Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
IS FECAL CALPROTECTIN DETERMINATION USEFUL FOR PATIENTS WITH METABOLIC ASSOCIATED FATTY LIVER DISEASE?

OBJECTIVE Aim: To investigate the possible relationship between fecal calprotectin (FC) level and ultrasound indicators of steatosis and fibrosis wich defined by attenuation coefficient (AC) and liver stiffness (LS) from two-dimensional (2D) shear-wave elastography (SWE) in patients with metabolically associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and Methods: The study included 110 persons with MAFLD; mean age 51.3±4.8 years, 65 (59.1%) men. There were used laboratory, sonography and statistical methods. RESULTS Results: Stage S1 of steatosis was diagnosed in 42 (38.2%), S2 - in 56 (50.9%), S3 - only in 12 (10.9%) MAFLD patients. The carbohydrate metabolism disorders were found in 62 (56.4%); 38 (34.5%) patients among them suffered from type 2 diabetes. The lipid metabolism disorders were diagnosed in the vast majority of patients included in this study. The minimal excess of fecal calprotectin (FC) was detected in 72 MAFLD patients (65.5%), the moderate increase of FC was found in 12 persons, the FC more than 10-fold excess of the norm was observed in only 8 MAFLD patients. FC levels were significantly elevated in MAFLD patients with a S2-S3 compared to those with a S1 (75.8 [42.9-112.1] vs. 46.3 [28.2-65.4], p<0.01). CONCLUSION Conclusions: Fecal calprotectin levels are significantly elevated in patients with MAFLD. Future studies are warranted to establish the definitive role and clinical utility of FC as a potential biomarker of probably liver steatosis as well as other diseases associated with methabolic syndrome and its complications.
TR Discover: A Natural Language Question Answering System for Interlinked Datasets

We propose TR Discover, a question answering system that answers natural language questions over interlinked datasets. Using a feature-based grammar, TR Discover first parses a natural language question to its First Order Logic representation, which is in turn translated into SPARQL or SQL. Because users will not necessarily know what the coverage of the system is, TR Discover offers a novel auto-suggest mechanism that can help users to construct well-formed and useful natural language questions. We show that TR Discover is usable and portable by applying it to two Thomson Reuters datasets in the Life Science and the Legal domain respectively.
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions Exploratory Data Analysis and Clustering of Multivariate Spatial Hydrogeological Data by Means of Geo3dsom, a Variant of Kohonen's Self-organizing Map

Papers published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions are under open-access review for the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Abstract The use of unsupervised artificial neural network techniques like the self-organizing map (SOM) algorithm has proven to be a useful tool in exploratory data analysis and clustering of multivariate data sets. In this study a variant of the SOM-algorithm is proposed , the GEO3DSOM, capable of explicitly incorporating three-dimensional spatial 5 knowledge into the algorithm. The performance of the GEO3DSOM is compared to the performance of the standard SOM in analyzing an artificial data set and a hydro-chemical data set. The hydrochemical data set consists of 141 groundwater samples collected in two detritic, phreatic, Cenozoic aquifers in Central Belgium. The standard SOM proves to be more adequate in representing the structure of the data set and to 10 explore relationships between variables. The GEO3DSOM on the other hand performs better in creating spatially coherent groups based on the data.
Successful Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Without HIV Viral Suppression: A Missed Opportunity

Background: Coinfection with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and HIV is common, but few published studies examine how undergoing MDR-TB treatment affects HIV disease indicators. Methods: Using data from a nested, retrospective cohort of people with HIV (PWH) and successful MDR-TB treatment outcomes, we built multivariable regression models to explore correlates of HIV viral suppression at MDR-TB treatment completion. Results: Among 531 PWH successfully treated for MDR-TB, mean age was 37.4 years (SD 10.2, interquartile range 30–43), 270 (50.8%) were male, 395 (74.4%) were virally suppressed at MDR-TB outcome, and 259 (48.8%) took bedaquiline. Older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.06) increased odds of viral suppression, while having a prior TB episode (aOR 0.45, 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.64), having a detectable viral load at MDR-TB treatment initiation (aOR 0.17, 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.30), living in a township (aOR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.87), and being changed from efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) to a protease inhibitor due to bedaquiline usage (aOR 0.19, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.82) or not having an ART change while on bedaquiline (aOR 0.29, 95% CI: 0.11 to 0.75) lowered odds of viral suppression. Changing from efavirenz to nevirapine due to bedaquiline usage did not significantly affect odds of viral suppression (aOR 0.41, 95% CI: 0.16 to 1.04). Conclusions: Increased pill burden and adverse treatment effects did not significantly affect HIV viral suppression while switching ART to a protease inhibitor to accommodate bedaquiline or not changing ART while taking bedaquiline did, suggesting that PWH and MDR-TB may benefit from additional support if they must switch ART.
Discontinuous-Grid Finite-Difference Seismic Modeling Including Surface Topography

