Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Macroecological responses of terrestrial vegetation to climatic and atmospheric change across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary in East Greenland

Abstract The magnitude and pace of terrestrial plant extinction and macroecological change associated with the Triassic/Jurassic (Tr/J) mass extinction boundary have not been quantified using paleoecological data. However, tracking the diversity and ecology of primary producers provides an ideal surrogate with which to explore patterns of ecosystem stability, collapse, and recovery and to explicitly test for gradual versus catastrophic causal mechanisms of extinction. We present an analysis of the vegetation dynamics in the Jameson Land Basin, East Greenland, spanning the Tr/J extinction event, from a census collected paleoecological data set of 4303 fossil leaf specimens, in an attempt to better constrain our understanding of the causes and consequences of the fourth greatest extinction event in earth history. Our analyses reveal (1) regional turnover of ecological dominants between Triassic and Jurassic plant communities, (2) marked structural changes in the vegetation as reflected by potential loss of a mid-canopy habit, and (3) decline in generic-level richness and evenness and change in ecological composition prior to the Tr/J boundary; all of these findings argue against a single catastrophic causal mechanism, such as a meteorite impact for Tr/J extinctions. We identify various key ecological and biological traits that increased extinction risk at the Tr/J boundary and corroborate predictions of meta-population theory or plant ecophysiological models. These include ecological rarity, complex reproductive biology, and large leaf size. Recovery in terms of generic-level richness was quite rapid following Tr/J extinctions; however, species-level turnover in earliest Jurassic plant communities remained an order of magnitude higher than observed for the Triassic. We hypothesize, on the basis of evidence for geographically extensive macrofossil and palynological turnover across the entire Jameson Land Basin, that the nature and magnitude of paleoecological changes recorded in this study reflect wider vegetation change across the whole region. How exactly these changes in dominance patterns of plant primary production affected the entire ecosystem remains an important avenue of future research.
Concerted hydrogen-bond breaking by quantum tunneling in the water hexamer prism

Gear-like rotation by a wobbly water duo The molecules in liquid water move about constantly, but on average they cling to each other through hydrogen bonds, like dancers who keep switching partners. Richardson et al. uncovered a fresh twist in this molecular dance (see the Perspective by Clary). Studying clusters of six molecules each—essentially the smallest three-dimensional water droplets—they observed coupled motion of two different molecules in the cluster. The process breaks two different hydrogen bonds concurrently in a pattern akin to rotating gears. Science, this issue p. 1310; see also p. 1267 Rotational spectroscopy and accompanying theory uncover gearlike joint motion of a pair of water molecules in a cluster. [Also see Perspective by Clary] The nature of the intermolecular forces between water molecules is the same in small hydrogen-bonded clusters as in the bulk. The rotational spectra of the clusters therefore give insight into the intermolecular forces present in liquid water and ice. The water hexamer is the smallest water cluster to support low-energy structures with branched three-dimensional hydrogen-bond networks, rather than cyclic two-dimensional topologies. Here we report measurements of splitting patterns in rotational transitions of the water hexamer prism, and we used quantum simulations to show that they result from geared and antigeared rotations of a pair of water molecules. Unlike previously reported tunneling motions in water clusters, the geared motion involves the concerted breaking of two hydrogen bonds. Similar types of motion may be feasible in interfacial and confined water.
Modeling wildfire hazard in the western Hindu Kush-Himalayas

MODELING WILDFIRE HAZARD IN THE WESTERN HINDU KUSH-HIMALAYAS by David Bylow Wildfire regimes are a leading driver of global environmental change affecting diverse ecosystems across the planet. The objectives of this study were to model regional wildfire potential and identify environmental, topological, and sociological factors that contribute to the ignition of regional wildfire events in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas. The environmental, topological, and sociological factors were used to model regional wildfire potential through multi-criteria evaluation using a method of weighted linear combination. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and geographic information systems (GIS) data were integrated to identify regional wildfire factors. Point pattern and inferential statistical analysis were used to analyze regional wildfire activity and evaluate the factors selected for the model.
Cold regions engineering: climatic warming concerns for Alaska

