Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tillage effects on carbon fluxes in continuous wheat and fallow-wheat rotations.

The traditional cropping system in semiarid regions of the Canadian prairies involves frequent summer fallowing with several tillage operations to control weeds during the fallow period. Recently, there has been a trend toward reduced tillage and more intensive cropping, but the impact of this shift in management on sequestration of atmospheric CO 2 remains uncertain. In 1995 and 1996, we measured fluxes of CO 2 in a tillage experiment that had been initiated in 1982 on a silt loam (Typic Haploboroll) in southwestern Saskatchewan. The experiment comprised two spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) rotations (continuous wheat [Cont. W] and fallow-wheat [F-W]), each with conventional tillage (CT) and no-till (NT) treatments. In Cont. W, CO 2 fluxes tended to be lower under NT than under CT (mean annual flux was 20 to 25% less for NT than CT). In F-W, tillage effects on mean annual CO 2 flux were significant (P < 0.05) in the wheat phase only (NT 10% less than CT). Tillage had negligible effect on C inputs in crop residues. lower CO 2 fluxes under NT than under CT were attributed to slower decomposition of crop residues placed on the surface of NT soil than when they were incorporated. With good growing conditions (and thus large inputs of residues) between 1989 and 1996, there was an accumulation of partially decomposed residues on the surface of NT soil. Carbon in surface residues represented about one-half of the C gained by NT soil. In Cont. W, surface residue C (in 1996) amounted to 3.6 t ha -1 under NT vs 1.4 t ha -1 under CT. Residue C amounts were smaller in the F-W system: 1.7 t ha -1 (NT) and 0.7 t ha -1 (CT). Based on our results, producers on medium-textured soils in the semiarid Canadian prairies who switch from the traditional wheat production system (conventionally tilled fallow-wheat) to continuous no-till cropping could, potentially, sequester 5 to 6 t C ha -1 in soil organic matter and surface residues in 13 to 14 yr.
Anatomie, structure et ultrastructure de la branchie d'un Mytilidae des sites hydrothermaux du Pacifique oriental

Exemplaires (non identifies) preleves par le Cyana par 2620 m au 19°59'N et 103°56'W. Les observations au microscope electronique revelent l'existence de microorganismes associes a l'epithelium branchial (bacteries et champignons). Il pourrait s'agir d'une symbiose
Composição florística e fitossociologia de macrófitas aquáticas em um banhado continental em Rio Grande, RS, Brasil

This work aimed to study the floristics and phytosociology of aquatic macrophytes in a continental wetland. A total of, 100 plots, (1 m2) were distributed systematically (intervals of 1 m), in 10 transects (20 m), in the Banhado 25 area (31°59’33”S; 52°17’32”O). Monthly collection data over a one-year period included observing plants “in loco”, collecting, identifying and classifying the plants according to habit and life form. For each species recorded we calculated absolute and relative frequency and coverage and importance value index (IVI). We analyzed the floristic similarity (Sorensen’s index) and applied linear regression. The survey yielded 82 species of vascular aquatic macrophytes, belonging to 33 families. In species richness, Cyperaceae (16 taxa), followed by Poaceae and Asteraceae (12 taxa each), showed greater contribution. The herbaceous habit (88%) and amphibious life form (94%) were the most representative. Scirpus giganteus Kunth had the highest IVI (27.58%). Higher coverage rates of this species showed a significant decrease in species richness (r2 = 0.503; p < 0.0001). The change in floristic composition between margin and interior of the wetland was evidenced by similarity analysis, forming two groups, possibly separated by humidity.
Road Value Pricing - Traveler Response to Transportation System Changes

