Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Food oppression in the United Kingdom: A study of structural race and income-based food access inequalities

Abstract In 2007, Freeman pioneered the phrase “food oppression” to capture the state’s perpetuation of socioeconomic and racial disparities in nutrient consumption and diet-related diseases in the United States. Amid an increasing awareness of the impact of intersecting identities in all facets of life, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement, this article argues that food oppression is an equally applicable, and necessary, characterization of the unequal enjoyment of the right to food in the United Kingdom. Patterns of food insecurity—chiefly, the overrepresentation of Black households among food bank users—are tied back to the austerity measures enacted by the Conservative–Liberal Democrat Coalition Government in response to the 2007/2008 financial crisis. These findings illuminate the race- and class-based barriers to access to adequate food in the United Kingdom that predate the pandemic as a manifestation of racial capitalism yet have increased in prominence. The article concludes that the adoption of a rights-based approach to household food security by the state is necessary to formulate policies that target the commodification of food and ensure a nutritious diet is available to all without discrimination.
Assessing the Use of Archaeal Lipids as Marine Environmental Proxies

Archaea are abundant in marine and terrestrial aquatic environments, sediments, and soils. They inhabit at least an 85°C temperature range from the polar ocean to hydrothermal springs. Many Archaea produce membrane lipids called glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs). Experiments on pure and enrichment cultures as well as an empirical correlation for marine sediments (the TEX86 index) together show positive relationships between temperature and the number of cyclopentane or cyclohexane rings in GDGTs. The resulting TEX86 paleotemperature proxy has been applied across a wide range of geologic history and depositional settings. The exact relationship between TEX86 and temperature, however, remains poorly understood. Environmental systems and cultures have different temperature dependencies, and the ecological niche(s) of aquatic Archaea are still a subject of active investigation. Here we review some of the remaining questions about GDGT paleotemperature proxies. Better answers to these challenging p.
Identifying potential DNA methylation markers for the detection of esophageal cancer in plasma

Background: Esophageal cancer (EC) is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in China, with the 5-year survival rate reaching less than 30%, because most cases were diagnosed and treated at the advanced stage. However, there is still a lack of low-cost, efficient, and accurate non-invasive methods for the early detection of EC at present. Methods: A total of 48 EC plasma and 101 control plasma samples were collected in a training cohort from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021, and seven cancer-related DNA methylation markers (ELMO1, ZNF582, FAM19A4, PAX1, C13orf18, JAM3 and TERT) were tested in these samples to select potential markers. In total, 20 EC, 10 gastric cancer (GC), 10 colorectal cancer (CRC), and 20 control plasma samples were collected in a validation cohort to evaluate the two-gene panel. Results: ZNF582, FAM19A4, JAM3, or TERT methylation in plasma was shown to significantly distinguish EC and control subjects (p < 0.05), and the combination of ZNF582 and FAM19A4 methylation was the two-gene panel that exhibited the best performance for the detection of EC with 60.4% sensitivity (95% CI: 45.3%–73.9%) and 83.2% specificity (95% CI: 74.1%–89.6%) in the training cohort. The performance of this two-gene panel showed no significant difference between different age and gender groups. When the two-gene panel was combined with CEA, the sensitivity for EC detection was further improved to 71.1%. In the validation cohort, the sensitivity of the two-gene panel for detecting EC, GC, and CRC was 60.0%, 30.0%, and 30.0%, respectively, with a specificity of 90.0%. Conclusion: The identified methylation marker panel provided a potential non-invasive strategy for EC detection, but further validation should be performed in more clinical centers.
Estimating bidirectional reflectance and monitoring stability of SNPP-VIIRS reflective solar bands using a deep neural network

The NASA Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System project provides the scientific community with observed top-of-atmosphere shortwave and longwave fluxes for climate monitoring and climate model validation. To provide consistent VIIRS cloud retrievals, the CERES Imager and Geostationary Calibration Group (IGCG) must understand and quantify the stability of the VIIRS instruments. To achieve this, the IGCG utilizes tropical deep convective clouds (DCCs) as invariant targets. Proper seasonal characterization of the DCC bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) is key to the success of DCC-based calibration methods, particularly for shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands. This article proposes the use of a deep neural network (DNN) to characterize VIIRS solar reflective band BRDF reflectance, with which individual channel trends are isolated by manipulating the DNN time input. Initial results show that the DNN method can extract statistically significant SNPP-VIIRS band trends, using only SNPP-VIIRS inputs, that are correlative to and match the magnitude of significant trends determined using methods that rely on an external angular distribution model. The goal is to use this approach to actively monitor the stability of new instruments without the need for predetermined seasonal BRDF corrections.
CORE FLOOD STUDIES TO EVALUATE EFFICIENCY OF OIL RECOVERY BY LOW SALINITY WATER FLOODING AS A SECONDARY RECOVERY PROCESS