Recent climatological data indicate that a climatic warming is in progress in Alaska, and global circulation climate models predict accelerated climatic warming as a result of global atmospheric changes. Permafrost temperature logs in deep boreholes on the North Slope of Alaska indicate warming by as much as 4°C during the last century. In areas south of the Arctic Circle, permafrost temperatures are generally with 3°C of thawing and deep borehole temperature logs show evidences of warming at some sites while temperatures appear stable at others. Observations near several experimental highway sites, which have continued for as long as 20 years, have shown a permafrost warming of 0.1–0.6°C at the 9.15-m (30-ft) depth. Global “greenhouse” warming forecasts indicate that the high latitudes of the earth may warm by about 3–12°C by the middle of the next century as the result of an effective doubling of the greenhouse gas content of the atmosphere. Engineers designing for these latitudes, which include most of Alaska, would appear to be justified in using an estimated air temperature warming of about 1°C per decade until more refined forecasts become available.
On the ascent of sap in the presence of bubbles.

Because the uptake and transport of water in plants is tightly linked to photosynthesis, plant water relations play a major role in developing mechanistic models of plant growth, yield, and crop production and in predicting future species distribution and plant responses to climate change. One would expect, therefore, that our basic understanding of plant hydraulics is now fairly complete. Th ere is general consensus about the driving mechanism for plant water transport by the cohesion-tension (C-T) theory, which was fi rst proposed 120 yr ago ( Askenasy, 1895 ; Dixon and Joly, 1895 ) and has survived many tests and challenges. Nevertheless, our understanding of water uptake and long-distance transport in plants remains controversial and potentially confusing to those outside the field due to different interpretations of air entry into waterconducting cells. It is clear that any hydraulic system that operates under negative pressure is potentially prone to failure by air bubble formation. Air bubbles that enter a xylem conduit where the liquid is under tension should, in theory, rapidly expand to fi ll the conduit and block water transport ( Fig. 1 ). Th erefore, over the years bubbles have been a focus of research on the ascent of sap in plants, both as confusing methodological artifacts associated with manipulating a transport system containing liquid under tension ( Jansen et al., 2015 ) and as a long-standing perceived challenge to the C-T theory, which on its face would appear to be incompatible with the existence of air bubbles in xylem.
Application the geographic information system for the determination of topographic factor in a watershed

The topographical factor represents the influence of the length and steepness of the slope in the intensity of hydric erosion in the soil. The aim of this study is to test the use of the Geographic Information System (GIS) in the determination of the topographical factor (LS) of the universal equation of soil losses, USLE in the Córrego Tijuco watershed, São Paulo State, Brazil. The study area, which covers 8007.4 ha, has gently undulating relief and two classes of soil (Latossolo Vermelho e Argissolo Vermelho Amarelo). The work was carried out based on geographic information system for calculating the topographic factor. The results showed a predominance of areas with low to moderate values of topographic factor. Although the watershed relief is predominantly gently undulating to strong undulating, the factor (LS) exerted a major influence on erosion mainly to the amount of the watershed where the terrain has a gently relief. High values of slope length (L) and the highest values of the topographic factor were verified in downstream of the watershed.
A comparative study of the northwest Africa and eastern equatorial Pacific upwelling zones as sources of CO2 during glacial periods based on boron isotope paleo‐pH estimation

Paleo-pH reconstructions based on boron isotopic composition of foraminifera have been used to estimate glacial-interglacial changes in surface ocean pCO2 of the northwest African upwelling zone. On comparison with a similar study for the eastern equatorial Pacific upwelling zone, it can be concluded that the two major upwelling zones acted quite differently during the glacial periods as compared to today. While the pH of the surface ocean off northwest Africa was 0.2±0.07 units higher during the glacial period compared to that during Holocene, there was no significant glacial-interglacial change in the surface ocean pH in the eastern equatorial Pacific. Carbonate chemistry reconstructions based on the estimated pH changes suggest that the ocean-atmosphere pCO2 gradient off northwest Africa was lower by at least 70±40 µatm during glacial periods compared to during the Holocene. In contrast, the ocean-atmosphere pCO2 gradient in the eastern equatorial Pacific was higher by at least 80±40 µatm during glacial periods as compared to during the Holocene. Hence the eastern equatorial Pacific upwelling system was a significantly larger source of CO2 to the atmosphere, while the one off northwest Africa was a significantly smaller source of CO2 during the last glacial period. The pCO2 reconstructions further indicate that in spite of higher glacial productivity compared to during the Holocene, neither of the two areas became a sink of CO2.
Un arco de Islas Terciario en el Occidente Colombiano

