Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controls on the Spatial Variability of Modern Meteoric δ18O: Empirical Constraints from the Western U.S. and East Asia and Implications for Stable Isotope Studies

We analyze a dataset of multiannual modern precipitation and meteoric water records from the western U.S. (n = 206) and east Asia (n = 478) to (1) determine which environmental parameters correlate best with and account for spatial variability of meteoric water isotopic (δ18O and δD) compositions and (2) assess the degree to which this variability is a function of physiography and climatology. Multivariate linear regression analysis including five environmental parameters [latitude, longitude, elevation, mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP)] reveals that latitude and elevation are consistently strongly correlated with meteoric δ18O distributions throughout much of the western U.S. and east Asia, but correlations with site longitude, MAT, and MAP can also be significant, depending on region. Our analysis also indicates that isotope-environment relationships are region-dependent. Isotope-elevation gradients are reduced by a factor of two or more in continental interior rainshadows (for example, Basin and Range) and high elevation continental plateaus (for example, Tibetan Plateau) in comparison to isotope-elevation gradients observed in orographic settings with a single dominant moisture source and relatively simple storm track trajectories (for example, Sierra Nevada and Himalaya). Published global and continental predictive equations for the calculation of modern meteoric water isotopic compositions that do not account for this regional variability are shown to be characterized by significant predictive uncertainties for modern δ18O values (∼ ±3-4‰), particularly in regions of complex moisture source interactions, continental moisture recycling and increased convective storm activity where reduced isotope-elevation gradients are also observed. We present new empirical relationships between environmental parameters and isotopic compositions that inform stable isotope-based reconstructions of climate change, timing and location of groundwater recharge, and paleoaltimetry by providing quantitative constraints on the statistical relationship between precipitation δ18O and individual environmental parameters (for example, latitude, elevation, temperature) and identifying how isotopic relationships are influenced by physiography and climatology. In particular, paleoelevation estimates in regions of low-magnitude isotope-elevation gradients (Basin and Range, Tibet) are shown to be prone to significant uncertainties (in some cases > ±2 km). These relationships improve the interpretation of stable isotope proxy data, particularly in cases where the paleogeographic setting of proxy formation can be constrained.
The numerical response of great horned owls to the snowshoe hare cycle in the boreal forest

Great homed owls (Bubo virginianus) are among the most opportunistic avian predators. In the subarctic boreal forest, their diet consists mainly of snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), which show extreme population cycles with a 8-11 year period. The aim of this thesis was to study the population ecology of great homed owls in a cyclic environment, to investigate the components of the numerical response of this predator to its prey, and to evaluate the evolutionary context of the ecological processes involved. The study was conducted from 1989-92, with some data from 1988 and 1993, at Kluane Lake in the southwestern Yukon, Canada. During the increase phase of the snowshoe hare cycle, 86% of resident owl pairs bred and raised large broods of 2.4-2.6 fledglings per successful nest. Survival of young owls in their first two years of life was high, and two females were observed to breed as yearlings. Densities of territorial owls almost doubled to a maximum of 21-24 pairs/100km2 from 1988-92, but most owls that recruited locally became non-territorial 'floaters', presumably because social behaviour limited the number of territories. Floaters were silent, their ranges overlapped with those of territorial birds, and their density reached 40-50% of the total population. Snowshoe hares began to decline in the winter of 1990/91, and the number of great homed owls recruited in fall dropped from 1.7/pair in 1989-90 to 0.3/pair in 1991. Proximate causes of high pre-dispersal mortality included predation by mammals and parasitism by black flies (Simuliidae) and by Leucocytozoon ziemanni, a blood parasite transmitted by these flies. Post-dispersal mortality and emigration of resident owls also increased as hare densities declined further, floaters being affected before territorial birds.
Soil microbiology of bushland subject to pond water irrigation at Ranger Uranium Mine

