proteoglycans. After endocytosis, HS is degraded in the lysosome by several enzymes, including heparan-alpha-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT), and in its absence causes Mucopolysaccharidosis III type C (Sanfilippo type C). Since endocytosis occurs in epithelial cells of the testis and epididymis, we examined the morphological effects of Hgsnat inactivation in these organs. In the testis, Hgsnat knockout (Hgsnat-Geo) mice revealed statistically significant decrease in tubule and epithelial profile area of seminiferous tubules. Electron microscopy (EM) analysis revealed cross-sectional tubule profiles with normal and moderately to severely altered appearances. Abnormalities in Sertoli cells and blood-testis barrier and the absence of germ cells in some tubules were noted along with altered morphology of sperm, sperm motility parameters and a reduction in fertilization rates in vitro. Along with quantitatively increased epithelial and tubular profile areas in the epididymis, EM demonstrated significant accumulations of electrolucent lysosomes in the caput-cauda regions that were reactive for cathepsin D and prosaposin antibodies. Lysosomes with similar storage materials were also found in basal, clear and myoid cells. In the mid/basal region of the epithelium of caput-cauda regions of KO mice, large vacuolated cells, unreactive for cytokeratin 5, a basal cell marker, were identified morphologically as epididymal mononuclear phagocytes (eMPs). The cytoplasm of the eMPs was occupied by a gigantic lysosome suggesting an active role of these cells in removing debris from the epithelium. Some eMPs were found in proximity to T-lymphocytes, a feature of dendritic cells. Taken together, our results reveal that upon Hgsnat inactivation, morphological alterations occur to the testis affecting sperm morphology and motility parameters and abnormal lysosomes in epididymal epithelial cells, indicative of a lysosomal storage disease.
Investigation into the Relations between Bedload Transport and Channel Shape

For a small upland catchment in the Pennines, measurements of discharge, channel shape, and bedload movement have been combined in an attempt to relate hydraulic geometry characteristics with that fraction of the coarse bedload which, under prevailing hydrological conditions, is capable of movement. Different combinations of the exponents “b,” “f,” and “m,” relating respectively to the rates of increase of width, depth, and velocity with discharge, are related to varying rates of increasing and decreasing competence.
Gyrinodon Quassus, a New Genus and Species of Toxodont from Western Buchivacoa (Venezuela)

The pieces of bone and teeth submitted to me by Dr. Parkinson were collected by Mr. Donald Stewart. They include mammalian remains as well as some fragments of reptiles. Although the mammalian remains and teeth were found in two patches separated by a distance of about 100 yards, they have every appearance of being derived from a single individual. They represent a new genus of Toxodont, and are welcome confirmatory evidence of the wide range of this family outside the Pampas region of South America. Diagnosis. —Toxodontidae of medium size. Frontal region of skull passing gently into the anterior portion of the temporal fossa. Post-orbital processes greatly reduced. Neither the superior margin of the orbit nor the roof of the nasal chamber is inflated. Upper lateral incisor curved in an arc of 180° or more. First and second upper molars with slight metaloph; third molar with long, concave ectoloph, but no metaloph. Mandibular symphysis not extending backwards to the second lower molar. Third lower molar without a second, posterior, fold in the enamel of the lingual surface. Type-specimens. —These are parts of one individual, but, should this be questioned by a future investigator, I hereby select the left mandibular ramus as the holotype. The specimens are:—part of the left mandibular ramus with the three molars broken off at the level of the alveolar border; the following teeth of the upper dentition—right second incisor, ? right second premolar, right third premolar, left fourth premolar, right first molar, left second molar, and right third
Latest Paleocene benthic extinction event on the southern Tethyan shelf (Egypt): Foraminiferal stable isotopic (δ13C, δ18O) records

The dramatic global extinction of 35%–50% of benthic foraminifera species in the deep sea in the latest Paleocene and associated negative excursions in δ 13 C and δ 18 O may be related to spreading of warm, saline bottom water from subtropical Tethyan shallow regions over the sea floor worldwide. Our study of neritic sections in Egypt shows that in the southern shallow Tethys, a prominent long-term change in bottom-water chemistry, sedimentation, and benthic foraminifera fauna was initiated at the time when the deep-sea benthic extinction event (BEE) took place. Bottom-water δ 13 C values on the Tethyan shelf show a sudden 3.0‰ negative shift at this event; however, contrary to the deep sea, in which the δ 13 C excursion was of short duration, Tethyan δ 13 C values did not fully return to preboundary values, but remained depressed by ∼1.5‰ for at least 1 m.y. The δ 13 C values at the Egyptian shelf during the BEE are much lower than would be expected if this was a source region for global deep water. The δ 18 O values indicate no significant change in bottom-water salinity or temperature at the BEE. The long-lasting environmental changes that began on the Egyptian shelf at the BEE may be related to, for example, gateway reorganization along the Tethyan seaway. Paleogeographic changes possibly also triggered a change in the loci of global deep-water formation; however, these loci must be sought in another part of the Tethys.
The geology of the Barmer Basin, Rajasthan, India, and the origins of its major oil reservoir, the Fatehgarh Formation

ABSTRACT With the Mangala oil discovery in 2004, Cairn established the Barmer Basin of Rajasthan as a major new hydrocarbon province. Most reserves are contained in fluvial sandstone reservoirs of the Fatehgarh Formation, which probably ranges in age from Late Cretaceous to Early Paleocene. The Fatehgarh sandstones were mainly derived from reworking of Mesozoic sandstones at the northern end of the Barmer rift, but with some volcaniclastic input probably derived from Deccan volcanic rocks within and on the margins of the rift. These thick, quartz-rich, high porosity and permeability sandstones provide an excellent oil reservoir in the north of the Barmer Basin, but the increasing volcanic influence further south causes reservoir quality and thickness of net sand to deteriorate. This paper relates how the tectonic and volcanic evolution of the northwest margin of the Indian plate has influenced the depositional trends which have resulted in formation of this world class reservoir.
Sensitivity of the Eastern Mediterranean geomorphic system towards environmental change during the Late Holocene: a chronological perspective

Alluvial and colluvial sediment deposition provide a vital record of environmental change during the Holocene. Firm chronological control on these archives is necessary to enable us to relate sediment dynamics to human activity and climate variability. In the Eastern Mediterranean, such relationships are hard to establish due to the lack of spatially well‐distributed sediment archives with good chronological control. This scarcity is problematic with respect to regional‐scale reconstructions of the temporal variation of sediment dynamics. Here, we present a radiocarbon database (n = 178) of geomorphological activity collected from multiple distinct sediment archives within the territory of Sagalassos in south‐western Turkey. The data were grouped according to their sedimentary facies for analysis using cumulative probability distributions (CPDs) and sedimentation rate (SR) modelling. Two small‐scale colluvial valleys, where chronological information was abundant, were investigated in more detail. Results show that sedimentation chronology differs between individual, nearby cores, as it depends strongly on the local geomorphic situation. A generalizing approach combining multiple core results yields more widely valid conclusions. High sedimentation rates coincided with the initial major anthropogenic disturbance of the landscape and decreased afterwards, probably due to hillslope soil depletion. CPD and SR analysis indicates that in general colluvial sedimentation rates did not change much from 2000 BC onwards. River floodplain sedimentation, in contrast, increased markedly during the first millennium BC and during recent times, and a significant time lag in enhanced sediment deposition between the upper and lower reaches of the river valleys was observed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.