The nation's growth and the need to meet mobility, environmental, and energy objectives place demands on public transit systems. Current systems, some of which are old and in need of upgrading, must expand service area, increase service frequency, and improve efficiency to serve these demands. Research is necessary to solve operating problems, to adapt appropriate new technologies from other industries, and to introduce innovations into the transit industry. The Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) serves as one of the principal means by which the transit industry can develop innovative near-term solutions to meet demands placed on it. The need for TCRP was originally identified in TRB Special Report 213—Research for Public Transit: New Directions, published in 1987 and based on a study sponsored by the Urban Mass Transportation Administration—now the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Transportation 2000, also recognized the need for local, problem-solving research. TCRP, modeled after the longstanding and successful National Cooperative Highway Research Program, undertakes research and other technical activities in response to the needs of transit service providers. The scope of TCRP includes a variety of transit research fields including plan-a memorandum agreement outlining TCRP operating procedures was executed by the three cooperating organizations: FTA; the National Academies, acting through the Transportation Research Board (TRB); and the Transit Development Corporation, Inc. (TDC), a nonprofit educational and research organization established by APTA. TDC is responsible for forming the independent governing board, designated as the TCRP Oversight and Project Selection (TOPS) Committee. Research problem statements for TCRP are solicited periodically but may be submitted to TRB by anyone at any time. It is the responsibility of the TOPS Committee to formulate the research program by identifying the highest priority projects. As part of the evaluation, the TOPS Committee defines funding levels and expected products. Once selected, each project is assigned to an expert panel, appointed by the Transportation Research Board. The panels prepare project statements (requests for proposals), select contractors, and provide technical guidance and counsel throughout the life of the project. The process for developing research problem statements and selecting research agencies has been used by TRB in managing cooperative research programs since 1962. As in other TRB activities , TCRP project panels serve voluntarily without compensation. Because research cannot have the desired impact if products fail to reach the intended audience, special emphasis is placed on disseminating TCRP …
Overview of Acid Mine Drainage Treatment with Chemicals

Acid mine drainage (AMD) forms when sulfide minerals in rocks are exposed to oxidizing conditions in coal and metal mining, highway construction, and other large-scale excavations. There are many types of sulfide minerals, but iron sulfides, pyrite and marcasite (FeS2), are the predominant AMD producers (Evangelou, 1995; Skousen et al., 1999). Upon exposure to water and oxygen, sulfide minerals oxidize to form acidic, iron and sulfate-rich drainage. The drainage quality emanating from underground mines or backfills of surface mines is dependent on the acid-producing (sulfide) and alkaline (carbonate) minerals contained in the disturbed rock. In general, sulfide-rich and carbonate-poor materials are expected to produce acidic drainage. In contrast, alkaline-rich materials, even with significant sulfide concentrations, often produce alkaline conditions in water (Skousen et al., 2002).
Thermal response of the mantle following the formation of a “super‐plate”

Evidence indicating that the mantle below Pangea was characterized by elevated temperatures supports the widely held view that a supercontinent insulates the underlying mantle. Implementing a 3D model of mantle convection featuring distinct oceanic and continental plates, we explore different effects of supercontinent formation on mantle evolution. We find that a halt in subduction along the margins of the site of the continental collision is sufficient to enable the formation of mantle plumes below a composite “super‐plate” and that the addition of continental properties that contribute to insulation have little effect on sub‐continental temperature. Our findings show that the mean temperature below a supercontinent surpasses that below the oceanic plates when the former is a perfect insulator but that continental thermal insulation plays only a minor role in the growth of sub‐supercontinent mantle plumes. We suggest that the growth of a super‐oceanic plate can equally encourage the appearance of underlying upwellings.
The link between a heterogeneous model and its flow response: examples from fault damage zones highlighting issues in domain discretization and flow simulation