Soil microorganisms may respond to metal stress by a shift in microbial community from metal sensitive to metal resistant microorganisms. In this study microbes isolated from soils irrigated with wastewater from Ranger Uranium Mine in northern Australia were tested both for their resistance to uranium (U), and their community level responses to variations in soil U and physicochemical parameters. Microbes isolated from soil by culturing grew under different (field) concentrations of U added to culture media in the form of uranyl nitrate and fungi out-competed the bacteria in media with very high U concentrations. However, this shift from bacteria to fungi that occurred in culture was not observed in soils with very high U concentrations under field conditions. This suggests that the U present in the field may be less bioavailable than U added to the culture media. Moreover, there was no difference in the cultured microbial community isolated from soils with different U concentrations which may be due to the fact that culturing technique captures only less than 1% of the soil microbial community. To explore this further, the soil microbial community was measured by culture-independent next generation sequencing using the 454 platform or pyrosequencing. One hundred and forty four soil samples were pyrosequenced and 183,317 bacterial V6 sequences were obtained. Using pyrosequencing, the bacterial community in soil with background levels of U was different from those in soil with elevated U. Indicator species analysis showed that bacterial OTUs closely related to members of Kitasatospora, Sphingobacteria, Candidate_division_WS3 and Rhodobium were only present at medium, high and very high U sites during all the sampling times. A significant seasonal and temporal change in bacterial community was also measured as a result of seasonal and temporal change in soil U and other physicochemical variables. Uranium resistant microbes isolated in this study could be used to study resistance mechanisms and bioremediation potential. Furthermore, bacterial species associated with higher U concentrations may serve as useful indicators of U contamination in the wet-dry tropics.
Some properties of the Gault Clay from the Ely–Ouse Essex water tunnel

During a site investigation carried out in connexion with the construction of the Ely-Ouse Essex water tunnel a number of rotary coreandopen-dnve samples of the Gault were obtained from depths varying from about 20 to 90 metres below ground level. results of laboratory tests made on these samples are presented and are compared with similar tests made on block samples of the Gault taken subsequently during tunnelling operations. The possibility that the borehole samples are not reasonably representative of the in situ clay, particularly in view of the great depth involved, is discussed in relation to various soil characteristics. Because of the general scarcity of geotechnical data on the Gault some comparisons are made in this Paper between its properties and those of the better known London Clay. Au cours d'une reconnaissance in situ, mise a execution a propos de la construction du tunnel d'eau Ely-Ouse en Essex, un nombre d‘echantillons du Gault en forme de carottes par sondage en rotation a ciel ouvert.
Automatic Classification and Artifacts Removal of EEG Signal Using Supervised and Unsupervised Model

The well-known neurological disorder (epilepsy) is recurrent seizures. It can profoundly affect a person's life and well-being, as well as society as a whole. Many different detection methods are employed to determine whether a person has epilepsy or not. One of the often-employed methods is the examination of electroencephalography (EEG) signals. The EEG is important in epilepsy for a variety of reasons. However, some of the EEG signal aberrations can behave as noise and reduce the predictability of the process. To find the optimal method for artifact removal, this project attempts to build supervised and unsupervised algorithms and compare their performances. For this purpose, a dataset consisting of EEG signals of both normal humans and people who are affected by epilepsy is collected This dataset is then preprocessed using two artifact removal techniques called the Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The features that can be useful during the process of epilepsy detection are extracted using a feature extraction method called the Fourier Transform. The features are then classified using two different techniques. The feature classification techniques used in this study are the quadratic discriminant analysis and the Random Forest (RF) algorithm. The models are then trained and tested using the collected EEG signals. The results of the testing are then compared to find the best combination of the feature classification technique and the artifact removal technique. It is found that the combination of the RF algorithm and the ICA is the best algorithm with an accuracy of over 97%. The second-best combination is the RF algorithm and the PCA algorithm. This combination can be deployed as a backend processor of an epilepsy detection application. As it has an inbuilt, artifact removal it is expected to provide flawless predictions in the future.
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