Various researches on laboratory and field scale illustrate that manipulating the ionic composition and the ion concentration of injected water can affect the efficiency of water flooding and the interaction of injected water with rock and other fluids present in porous media. The objectives of this paper are to investigate parameters that affect low salinity water flooding; mainly the effect of injecting water salinity on and the potential of low salinity water flooding for oil recovery in secondary recovery mode are studied. The effect of pH and differential pressure across the core are used to explain the mechanism of fine migration phenomena. The recovery results of formation water injection were compared for the seawater, formation water with a salinity of 0.1 and 0.01, and when divalent ions were removed from the formation water with a salinity of 0.01 to investigate the effect of divalent ions on oil recovery. Different types of crude oil were used for investigating the effect crude oil properties on oil recovery. Seawater injection resulted in lowest oil recovery of 2.6% and the reduction of water salinity of formation water from 0.1 to 0.01 resulted in an improvement of 4% and 7.7% in oil recovery respectively. Removing divalent ions from the injected water decreased the improving effect of low salinity water flooding. In addition, both types of crude oil responded to low salinity flooding and no straight correlation was seen between acid number and the improving effect of low salinity water flooding.
The Younger Dryas Termination and North Atlantic Deep Water Formation: Insights from climate model simulations and Greenland Ice Cores

Results from the GISP2 and GRIP ice cores show that the termination of the Younger Dryas (YD) climate event in Greenland was a large and extremely fast climate change. A reinitiation of North Atlantic Deep Water formation following a shutdown, and its associated winter release of heat to the atmosphere, has been suggested as the most likely cause of this climate transition. To test this idea, two general circulation model experiments using GENESIS have been completed for YD time (12,000 calendar years ago): one with low heat flux in the Nordic Seas (10 W/m², deep water shutdown) and one with high Nordic Sea heat flux (300 W/m², active deep water formation). Comparison of Greenland climate differences between these experiments with the ice core records shows that when deep water is turned on, much of the YD termination warming is achieved. The increase in precipitation is underestimated because of a model tendency to overestimate summertime precipitation, which obscures the dominantly wintertime response to the specified forcing. The winter storm track shift toward Greenland contributes much of the climate change at the YD termination.
Principales amenazas a la biodiversidad marina

Evaluaciones recientes sobre el conocimiento de la biodiversidad registran que las especies marinas corresponden apenas a un 15% del total de los taxones conocidos en el planeta. La falta de conocimiento de la diversidad marina se suma a una acelerada tasa de pérdida de la misma, debido esencialmente a causas antropogénicas. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar una revisión de las principales amenazas de origen humano a la biodiversidad marina, tales como sobrepesca, descarga de nutrientes, derrames de petróleo, destrucción de hábitat, bioinvasiones, florecimientos algales nocivos y cambios globales. Cada una de estas amenazas pone en riesgo una o varias especies, y a largo plazo, modifica hábitats y ecosistemas completos, causando una pérdida de biodiversidad, muchas veces difícil de evaluar. Mientras en los ecosistemas terrestres el principal factor de riesgo es la destrucción de hábitat, en ambientes marinos la sobreexplotación de recursos es la causa principal de pérdida de biodiversidad. La percepción que los ecosistemas marinos son más resilientes a los disturbios que los ecosistemas terrestres necesita ser reevaluada, ya que probablemente no corresponde a la realidad.
Climate change adaptation options, tools and vulnerability.Contribution of Work Package 4 to the Forest Vulnerability Assessment

The assessment of the vulnerability of Australian forests to climate change is an initiative of the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council (NRMMC). The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) was approached to carry out such a comprehensive Forest Vulnerability Assessment (FVA). NCCARF engaged four research groups to investigate distinct aspects in relation to the vulnerability of forests, each of which has produced a report. In addition a fifth group was engaged to create a summary and synthesis report of the project. This report – Climate change adaptation options, tools and vulnerability - is the fourth report in the series. Through semi-structured stakeholder interviews, a social learning workshop with industry, and a review of published and unpublished literature, this part of the FVA project considers the adaptation options and strategies available for the forest sector to deal with climate change and the vulnerability of Australia's forests. This includes tools and guidance available to inform planning and policy for climate change adaptation in government and the private forestry sector. A conceptual framework for understanding the vulnerability of Australia's forests to climate change was used. This provides that the impact of climate change depends on both the magnitude of climate change in the particular location (exposure) and how strongly each unit change in climate impacts that activity (sensitivity). However, since forest managers are likely to take actions in response to these changes (adaptation), the potential impacts are likely to be modified through their actions. This "adaptive capacity" will be a function of the operating context of the forest system, the knowledge and options of the forestry sector and individual capability. In other words, the vulnerability of forests to climate change is dependent not just on the potential biophysical impacts but also on the way people respond and their potential to minimise any adverse impacts. In the first and second parts of the FVA project the exposure and sensitivity of Australia’s forests were considered. Here we focus on adaptive capacity and adaptation options and actions.
One point calibration in interferometric radiometers devoted to Earth observation