Abstract Natural fault damage zones (FDZs) are characterized by complex geometries and topologies, and by strongly-contrasting material properties. Accurate simulation of fluid flow in such systems is dependent on the method of discretization and the mathematical representation of the flow. In this paper, we focus on the conceptual and methodological issues that link a model of a heterogeneous system and its flow response. We study FDZs as our example, where each thin fault strand is a barrier to flow. We examine two contrasting discretization schemes and apply them to 2D FDZ models that contain a realistic array of linear fault traces. Both schemes produce results that are generally in good agreement, and agree with the results calculated by a more accurate (but computationally less efficient) reference scheme. However, differences occur when the discretization approach fails to maintain the fault connectivity (topology) of the input model. It is important to guide the modelling by identifying any continuous flow pathways in the matrix linking fluid inlets and outlets (Through-Going Regions, TGRs). We illustrate a new scheme that identifies all TGRs and determines a grid that is just fine enough to resolve them.
Molecular basis of the potent membrane remodeling activity of the epsin1 ENTH domain *

The mechanisms by which cytosolic proteins reversibly bind the membrane and induce the curvature for membrane trafficking and remodeling remain elusive. The epsin1 ENTH domain has potent vesicle tubulation activity despite lack of intrinsic molecular curvature. EPR revealed that the N-terminal α -helix penetrates the PtdIns(4,5)P2-containing membrane at a unique oblique angle and concomitantly interacts closely with helices from neighboring molecules in an antiparallel orientation. The quantitative fluorescence microscopy showed that the formation of highly ordered ENTH domain complexes beyond a critical size is essential for its vesicle tubulation activity. The mutations that interfere with the formation of large ENTH domain complexes abrogated the vesicle tubulation activity. Furthermore, the same mutations in the intact epsin1 abolished its endocytic activity in mammalian cells. Collectively, these results show that the ENTH domain facilitates the cellular membrane budding and fission by a novel mechanism that is distinct from that proposed for BAR domains.
Characterization of topographically specific sleep spindles in mice.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Sleep spindles in humans have been classified as slow anterior and fast posterior spindles; recent findings indicate that their profiles differ according to pharmacology, pathology, and function. However, little is known about the generation mechanisms within the thalamocortical system for different types of spindles. In this study, we aim to investigate the electrophysiological behaviors of the topographically distinctive spindles within the thalamocortical system by applying high-density EEG and simultaneous thalamic LFP recordings in mice. DESIGN 32-channel extracranial EEG and 2-channel thalamic LFP were recorded simultaneously in freely behaving mice to acquire spindles during spontaneous sleep. SUBJECTS Hybrid F1 male mice of C57BL/6J and 129S4/svJae. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Spindle events in each channel were detected by spindle detection algorithm, and then a cluster analysis was applied to classify the topographically distinctive spindles. All sleep spindles were successfully classified into 3 groups: anterior, posterior, and global spindles. Each spindle type showed distinct thalamocortical activity patterns regarding the extent of similarity, phase synchrony, and time lags between cortical and thalamic areas during spindle oscillation. We also found that sleep slow waves were likely to associate with all types of sleep spindles, but also that the ongoing cortical decruitment/ recruitment dynamics before the onset of spindles and their relationship with spindle generation were also variable, depending on the spindle types. CONCLUSION Topographically specific sleep spindles show distinctive thalamocortical network behaviors.
Magnitude and significance of carbon burial in lakes, reservoirs, and peatlands

Globally, lakes are currently accumulating organic carbon (OC) at an estimated annual rate of about 42 Tgṁyr −1 . Most of the OC in all but the most oligotrophic of these lakes is autochthonous, produced by primary production in the lakes. The sediments of reservoirs accumulate an additional 160 Tg annually, and peatlands contribute 96 Tg annually. These three carbon pools collectively cover less than 2% of the Earth9s surface and constitute a carbon sink of about 300 Tgṁyr −1 . Although the oceans cover 71% of the Earth9s surface, they accumulate OC at a rate of only about 100 Tgṁyr −1 .
Coping with Stresses: Roles of Calcium-and Calcium/calmodulin-regulated Gene Expression Changes in Cellular Ca 2+ Levels in Response to Abiotic and Biotic Stress Signals