Since several years, seismic input definition is one of the hot topics of earthquake engineering because of its influence on simulations for estimating seismic structural performance. Herein, the efforts of the ReLUIS 2010-2013 project toward the development of practice-ready tools for hazard consistent seismic input definition aimed at seismic structural analysis is shown. Determination of design seismic actions in seismic codes mostly relies on a target spectrum, which is, therefore, also the basis for record selection in seismic input definition when performing nonlinear structural analysis. Since a rational performance target should account for the seismic hazard at the site of interest, the uniform hazard spectrum (UHS), or an approximation of it, is often used as the design spectrum. The UHS is built entering the elastic spectral acceleration, Sa(T), hazard curves for several T values at a specified probability of exceedance of (e.g., 10% in 50 years or, equivalently, 475 years return period, Tr), and plotting the corresponding ordinates versus T. Generally, the signals that can be used for structural simulation are of three types: (1) artificial waveforms; (2) simulated accelerograms; and (3) natural records. Signals of type (1) are often obtained via random vibration theory. Simulation records (2) are obtained via modelling of the seismological source and may account for path and site effects. Finally of type (3) are ground-motion records from real events (Bommer and Acevedo, 2004). As far as it regards real records, given the UHS for the structural limit-state of interest (i.e., the UHS corresponding to a Tr), current or advanced (depending on the context where it is applied) practice today, which may require aid by a seismologist, would select a set of records reflecting the likely magnitudes (M), source-to-site distances (R), and other earthquake parameters thought to drive the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for the site (McGuire, 2004), and which are believed to matter with respect to structural response (This information comes from a procedure called disaggregation of PSHA). Finally, the records are usually manipulated to match the UHS, individually or in average sense, at the period of the first mode of the structure (T*), Figure 1, or in an interval around it (e.g., Iervolino and Cornell, 2005).
Vegetation and temperature condition indices from NOAA AVHRR data for drought monitoring over India

The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) onboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) series of satellites has been used for mapping vegetation cover and classification employing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Recently, this technique has been improved by converting NDVI with radiation measured in one of the thermal channels and converting brightness temperature into the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) and Temperature Condition Index (TCI). These indices are being used for estimation of vegetation health and monitoring drought. The present study shows the application of vegetation and temperature condition indices for drought monitoring in India.
Burbuja especulativa en el mercado de la vivienda en Bogotá

In recent times it has shown a significant increase in housing prices, high recovery in real estate prices in Colombia and the need for households to get a decent place to live has led to the completion of this study, oriented to establish property market fundamentals to establish ? whether the current economic environment may find symptoms to speak of a misalignment of home prices in Bogota for the past five years? and what lies ahead in a highly dynamic market, heterogeneous and a relatively inelastic supply.
The Oceans; A Possible Source of Iron in Iron-Formations

Recent work on one of the major banded iron-formations of the world--that of the Hamersley Basin of Australia--has defined the total amount of iron and the probable time interval of accumulation of the large iron ore deposits in the basin. The inferred rate of influx of iron into the basin is so large that a derivation of the iron from weathering and transport into the basin by rivers is unlikely. For the same reason derivation of the iron from volcanic sources is also unlikely. Derivation of the iron from the ocean floor is quantitatively possible if deep ocean water containing a few mg/1 of dissolved iron welled up, was oxidized in near surface environments, and deposited its iron in the basin. Iron concentrations of a few mg/1 in deep ocean water are quite reasonable if these water masses were saturated with respect to siderite and calcite.
Dynamic landscape of the intracellular termini of acid-sensing ion channel 1a