Amplitude calibration has a major impact on the final performance of an interferometric radiometer devoted to Earth observation. This work presents a new method to calibrate the instrument based on a combination of internal and external signals. This so-called "one point" calibration makes use of deep sky views as single external calibration target. This method will be tested in the commissioning phase of the MIRAS/SMOS mission by the European Space Agency, as a back-up of the current calibration approach.
Comparing the Effectiveness of Intravenous Tissue Plasminogen Activator and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients With Minor Stroke: A Meta-Analysis

The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes between dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) versus intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA) in patients with minor stroke. This meta-analysis follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines. Two authors independently conducted online database searches using PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE to identify articles published in English language from inception to September 5, 2023. Outcomes assessed in this meta-analysis included all-cause mortality, stroke incidence, and functional outcomes (measured by modified ranking scale (mRS) scores of 0 to 1). A total of three studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and included in the final analysis. Pooled analysis showed that the risk of all-cause mortality was not significantly different between the t-PA group and DAPT group (relative risk (RR): 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.32-4.06). Compared with those treated with DAPT, there was no significant difference in t-PA in terms of the number of patients with a favorable functional outcome (defined as an mRS score of 0-1). The risk of stroke was not significantly different between the t-PA group and DAPT group (RR: 1.11, 95% CI: 0.68 to 1.82). The analysis, based on three studies, revealed no significant differences between t-PA and DAPT regarding all-cause mortality, stroke incidence, and functional outcomes.
Predicting the impact of linear landscape elements on surface runoff, soil erosion, and sedimentation in the Wahnbach catchment, Germany

Model predictions concerning the endangerment of on‐site and off‐site damages due to runoff, soil erosion and sedimentation under alternative design and operation policies are of particular importance in recent catchment planning and management. By using the raster‐based model approach, linear landscape elements, such as streets and roads, and their impacts on flow paths are often neglected. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the effects of linear landscape elements on patterns of soil erosion, sediment transport and sedimentation. To accomplish this, roads are considered while determining flow paths. Simulations in the well‐investigated catchment of the Wahnbach River (54 km²) in a low mountain range in Germany were carried out using a combination of different models for hydrology and soil erosion. Although the study focuses on the catchment scale of the Wahnbach River, detailed investigations concerning the sub‐catchment scale (21 ha) were also conducted. The simulation results show that these spatial structures mainly affect the pattern of soil erosion and sedimentation. On the sub‐catchment scale, improved identification of active zones for sediment dynamic becomes possible. On the catchment scale, the predicted runoff is about 20% higher, and sediment outputs were four times larger than predicted when roads were considered. Soil erosion increases by 37% whereas sedimentation is reduced by 29%. The model improvement could not be evaluated on the catchment scale because of the high variability and heterogeneity of land use and soils, but road impacts could be explained by simulations on the sub‐catchment scale. It can be concluded that runoff concentration due to rerouted flow paths leads to lower non‐concentrated and higher concentric‐linear surface runoff. Thus, infiltration losses decline and surface runoff and soil erosion increase because sedimentation is reduced. Further, runoff concentration can cause soil erosion hot spots. In the model concept used in this study, buffering of runoff and sediments on the upslope side of roads and in local depressions adjacent to roads cannot be simulated. Flow paths will only be rerouted because of road impacts, but the temporal ponding of water is not simulated. Therefore, the drastic increase of predicted sediment output due to road impact does not seem to be reliable. However, results indicate that the consideration of roads when determining flow paths enabled more detailed simulations of surface runoff, soil erosion and sedimentation. Thus, progress in model‐based decision‐making support for river catchment planning and management can be achieved. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Well log‐derived estimates of thermal conductivity in crystalline rocks penetrated by the 4‐KM deep KTB Vorbohrung