Abiotic and biotic stresses are major limiting factors of crop yields and cause billions of dollars of losses annually around the world. It is hoped that understanding at the molecular level how plants respond to adverse conditions and adapt to a changing environment will help in developing plants that can better cope with stresses. Acquisition of stress tolerance requires orchestration of a multitude of biochemical and physiological changes, and most of these depend on changes in gene expression. Research during the last two decades has established that different stresses cause signal-specific changes in cellular Ca 2+ level, which functions as a messenger in modulating diverse physiological processes that are important for stress adaptation. In recent years, many Ca 2+ and Ca 2+ /calmodulin (CaM) binding transcription factors (TFs) have been identified in plants. Functional analyses of some of these TFs indicate that they play key roles in stress signaling pathways. Here, we review recent progress in this area with emphasis on the roles of Ca 2+-and Ca 2+ /CaM-regulated transcription in stress responses. We will discuss emerging paradigms in the field, highlight the areas that need further investigation, and present some promising novel high-throughput tools to address Ca 2+-regulated transcriptional networks. The sessile nature of plants necessitates their adaptation to continuously changing and often unfavorable environmental conditions. These include many abiotic stresses that arise from an excess or deficit of water, temperature, and light in the physical environment and biotic stresses imposed by other It is estimated that hundreds of billions of dollars of crop losses around the world are due to abiotic and biotic stresses (Dhlamini et al., 2005), and much of the genetic potential for crop yield is not realized due to the effects of environmental stresses (Boyer, 1982). Plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms to perceive and respond to various stresses so that they adapt to their environment. Plants exhibit extraordinary plasticity in many of their growth and developmental processes in response to changes in their environment. Elucidation of mechanisms by which plants recognize and respond to various stresses is of great interest to plant biologists not only to elucidate fundamental principles in cellular signaling mechanisms but also to apply that knowledge to generate plants that can be grown under adverse environmental conditions. With the expected climate change during this century, understanding plant responses to changing environmental conditions is even more important. Climate change is anticipated to have …
Increased relative abundance of an invasive competitor for pollination, Lythrum salicaria, reduces seed number

When exotic plant species share pollinators with native species, competition for pollination may lower the reproductive success of natives by reducing the fre- quency and/or quality of visits they receive. Exotic species often become numerically dominant in plant communities, and the relative abundance of these potential competitors for pollination may be an important determinant of their effects on the pollination and reproductive success of co-occurring native species. Our study experimentally tests whether the presence and abundance of an invasive exotic, Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae), influences reproductive success of a co-flowering native species, Mimulus ringens L. (Phrymaceae). We also examine the mechanisms of compe- tition for pollination and how they may be altered by changes in competitor abundance. We found that the pres- ence of Lythrum salicaria lowered mean seed number in Mimulus ringens fruits. This effect was most pronounced when the invasive competitor was highly abundant, decreasing the number of seeds per fruit by 40% in 2006
Phase diagrams describing solid‐gas equilibria in the system Fe‐Mg‐Si‐O‐C‐H, and its bearing on redox states of chondrites

Abstract— Phase diagrams describing solid-gas equilibria in the system Fe-Mg-Si-O-C-H under H-rich conditions (∼700–2000 K and 10−2–10−20 atm of Ph2), including solar nebula conditions, were constructed based on thermochemical calculations. Boundaries of vaporous phases, which are the first phases to condense from a gas, can be obtained without calculating condensation temperatures of individual gas compositions because the numbers of major gaseous species are the same as those of components in the concerned systems. Fractionations by condensation and/or evaporation can be discussed easily in such phase diagrams. A thermal divide, which is a barrier that vapors cannot cross by a single cooling process, was recognized in the phase diagrams. This is present on the Fe-MgO-SiO2-CO-H plane at high temperatures (≥500–700 K) and plays an important role in fractionations. Oxidizing states of ordinary chondrites and carbonaceous chondrites before aqueous alteration are located at the O-rich side of the thermal divide. Such oxidizing states can be formed from the solar gas by fractionation in the primordial solar nebula because the solar composition is located on the O-rich side. On the other hand, the reducing states of enstatite chondrites, located at the O-poor side, cannot be formed as long as the thermal divide is present. The reducing states can be obtained by CO to CH4 molecular reaction at low temperatures (≤500–700 K), where the high-temperature thermal divide is absent. Addition of H2O-rich and CH4-rich ice can explain establishment of the redox states of ordinary and enstatite chondrites, respectively.
The Open Corporation: Effective Self-regulation and Democracy