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are trimeric proton-gated sodium channels. Recently it has been shown that these channels play a role in necroptosis following prolonged acidic exposure like occurs in stroke. The C-terminus of the channel is thought to mediate necroptotic cell death through interaction with receptor interacting serine threonine kinase 1 (RIPK1). This interaction is hypothesized to be inhibited at rest via an interaction between the C-terminus and the N-terminus which blocks the RIPK1 binding site. Here, we use a combination of two transition metal ion FRET methods to investigate the conformational dynamics of the termini while the channel is closed and desensitized. We do not find evidence that the termini are close enough to be bound while the channel is at rest and find that the termini may modestly move closer together when desensitized. At rest, the N-terminus adopts a conformation parallel to the membrane about 10 Å away. The distal end of the C-terminus may also spend time close to the membrane at rest. After acidification, the proximal portion of the N-terminus moves marginally closer to the membrane whereas the distal portion of the C-terminus swings away from the membrane. Together these data suggest that a new hypothesis for RIPK1 binding during stroke is needed.
Origin of the Charnockites of the Louis Lake Batholith, Wind River Range, Wyoming

The 2·63 Ga Louis Lake batholith, a calc-alkalic pluton exposed Opxand fayalite (Fay)-bearing felsic igneous rocks inin Wind River Range of western Wyoming, consists of minor diorite, clude opdalite (Opx granodiorite), enderbite (Opx tonalquartz diorite, granodiorite, and granite. At shallow structural levels ite), and mangerite (Opx monzonite, Le Maitre et al., the batholith is pyroxene free, but at deeper levels, all units of the 1989). Many of these rock names are not commonly batholith contain pyroxenes. On its northern margin the batholith used; the term charnockite (sensu lato) is typically applied was emplaced at P = 5–6 kbar, T = 775–800°C, fO2 at to any Opx-bearing granitoid, regardless of its bulk FMQ (fayalite–magnetite–quartz) + 1·5 to FMQ + 1·8, and composition. For example, the charnockite suite of south aH2O >0·1. Along the southern margin of the batholith the India includes enderbites, opdalites, and charnockites emplacement pressure was >3 kbar. The batholith includes two (Howie, 1955), the Nigerian suite includes charnockite compositional series. The peraluminous high-REE series is rich in and opdalite (Olarewaju, 1987), and that of Lofoten is K2O, and displays larger FeO/(FeO + MgO). The metaluminous associated with mangerites (Malm & Ormaasen, 1978). low-REE series has less K2O and smaller FeO/(FeO + MgO). Because the terms enderbite and opdalite are so rarely In the Boulder Canyon area, most of the rocks belong to the lowused, in this paper we use the term ‘charnockite’ for all REE series. The Nd, Pb, and Sr initial isotopic compositions of Opx-bearing granitic rocks. Where it is important to both series vary and do not correlate with SiO2 abundance. Relatively describe a specific rock type, we use Opx as a varietal constant Fe/Mg ratios over a wide range of SiO2 and the large modifer to the rock name (e.g. Opx granodiorite instead variation in initial isotopic compositions indicate that the sources of opdalite). for the Louis Lake batholith include older Wyoming province crustIn the 1980s workers in southern India recognized and mantle-derived mafic melts. The calc-alkalic nature of the areas where biotite-bearing granitic gneiss had been Boulder Canyon charnockites indicates that there is no special Cconverted to pyroxene-bearing gneiss along fluid pathtype magma. Instead, charnockites will form in any rock type, if ways ( Janardhan et al., 1982; Friend, 1985). This led to the water activity is low enough. the term ‘charnockitization’ (Srikantappa et al., 1985) and the concept that charnockite is a metamorphic, rather than an igneous rock. As a result, ‘charnockite’ has been used incorrectly by some workers as a synonym for
Feature Meeting Review : Epigenetics in Development and Disease 21 – 26 February 2002 , Taos Convention Center , Taos , New Mexico , USA

The 2002 Keystone symposia held in Taos, New Mexico (21–26 February) saw the convergence of two related fields; Epigenetics in Development and Disease, and RNA Interference, Cosuppression and Related Phenomena. The meeting highlights presented here concentrate upon the sessions within the Epigenetics in Development and Disease meeting, although there were joint sessions which will also be discussed. Of course epigenetic regulation is not restricted to the vertebrates but I have chosen, rightly or wrongly, to limit the highlights to those concerning vertebrates. Copyright # 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A FIELD METHOD FOR ASSESSING THE PALATABILITY OF RODENTICIDAL BAITS