We have developed a two-dimensional P - SV viscoelastic finite-difference modeling technique for complex surface topography and subsurface structures. Realistic modeling of seismic wave propagation in the near surface region is complicated by many factors, such as strong heterogeneity, topographic relief, and large attenuation. In order to account for these complications, we use an O(2,4) accurate viscoelastic velocity-stress staggered-grid finite-difference scheme. The implementation includes an irregular free surface condition for topographic relief and a discontinuous grid technique in the shallow parts of the model. Several methods of free surface condition are bench marked, and an accurate and simple condition is proposed. In the proposed free surface condition, stresses are calculated so that the normal stresses perpendicular to the boundary and shear stresses on the free surface are zero. The calculation of particle velocities at the free surface does not involve any specific calculations, and the particle velocities are set to zero above the free surface. A discontinuous-grid method is introduced, where we use a 3 times finer grid in the near surface or low velocity region compared to the rest of the model. In order to reduce instability, we apply averaging or weighting to the replacement of the coarse-grid components within the fine grid field. The method allows us to avoid any limitation of the shape of the grid-spacing boundary. Numerical tests indicate that approximately 10 grid points per shortest wavelength, counted in coarse-grid spacing, with the discontinuous grid method results in accurate calculations as long as a small number of time steps is concerned.
Protected areas and traditional commons: values and institutions

The modern, largely academic and urban-initiated concern with the environmental protection of landscapes, species, watersheds, biodiversity, ecosystem services, etc. is framed by a language suggesting that the main concern is the protection and preservation of precarious resources of common interest for mankind. Thus the values deserving the attention of environmental protection seem to be very different from the concerns shaping the evolution of traditional commons: the control of, access to and extraction of resources seen as limited but essential for the survival of local communities. This article explores the theoretical differences and similarities of the two types of interests driving the concern for preserving values. It will be suggested that a basic difference lies in the distinction between values where there is rivalry in appropriation and values where there is non-rivalry. Further, it will be argued that in designing new institutions for managing protected areas, an understanding of traditional commons and how the new values to be protected are different from and interact with the old values will be important in order to achieve sustainability of resource use within the protected areas. Instituting regulations of environmental protection can be seen as creating new types of commons.
Felt seismicity associated with shale gas hydraulic fracturing: The first documented example in Europe

We describe the origin of felt seismicity during the hydraulic fracturing of the Carboniferous Bowland Shale at the Preese Hall 1 exploration well near Blackpool in the UK during 2011. The seismicity resulted from the interaction of hydraulic fracturing and a fault, the location of which was unknown at the time but has subsequently been located and does not intersect the well borehole. Waveform cross correlation is used to detect 50 events in the sequence. A representative hypocenter and strike‐slip focal mechanism is calculated using the best recorded seismic event. The hypocenter is calculated to lie 300–400 m east, and 330–360 m below the injection point and shown to lie on a fault imaged using 3‐D seismic at a depth of about 2930 m. The 3‐D survey shows that not only the event hypocenter but also the focal mechanism correlates strongly with a subsequently identifiable transpressional fault formed during the Late Carboniferous (Variscan) basin inversion.
Size-fractionated primary productivity in Hooghly Estuary

The organic carbon production of nanoplankton in the Hooghly Estuary, West Bengal, India was found to be between 7.49 and 30.05 mg C/M super(3)/h, which was 38 to 73.6% of the total primary production. Significant negative correlation was observed between nano and net plankton productivity. Nitrate-nitrogen showed near conservative behaviour. Ammonium-nitrogen is more efficiently utilized than nitrate-nitrogen by nanoplankton
A study on the effect of Eurasian snow on the summer monsoon circulation and rainfall using a spectral GCM

Many studies based on observed data indicate the inverse relationship between the Eurasian snow cover/depth and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR). The purpose of this study is to confirm the inverse snow–ISMR relationship by using the observed snow depth data as boundary conditions in the spectral general circulation model (GCM) of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD), and to examine the influence of Eurasian snow depth on the monsoon circulation. The original model belonging to the European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) at resolution T21 has been modified extensively to a higher resolution of T80L18 at IITD. A two‐dimensional Lanczos digital filter has been used to represent the orography realistically.
Language Policy

Schegloff, E. A. (1972). Sequencing in conversational openings. In Gumperz and Hymes (eds). 346-80. Shenker, I. (1972). Former Chomsky disciples hurl harsh words at the master. New York Times, Sunday, September 10, 1970. Sherzer, J. (1973) Verbal and non-verbal deixis: the pointed lip gesture among the San Bias Cuna. LinS 2 (1). n 7-31. Shuy, R. (ms.) Sociolinguistics and medical history. Presented at 3rd International Conference of Applied Linguistics (Copenhagen). Swadesh, M. (1971) The origin and diversification of language. Chicago: Aldine-Atherton. Weinreich, U. , Labov, W. , and Herzog, H. (1968). Empirical foundations for a theory of language change. In W. P. Lehmann and Y. Malkiel (eds), Directions for historical linguistics. Austin: University of Texas Press. 97—195.
Inversion for seismic anisotropy using genetic algorithms

