Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A bioarchaeological investigation of activity patterns in New Kingdom Nubia

Schrader, Sarah A. M.S., Purdue University, May 2010. A Bioarchaeological Investigation of Activity Patterns in New Kingdom Nubia. Major Professor: Michele R. Buzon. This study utilizes a bioarchaeological approach to examine activity patterns at the Nubian site of Tombos. The town of Tombos, located at the Third Cataract of the Nile, was established as an imperial center and remained a functional protectorate of the Egyptian Empire throughout the Third Intermediate Period (1,400-1,050 BC). Human skeletal remains from the New Kingdom (1,550-1,069 BC) were analyzed for indications of osteoarthritis, vertebral degeneration and musculoskeletal stress markers. In addition to better understanding activity patterns at Tombos, this study has two primary objectives: 1) investigate the biological outcomes of imperial incorporation and consolidation, and 2) elucidate the role of Tombos as a constituent of the Egyptian Empire. Low levels of osteoarthritis, vertebral degeneration and entheseal remodeling reflect an imperial community that was not participating in a mechanically strenuous lifestyle. Furthermore, these data suggest Tombos served as a colonial administrative center as the Egyptian Empire successfully consolidated Nubia into the imperial regime of the New Kingdom.
Glutamatergic and Resting-State Functional Connectivity Correlates of Severity in Major Depression – The Role of Pregenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Anterior Insula

Glutamatergic mechanisms and resting-state functional connectivity alterations have been recently described as factors contributing to major depressive disorder (MDD). Furthermore, the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) seems to play an important role for major depressive symptoms such as anhedonia and impaired emotion processing. We investigated 22 MDD patients and 22 healthy subjects using a combined magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) approach. Severity of depression was rated using the 21-item Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and patients were divided into severely and mildly depressed subgroups according to HAMD scores. Because of their hypothesized role in depression we investigated the functional connectivity between pgACC and left anterior insular cortex (AI). The sum of Glutamate and Glutamine (Glx) in the pgACC, but not in left AI, predicted the resting-state functional connectivity between the two regions exclusively in depressed patients. Furthermore, functional connectivity between these regions was significantly altered in the subgroup of severely depressed patients (HAMD > 15) compared to healthy subjects and mildly depressed patients. Similarly the Glx ratios, relative to Creatine, in the pgACC were lowest in severely depressed patients. These findings support the involvement of glutamatergic mechanisms in severe MDD which are related to the functional connectivity between pgACC and AI and depression severity.
Evaluation of copyright protection schemes for hyperspectral imaging

In this paper we evaluate the performance of several image watermarking schemes applied to hyperspectral imaging. An image watermarking scheme based on JPEG2000 which can be also used to store and manipulate hyperspectral images is also described. Different watermarking schemes are tested in order to determine the suitability of each one for a specific hyperspectral image environment. The impact of classical GIS operations (namely zooming, cropping and compression) on the performance of each watermarking scheme is measured in terms of capacity and robustness. In order to do so, we study several possibilities for watermarking hyperspectral images, as all hyperspectral image bands should be taken into account. We also study the impact of watermarking in image quality, measured as usual by PSNR, but also by the degradation of classification performance. Compression, classification and watermarking are closely related to each other as decisions taken in one subject have a large impact on the others. Our results show that the newcomer JPEG2000 standard is a useful tool for both hyperspectral imaging and copyright protection purposes. The proposed watermarking scheme, which takes advantage of JPEG2000 standard capabilities, can be considered to be robust under the constraints defined by the integration of hyperspectral imaging with geographical information systems. JPEG2000 extensions defined by the standard related to this work are also considered.
Study of the square grid pattern in dielectric barrier discharge by a CCD digital camera

Square grid pattern generated in a dielectric barrier discharge device is adopted by CCD digital camera. By using 2-D Fourier spectrum analyzing, it is found that the dot-line pattern is selected by two modes and the hexagonal pattern is selected by single mode, while the square grid pattern is formed by three wave resonance. For further investigation, the intensity distribution of square grid pattern is analyzed. Results show that the structures of square grid pattern is perfect and the intensity distribution along a line contains two types of intensity peaks, indicating that each cell of square grid pattern is composed of eight spots.
Late Holocene climatic change in Southeast Asia: The palynological evidence and its implications for archaeology