List of tables and figures Preface Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: corporate self-regulation in the new regulatory state 2. The potential for self-regulation 3. Motivating top management commitment to self-regulation 4. Cultivating self-regulation leadership 5. Self-regulating methodology and social harmony 6. The pathologies of self-regulation 7. Model corporate citizens: the role of self-regulation professionals 8. The three strategies of 'permeability' in the open corporation 9. Meta-regulation: the regulation of self-regulation 10. Conclusion Appendix Notes References Index.
Vertical turbulent iron flux sustains the Green Belt along the shelf break in the southeastern Bering Sea

To evaluate the impact of vertical turbulent iron flux on the summertime biological productivity in the Bering Sea Green Belt (GB), we conducted the concurrent observations of dissolved iron (D‐Fe) and turbulence in the Bering Sea for the first time. We show that the GB can be sustained by iron supply from iron‐rich, subsurface thick layer distributed along the southeastern shelf break where the GB is located, via strong turbulent vertical mixing. The flux ratio of D‐Fe and nitrate was within the range of the N/Fe uptake ratio by GB phytoplankton, suggesting this flux of nutrients can sustain GB productivity. We also analyzed historical hydrographic data and suggest the thick subsurface layer along the GB is formed by the mixing of relatively warm water with some iron from the Aleutian Passes and iron‐rich outer‐shelf cold water in which the D‐Fe derived from seafloor sediment is suspended due to strong vertical mixing.
Approach to Very Small (< 1.5 cm) Cystic Renal Lesions: Ignore, Observe, or Treat?

OBJECTIVE This article will review the current available literature on the prevalence, behavior, and pathology of very small (< 1.5 cm) cystic renal lesions. A summary of the recommended approach to these very small lesions is provided. CONCLUSION Limited data exist to guide the management of very small cystic renal lesions. Because most data favor benign or indolent behavior, vigorous workup of the very small cystic renal lesion seems unnecessary.
High speed/high capacity railway and regional development - evaluation of effects on spatial accessibility

In the last decade the theme of high speed infrastructure in Italy has been deeply debated, with different political and technical opinions, which have expanded the time for projects and constructions. As a consequence of this long debate, a redefinition of the whole system, moving from high speed to high speed/high capacity railway system (HS/HC) has been agreed. This new model can be considered more suitable especially for the northern Italy corridor, which is highly populated and densely urbanised. Moreover, while the environmental effects of transportation facilities and of high speed infrastructure are relatively well known in literature since the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure has been applied to several study cases, the effects on economical and geographical structure are less studied and so quite often misunderstood or underestimated. According to a demand-side approach, infrastructure investments will follow mobility needs by the economical system, while from a supply-side approach infrastructure are a crucial means of regional growth. This paper presents a study case in northern Italy (the Milan-Verona track, of about 140 km of lenght), and it shows how spatial effect of a transport network can spread off far from the line, determining a new regional hierarchy and new location opportunity in a wide and highly populated area. A comparison has been made between the original high speed model and the most recent high speed-high capacity model. In the two cases the work investigates what is the area where the new infrastructure shows effects, at short and long term. With a spatial interaction model, used to represent residential location in relation to the distribution of workplaces, HS/HC line efficiency by accessibility calculus has been measured, showing several important results. Those results may be of interest even in similar European context where the HS programme is developing.