Seismic anisotropy is a complicated non-linear phenomenon in which quasi compressional(qP) and two quasi shear waves(qS1 and qS2) propagate in most directions isolated from singularity effects (Crampin 1991). Problems arise in inverting shear wave data due to the presente of singularities and the deviation of group from phase velocities so that linearization approaches are invalid (Chapman and Pratt 1992). Genetic Algorithms (GA) are non-linear optimization methods which are receiving increasing attention in the geophysics community (Sen & Stoffa 1991, Sambridge & Drijkoningen 1992) due to their robustness, efficiency and wide range of applicability. Just as simulated annealing is analogous to crystal annealing so are GA's analogous to the evolutionary processes of reproduction, crossover and mutation in nature. GA's use a population of models which are combined in such a way that more successful parameter combinations receive an increasing sampling rate. Previous attempts to invert shear wave data by MacBeth (1991) used a systematic search of a database of anisotropic materials. This approach is computationally intensive and is restricted by the precalculated database size. GA's appear to offeramore flexible and efficient anisotropic roversion scheme.
Governing a Common-Pool Resource in a Directed Network

A local public-good game played on directed networks is analyzed. The model is motivated by one-way flows of hydrological influence between cities of a river basin that may shape the level of their contribution to the conservation of wetlands. It is shown that in many (but not all) directed networks, there exists an equilibrium, sometimes socially desirable, in which some stakeholders exert maximal effort and the others free ride. It is also shown that more directed links are not always better. Finally, the model is applied to the conservation of wetlands in the Gironde estuary (France).
Testing the validity of organic and inorganic thermal indicators in different tectonic settings from continental subduction to collision: the case history of the Calabria–Lucania border (southern Apennines, Italy)

Abstract: This paper investigates the applicability of organic and inorganic thermal parameters in a range of thermal conditions, from diagenesis to epizone, and in HP–LT settings within the framework of continental subduction and exhumation in the southern Apennines, where independent thermobarometric constraints are available. Two juxtaposed tectonic units, the HP–LT Lungro–Verbicaro Unit (in the hanging wall) and the non-metamorphic Pollino–Ciagola Unit (in the footwall) have been analysed. For the Lungro–Verbicaro Unit, clay mineral thermal parameters and vitrinite reflectance underestimate metamorphic conditions (constrained by petrology), suggesting that, in relatively HP units, these indicators are ‘retarded' and strongly depend on P–T evolution through time. On the other hand, the K-white mica b cell dimension provides a robust estimate of peak pressure. Fluid inclusion textures indicate a fast isothermal decompression during exhumation. Two-phase inclusions from early stage syntectonic veins were trapped after isothermal exhumation at a pressure of 0.3 GPa. For the Pollino–Ciagola Unit, the correlation of analysed parameters effectively unravels the thermal evolution, with maximum palaeotemperatures of c. 150 °C. Apatite fission tracks provide details of the final stages of exhumation, indicating that both units were coherently exhumed in the Late Miocene, following the tectonic emplacement of the Lungro–Verbicaro Unit on top of the Pollino–Ciagola Unit. Supplementary material: X-ray diffraction data (whole-rock composition, quantitative analysis of the <2 μm grain-size fraction, mica polytypes, illite content in mixed layer illite–smectite (I–S), Kübler and Árkai data, and b cell dimension) are available at http://www.geolsoc. org.uk/SUP18416.
Application of lidar and optical data for oil palm plantation management in Malaysia

Proper oil palm plantation management is crucial for Malaysia as the country depends heavily on palm oil as a major source of national income. Precision agriculture is considered as one of the approaches that can be adopted to improve plantation practices for plantation managers such as the government-owned FELDA. However, currently the implementation of precision agriculture based on remote sensing and GIS is still lacking. This study explores the potential of the use of LiDAR and optical remote sensing data for plantation road and terrain planning for planting purposes. Traditional approaches use land surveying techniques that are time consuming and costly for vast plantation areas. The first ever airborne LiDAR and multispectral survey for oil palm plantation was carried out in early 2012 to test its feasibility. Preliminary results show the efficiency of such technology in demanding engineering and agricultural requirements of oil palm plantation. The most significant advantage of the approach is that it allows plantation managers to accurately plan the plantation road and determine the planting positions of new oil palm seedlings. Furthermore, this creates for the first time, digital database of oil palm estate and the airborne imagery can also be used for related activities such as oil palm tree inventory and detection of palm diseases. This work serves as the pioneer towards a more frequent application of LiDAR and multispectral data for oil palm plantation in Malaysia.
Regional Sources of Growth Acceleration in India