Author(s): Buckle, A. P.; Kaukeinen, D. E. | Abstract: Assessments of the palatability of rodenticide baits are usually conducted in the laboratory but little is known of the value of such tests as determinants of the potential performance of formulations in the field. Field bait acceptance tests conducted earlier were either unduly time-consuming or failed to take account of aspects of rodent behavior in relation to baiting regimes which make the interpretation of results difficult. This paper describes a novel, cost effective technique for assessing the palatability of baits in the field and the use of the new method to compare the acceptance of three commercial formulations, containing either difenacoum or brodifacoum, with that of an EPA approved challenge diet. No statistically significant differences were found in the acceptance of the three baits and the challenge diet at three farmsteads harboring infestations of Rattus norvegicus. Similar results were obtained in equivalent laboratory choice tests conducted following an established protocol. A comparison of results from the two environments bestows confidence both in the practical value of the laboratory test method and in the likely performance of the baits when used for rodent control operations. Wider possible uses of the field test methodology are discussed.
Evolution of permeability across the transition from brittle failure to cataclastic flow in porous siltstone

Porous sedimentary rocks fail in a variety of modes ranging from localized, brittle deformation to pervasive, cataclastic flow. To improve our understanding of this transition and its affect on fluid flow and permeability, we investigated the mechanical behavior of a siltstone unit within the Marcellus Formation, PA USA, characterized by an initial porosity ranging from 41 to 45%. We explored both hydrostatic loading paths (σ1 = σ2 = σ3) and triaxial loading paths (σ1 > σ2 = σ3) while maintaining constant effective pressure (Pe = Pc – Pp). Samples were deformed with an axial displacement rate of 0.1 μm/s (strain rate of 2 × 10−6 s−1). Changes in pore water volume were monitored (drained conditions) to measure the evolution of porosity. Permeability was measured at several stages of each experiment. Under hydrostatic loading, we find the onset of macroscropic grain crushing (P*) at 39 MPa. Triaxial loading experiments show a transition from brittle behavior with shear localization and compaction to cataclastic‐flow as confining pressure increases. When samples fail by shear localization, permeability decreases abruptly without significant changes in porosity. Conversely, for cataclastic deformation, permeability reduction is associated with significant porosity reduction. Postexperiment observation of brittle samples show localized shear zones characterized by grain comminution. Our data show how zones of shear localization can act as barriers to fluid flow and thus modify the hydrological and mechanical properties of the surrounding rocks. Our results have important implications for deformation behavior and permeability evolution in sedimentary systems, and in particular where the stress field is influenced by injection or pumping.
A SURVEY AND NEW DISTRIBUTIONAL FINDINGS OF CAULERPA SPECIES IN WANDOOR, SOUTH ANDAMAN, INDIA

Caulerpa(Chlorophyta) species inhabit the intertidal and shallow sub tidal region along the coast of Wandoor Marine National Park, South Andaman , India. In a survey conducted during the month of January 2012 to January 2013, we found seven species of, Caulerpa serrulata(Forskal) J. Agardh ,C. peltata(Lamouroux),C. racemosa (Forskkal) J. Agardh,C. racemosavar.Lamourouxii(Turner) Weber-van Bosse, C. mexicanavar.pluriseriataW. R. Taylor,C. taxifolia(M. Vahl) C. AgardhandC. verticillataJ. Agardh. Among thesetwo speciesC. racemosavar. Lamourouxii(Turner) Weber-van Bosseand C. mexicanavar.pluriseriataW. R. Taylor,are found to be a new distributional records for these Islands as well as for the Indian waters. This is the first time these sp ecies are being reported. These were found to be observed during the month of October 2012.