Dentro de la Geologia Colombiana es un detalle interesante que se presenten batolitos y stocks de rocas igneas acidas al occidente de la falla de Romeral y de las rocas oceanicas de la Cordillera Occidental. La explicacion del magmatismo que origino los batolitos de Acandi- Mande y otros cuerpos intrusivos al Sur del pais, logicamente tiene que buscarse en un choque de placas al occidente a una distancia adecuadamente grande de la linea magmatica Acandi-Mande, por lo que se buscaron datos y evidencias en la zona costera del Baudo, que han permitido sustentar esa idea.
U–Pb dating of monazite and its application to geological problems

Monazite is an underutilized mineral in U–Pb geochronological studies of crustal rocks. It occurs as an accessory mineral in a wide variety of rocks, including granite, pegmatite, felsic volcanic ash, felsic gneiss, pelitic schist and gneiss of medium to high metamorphic grade, and low-grade metasedimentary rocks, and as a detrital mineral in clastic and metaclastic sediments.In geochronological applications, it can be used to date the crystallization of igneous rocks, determine the age of metamorphism in metamorphic rocks of variable metamorphic grade, and determine the age and neodymium isotopic characteristics of source materials of both igneous and sedimentary rocks. It is particularly useful in the dating of peraluminous granitic rocks where zircon inheritance often precludes a precise U–Pb age for magmatic zircon. The U–Pb systematics of the mineral are not without complexity, however. Being a mineral that favors incorporation of Th relative to U, it can contain considerable amounts of excess 206Pb .
GeoCaju - um software para contagem não supervisionada de pés de caju

This paper presents the result of a joint research p roject involving Embrapa Informatica Agropecuaria (Campinas, SP) and Embrapa Agroindustria Tropical (Fortaleza/CE), aiming the use of high spatial resolution satellite imagery (Quickbird), t o identify and count individual cashew fruit trees. One of the main results was the software GeoCaju, implemented in Java, which simplified the counting task usi ng a combination of image processing techniques - mathematical morphology and complex diffusion filter - an d an optimization process, based on genetic algorithm , to easy the localization and counting of the tree s. The farm Soever, in Beberibe county, CE, supported the field work. Results obtained with GeoCaju, mainly due to the genetic algorithm, were promising, reaching an accuracy of 99% in identifying and counting the trees. Palavras-chave: Quickbird, genetic algorithm, cashew, image process ing, Quickbird, algoritmo genetico, caju, processamento de imagens. 1. Introducao Com uma area plantada de cajueiros superior a 650 mil ha, a regiao NE responde por mais de 95% da producao nacional de castanha. A importância social dessa cultura no Brasil traduz-se pelo numero de empregos diretos qu e gera, sendo 35 mil no campo e 15 mil na industria, alem de 250 mil empregos indireto s nos dois segmentos (Oliveira, 2002). A heterogeneidade dos plantios comerciais existente s e a nao adocao de uma tecnologia agronomica orientadora minima vem comprometendo todo o processo de producao com produtividade de castanha muito baixas. O real conh ecimento da populacao de plantas, mediante o emprego de um software desenvolvido para tal fim pode ser um importante instrumento para subsidiar politicas publicas, refe rentes a renovacao dos pomares de cajueiro da regiao ao permitir a obtencao de um dia gnostico fidedigno da populacao de plantas existentes. Nas imagens de satelite de alta resolucao espacial, como Ikonos e Quickbird, detalhes de predios, sombras, estradas e plantas individuais sao visiveis. Essa visibilidade permite a exploracao de novas aplicacoes que requerem infor macoes geometricas, contextuais e texturais contidas nas imagens. Exemplos de aplicac oes sao estimativa de altura de predios pela sua sombra, delineamento nao supervisi onado de copas para enumeracao de plantas e extracao de atributos lineares, como estr adas, para aplicacoes cartograficas. Para melhor explorar o potencial dessas imagens, algorit mos de analise e processamento de
Equatorial Pacific subsurface countercurrents in a high‐resolution global ocean circulation model