Gujarat, West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala and Tamil Nadu were the major contributors to the growth acceleration in India after 1991-92. Although the Regional Disparity may increase temporarily, causality test provides support to the hypothesis about spread effects. The Regional growth targets assigned by the 11th Plan in India seem to rely on the spread effects of economic growth acceleration in the better off states to achieve its 9 percent growth target and reduce regional disparity in the long run. To strengthen spread effects, the domestic economy should be further integrated and interlinked with free flow of goods, services and factors of production. [W.P. No. 2009-03-06]
Two Late Proterozoic glaciations, Mackenzie Mountains, northwestern Canada

Glacial influence on deposition of the upper Proterozoic Sayunei and Shezal Formations (Rapitan Group) of northwestern Canada is well established. Diamictites of the Stelfox Member of the Ice Brook Formation, 1 km higher in the section and resting on platformal carbonate and siliciclastic strata of the Keele Formation, are here interpreted as glaciomarine. The glacial interpretation is based on the presence of dropstones, till pellets, extremely angular quartz grains, intercalations of laminated mudrocks and sandstone, and rare striated stones. The Stelfox glacial deposits are unique in that they lie above the lowest occurrence of faunas of Ediacaran type. The establishment of two episodes of Late Proterozoic glaciation in northwestern Canada, as opposed to the previously recognized single episode, enhances the possibility that these two glaciations correspond to the two recognized in parts of Australia and Africa.
Prosopis, an Alien among the Sacred Trees of South India

3 PREFACE. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS . 6 LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES . 9 GLOSSARY OF SANSKRIT TERMS . 11 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . 14 MEASUREMENTS . 14
Basin evolution within and adjacent to the Tien Shan Range, NW China

Two late Palaeozoic collisions produced the ancestral Tien Shan Range. Extension following the younger collision, preceded a phase of thermal subsidence associated with fluvial and lacustrine sedimentation throughout the Jurassic, Cretaceous and early Tertiary. This thermal subsidence was interrupted by renewed movement on Palaeozoic reverse faults, caused by the Mesozoic collisions at the southern margin of Asia. The India/Asia collision in the early Tertiary has produced widespread thrusting in the Tien Shan, which in turn is responsible for the formation of active foreland basins at the southern and northern margins of the range and similar basins within the range itself. This compression produced uplift and relief, and consequent erosion gave rise to alluvial fans, braidplains and ephemeral lakes in an extremely arid environment.
Modeling and mapping wildfire ignition risk in Portugal

Portugal has the highest density of wildfire ignitions among southern European countries. The ability to predict the spatial patterns of ignitions constitutes an important tool for managers, helping to improve the effectiveness of fire prevention, detection and firefighting resources allocation. In this study, we analyzed 127 490 ignitions that occurred in Portugal during a 5-year period. We used logistic regression models to predict the likelihood of ignition occurrence, using a set of potentially explanatory variables, and produced an ignition risk map for the Portuguese mainland. Results show that population density, human accessibility, land cover and elevation are important determinants of spatial distribution of fire ignitions. In this paper, we demonstrate that it is possible to predict the spatial patterns of ignitions at the national level with good accuracy and using a small number of easily obtainable variables, which can be useful in decision-making for wildfire management.
LUNGFISH BURROWS FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS MAEVARANO FORMATION, MAHAJANGA BASIN, NORTHWESTERN MADAGASCAR

ABSTRACT An assemblage of large-diameter vertical burrows interpreted as lungfish estivation burrows is documented from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian) Maevarano Formation of northwestern Madagascar. These burrows suggest that lungfish were present in the Maevarano Formation paleofauna, and they are the first lungfish estivation burrows described from the rock record of Gondwana. Over 100 large-diameter burrows penetrate a pervasively cross-stratified fluvial sandstone body intercalated near the top of the Masorobe Member. The surface of this sandstone body was mapped and 74 burrows were documented in an area spanning ∼110 m2. Burrows cut through and deform surrounding foreset laminae, and in some cases impact surrounding strata up to 8 cm from the edges of individual burrows. In map view, the burrows exhibit three distinctive morphologies: circular, elliptical, and figure-eight shaped. These three map view cross sections are very similar to the modern burrow morphology of the African lungfish Protopterus when its burrow is exhumed along its full vertical expanse. Combined, these transverse-section views provide indication of lungfish estivation, and they are supplemented by several additional key characteristics, including spatial clustering (reflecting gregarious behavior), possible fin traces, and oxidized burrow margins. The localized occurrence of 100+ lungfish estivation burrows is consistent with previous reconstructions that posit a dryland paleoenvironment with a markedly seasonal wet-dry climate for the Maevarano Formation.