Well log measurements of compressional and shear velocity (Vp, Vs), density, and temperature from the 4 km-deep KTB Vorbohrung (pilot hole) were applied in a phonon conduction model for the thermal conductivity of a crystalline solid. The resulting conductivity estimates were compared with conductivities (kLAB) measured on the nearly continuous (91% recovery) core. Previous studies have shown the log-derived conductivity (kLOG) to be within ±15% of kLAB in isotropic or flat-lying anisotropic crystalline rocks. The section penetrated by the KTB pilot hole includes both predominantly isotropic metabasites and highly anisotropic gneisses with foliation dips ranging from horizontal to vertical. The predictions of the phonon model were accurate within ±4% in the metabasites but inaccurate by as much as 23% in the gneisses. The accuracy of the model in the metabasites confirms the utility of the phonon conduction approach in isotropic or weakly anisotropic rocks, but the discrepancies in the anisotropic gneisses remain unexplained. These relatively large discrepancies between kLOG and kLAB correspond to depths at which laboratory measurements of Vs under in situ conditions deviate from the sonic log Vs. This suggests that sonic log determinations of Vs may not be reliable in dipping, anisotropic rocks. Alternatively, the laboratory Vs measurements may not constitute a representative sample, or there may be errors in the phonon conduction model. If the discrepancies can be tied to errors in sonic log Vs measurements, the phonon conduction model may provide a tool for deriving thermal conductivity profiles of the Earth's crust from seismic studies of Vp and Vs.
Short migration of methane into a gas hydrate‐bearing sand layer at Walker Ridge, Gulf of Mexico

The mechanisms governing distribution of natural gas hydrates in marine sediment systems are not well understood. We focus on a hole in the Gulf of Mexico, Walker Ridge Block 313 Hole H, where a 2.5‐m‐thick gas hydrate‐bearing sand occurs within a 152‐m‐thick fine‐grained mud interval containing gas hydrate in fractures. The gas hydrate‐bearing sand is surrounded by two distinct hydrate‐free zones (10‐m‐thick above and 3‐m‐thick below). We hypothesize that microbial methane generated within the hydrate‐free zones diffused into the sand and formed gas hydrate. We show that the amount of methane produced in the hydrate‐free zones is likely enough to explain the gas hydrate content of the sand layer. Additionally, we show that there is enough time for dissolved methane to diffuse from the hydrate‐free zones into the sand. We conclude that methane transport over significant distances via fluid flow is not required but that microbial methane could migrate short distances to form gas hydrate in the sand layer.
Geologic carbon sequestration as a global strategy to mitigate CO2 emissions: Sustainability and environmental risk

Geologic Carbon Sequestration as a Global Strategy to Mitigate CO 2 Emissions: Sustainability and Environmental Risk Curtis M. Oldenburg Earth Sciences Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley, CA 94720 Glossary Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) - The capture of CO 2 from fossil-fuel power plants and other industrial point sources and its injection through wells into deep geologic formations for permanent storage. Consequence - An impact arising from the occurrence of an event or process. For example, the consequence of high CO 2 concentrations in the atmosphere is global warming. Geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) = Geologic CO 2 storage (GCS) - The last step of CCS in which CO 2 is injected through wells into deep subsurface formations for permanent storage. Hazard - A potential impact or consequence of an event or process. For example, high CO 2 emissions are a hazard to climate because CO 2 is a greenhouse gas. Likelihood - The probability or degree of potential for an event or process to occur. For example, the likelihood of CO 2 emissions to increase is very high given population growth and worldwide increases in standard of living.
Discovery of Blueschists in the Medvednica Mountain (Northern Croatia) and Their Significance for the Interpretation of the Geotectonic Evolution of the Area

Blueschists were discovered in the metamorphic rocks of the Medvednica mountain. Two varieties of blueschists are recognised, one with garnets and another with omphacite. Determined mineral associations are composed of sodic amphibole (glaucophane and crossite), garnet, omphacite and white mica. These mineral associations indicate metamorphic conditions which are transitional between blueschist and eclogite facies, i.e. high pressures at relatively moderate temperatures (LG, HP/LT). Such conditions are often characteristic of subduction zones. The occurrence of high-pressure metamorphic rocks in the Medvednica mountain, together with local outcrops of ultramafic rocks (serpentinised harzburgite, dunite and serpentinite) indicate subduction related rocks of the Dinaric part of the Tethyan oceanic crust. In the northern part of the Dinarides, ultramafic rocks and glaucophane schists have also been found in the Motajica and Fruska gora mountains. The Medvednica-Motajica-Fruska gora zone probably represents a relict subduction zone in the Dinaridic part of Tethys, along which regional high-pressure metamorphism took place.
Exploring resilience in the case of AIDS among female-headed households in Northern Zambia

AIDS affects all facets of people’s livelihoods through illness, death and the subsequent care of orphaned children. While AIDS has negative impacts on the livelihoods of many households, not all affected households experience a loss of livelihood security. Several factors condition people’s ability to respond to AIDS impacts. This paper explores the concept of resilience in the context of AIDS-related adversity and suffering. In the paper resilience is seen as the responses that enable households to persist or adapt to the difficulties caused by AIDS. Using case material from Northern Zambia, specific attention will be paid to resource mobilisation and factors that enable resilience. Also, the paper examines some of the methodological implications relating to research on resilience. [resilience, AIDS, social capital, gender, resource mobilization, Zambia]