[1] We analyzed the results of a high-resolution global ocean circulation model with 1/4-degree grid spacing and 55 vertical levels to investigate the structure and the mechanism of subsurface countercurrents (SCCs) in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. The model SCCs have observably similar structures; that is, they are associated with the pycnostad between 26.0 and 26. 8σθ, deep in the west and shallow and in the east, and the densities in the SCCs' cores decrease from west to east. The volume transport in the density layer shows that each of the north SCC and the primary south SCC accompanies a westward current at their equator side; the SCC and the westward current comprise the recirculation gyre there. High mesoscale eddy activity results in a mean flow acceleration corresponding to the SCCs, especially to the north SCC in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The structures are consistent with the low potential vorticity (PV) in the equatorial region; thus the recirculations are suggested to be related with the homogenization of the PV in the equatorial region by eddy activity. In contrast, the secondary south SCC flows southeastward along the thickness front of the layer between 26.0 and 26. 8σθ and ends near the coast around 11°S, 80°W. The coastal undercurrent and upwelling drain the water from it there. This suggests that the secondary south SCC is not a part of recirculation, but rather driven by force near the eastern boundary.
HIV and Age Do Not Synergistically Affect Age-Related T cell Markers

Introduction: Despite major progress in controlling HIV disease through anti-retroviral therapy (ART), changes in immune phenotype and function persist in individuals with chronic HIV, raising questions about accelerated aging of the immune system. We conducted a cross sectional study (2005-2007) of HIV-infected (n=111) and uninfected (n=114) males from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. All HIV-infected subjects were on ART with VL<400 copies/mL for at least three years. T cell markers were examined via flow cytometry. We evaluated the impact of HIV serostatus and age on T cell phenotypes (expressed as percentages of the total CD4+ and CD8+ T cell population) using multivariate linear regression, adjusted for smoking, alcohol, and race/ethnicity. We tested for interactions between HIV and age by including interaction terms. Results: malignancy; history of interferon-gamma, interferon-alpha, IL-2, therapy; history bone and (HCV) (positive test). Cytomegalovirus by albumin (Sigma-Aldrich). A live-dead marker was used to discriminate between live and dead T cells with two probes that measure recognized parameters of cell health: plasma membrane integrity and intracellular esterase activity (Live/Dead Viability/Vitality Kit, Molecular Probes). Cells were stained for 20 minutes at room temperature in the dark with panels of fluorescently labeled antibodies against a variety of cell surface markers in three different panels: anti-CD3-Alexa700 (BD Biosciences), anti-CD4-Pacific Blue (BD Biosciences), anti-CD8 PE-Cy55 (BD Biosciences), anti-CD25-PECy7 (BD Biosciences), anti-CD127-PE (BD Biosciences), anti-CD38-PE (BD Biosciences), anti-HLA-DR-PECy7(BD Biosciences), anti-CD27-APC-Cy7(BD Biosciences), anti-CD28-APC(BD Biosciences), anti-CD-CD45RA-PECy7(BD Biosciences), and anti-CD57-FITC (eBioscienes). After fixation and permeabilization (FoxP3 fix/perm kit, eBiosciences), cells in the T regulatory cell panel were stained with anti-FoxP3-APC (eBiosciences) for 45 minutes at room temperature in the dark. Data were collected on an LSRII cells
Concentric waves and short‐period oscillations observed in the ionosphere after the 2013 Moore EF5 tornado

We detected clear concentric waves and short‐period oscillations in the ionosphere after an Enhanced Fujita scale (EF)5 tornado hit Moore, Oklahoma, U.S., on 20 May 2013 using dense wide‐coverage ionospheric total electron content (TEC) observations in North America. These concentric waves were nondispersive, with a horizontal wavelength of ~120 km and a period of ~13 min. They were observed for more than 7 h throughout North America. TEC oscillations with a period of ~4 min were also observed to the south of Moore for more than 8 h. A comparison between the TEC observations and infrared cloud image from the GOES satellite indicates that the concentric waves and short‐period oscillations are caused by supercell‐induced atmospheric gravity waves and acoustic resonances, respectively. This observational result provides the first clear evidence of a severe meteorological event causing atmospheric waves propagating upward in the upper atmosphere and reaching the ionosphere.
The effects, costs and benefits of Salmonella control in the Danish table-egg sector

SUMMARY A public plan for eradicating Salmonella in Danish table-egg production was implemented in 1996. During 2002, the poultry industry took over the responsibility of the programme. The proportion of infected layer flocks was reduced from 13·4% in 1998 to 0·4% in 2006. The public-health impact of the plan has been quite marked. In 1997, 55–65% of the 5015 cases of human salmonellosis were estimated to be associated with eggs. In 2006, these figures were reduced to 1658 and 5–7%, respectively. Based on an assessment of the number of human cases attributable to table eggs, we used probabilistic modelling to estimate the avoided societal costs (health care and lost labour), and compared these with the public costs of control. The probable avoided societal costs during 1998–2002 were estimated to be 23·3 million euros (95% CI 16·3–34·9), and the results showed a continuous decreasing cost–benefit ratio reaching well below 1 in 2002. Further reductions in the primary production based on effective surveillance and control are required to ensure continued success.
An integrated model of soil-canopy spectral radiances, photosynthesis, fluorescence, temperature and energy balance

Abstract. This paper presents the model SCOPE (Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes), which is a vertical (1-D) integrated radiative transfer and energy balance model. The model links visible to thermal infrared radiance spectra (0.4 to 50 μm) as observed above the canopy to the fluxes of water, heat and carbon dioxide, as a function of vegetation structure, and the vertical profiles of temperature. Output of the model is the spectrum of outgoing radiation in the viewing direction and the turbulent heat fluxes, photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence. A special routine is dedicated to the calculation of photosynthesis rate and chlorophyll fluorescence at the leaf level as a function of net radiation and leaf temperature. The fluorescence contributions from individual leaves are integrated over the canopy layer to calculate top-of-canopy fluorescence. The calculation of radiative transfer and the energy balance is fully integrated, allowing for feedback between leaf temperatures, leaf chlorophyll fluorescence and radiative fluxes. Leaf temperatures are calculated on the basis of energy balance closure. Model simulations were evaluated against observations reported in the literature and against data collected during field campaigns. These evaluations showed that SCOPE is able to reproduce realistic radiance spectra, directional radiance and energy balance fluxes. The model may be applied for the design of algorithms for the retrieval of evapotranspiration from optical and thermal earth observation data, for validation of existing methods to monitor vegetation functioning, to help interpret canopy fluorescence measurements, and to study the relationships between synoptic observations with diurnally integrated quantities. The model has been implemented in Matlab and has a modular design, thus allowing for great flexibility and scalability.
Tracing the advection of organic carbon into the subsurface Sargasso Sea using a 228Ra/226Ra tracer

During a 3‐year record of 228Ra/226Ra ratio profiles (from nine cruises) in the Sargasso Sea, two profiles in the Spring (April 1997 and 1998) show distinct subsurface maxima. Such maxima in the radium isotope ratio record the subsurface advection of surface waters, such as subtropical mode waters. The April 1997 maximum occurred below the euphotic zone (between 300–400 m) and was also coincident with that of POC and dissolved oxygen, supporting the subsurface advection of surface waters. This single event represents a large isopycnal injection (23 g m−2) of organic carbon into the subsurface ocean. Although we cannot quantify carbon export by this process on a basin scale based on these single‐site measurements, it may be an important pathway for short‐term oceanic carbon export.