Abstract Palynological data from deep‐sea cores, archaeological sites and dry land pollen cores enables us to go some way towards reconstructing later Holocene climatic changes, but more and better samples combined with field and laboratory cooperation with geomorphologists and archaeologists are needed before a coherent and reliable picture can be developed.
Decrease of the carbon monoxide mixing ratio at the tropopause

Atmospheric CO was measured with the aid of instrumented aircraft operating in the vicinity of the tropopause and in the lower stratosphere. In confirmation of previous measurements the CO mixing ratio was found to decrease above the tropopause. From the observed gradients the size of the stratospheric CO sink can be calculated. Above the mixing region adjacent to the tropopause the CO mixing ratio assumes a new constant value of about 0.04 ppm. The stratospheric CO value is interpreted as the balance between the production by oxidation of hydrocarbons (e.g., methane) and the consumption by reaction with OH radicals. The steady-state CO mixing ratio and the OH radical concentration required to provide the observed stratospheric CO sink are in satisfactory agreement with a recent model by McConnell et al. (1971).
Reappraisal of thienopyridine pretreatment in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To investigate the effect of pretreatment with P2Y12 receptor inhibitors compared with no pretreatment on efficacy and safety of treatment of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Data sources Two reviewers independently searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane Controlled Trials, and BioMed Central databases for randomized placebo controlled trials and observational studies from August 2001 to March 2014. Study eligibility Studies must have reported both all-cause mortality (primary efficacy endpoint) and major bleeding (safety endpoint) outcomes. Data extraction Data on sample size, characteristics, drug dose and delay of administration, and outcomes were independently extracted and analyzed. Data synthesis A random-effect model was applied. The analysis was performed (i) in all patients independently of the management strategy and (ii) only in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Results Of the 393 titles identified, seven (four randomized controlled trials, one observational analysis from a randomized controlled trial, and three observational studies) met the inclusion criteria. No study was identified for ticagrelor or cangrelor, and analyses were thus limited to thienopyridines. A total of 32 383 non-ST elevation ACS patients were included, 18 711 coming from randomized controlled trials. Of these, 55% underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Pretreatment was not associated with a significant lower risk of mortality in all patients (odds ratio 0.90 (95% confidence interval 0.75 to 1.07), P=0.24), in particular when considering only the randomized controlled trials (odds ratio 0.90 (0.71 to 1.14), P=0.39). Similar results were observed in the cohort of patients undergoing PCI. A significant 30-45% excess of major bleeding was consistently observed in all patients (odds ratio 1.32 (1.16 to 1.49), P<0.0001) and in those undergoing PCI, as well as in the subset analyses of randomized controlled trials of these two cohorts of patients. There was a reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events in the analysis of all patients (odds ratio 0.84 (0.72 to 0.98), P=0.02), driven by the old clopidogrel studies (CURE and CREDO), but the difference was not significant for the cohort of patients undergoing PCI. Stent thrombosis, stroke, and urgent revascularization did not differ between groups (pretreatment v no pretreatment). The results were consistent for both thienopyridines and confirmed in sensitivity analyses. Limitations Analysis was not performed on individual patient’s data. Conclusion In patients presenting with non-ST elevation ACS, pretreatment with thienopyridines is associated with no significant reduction of mortality but with a significant excess of major bleeding no matter the strategy adopted, invasive or not. Our results do not support a strategy of routine pretreatment in patients with non-ST elevation ACS.
Genome Sequence of the Chlamydophila abortus Variant Strain LLG

ABSTRACT Chlamydophila abortus is a common cause of ruminant abortion. Here we report the genome sequence of strain LLG, which differs genotypically and phenotypically from the wild-type strain S26/3. Genome sequencing revealed differences between LLG and S26/3 to occur in pseudogene content, in transmembrane head/inc family proteins, and in biotin biosynthesis genes.
Consolidation and Permeability of Transparent Amorphous Silica

The consolidation and permeability of transparent amorphous silica are studied in this paper. Transparency is achieved by matching the refractive indices of the amorphous silica particles and the pore fluid. The fundamental premise of this research is that transparent synthetic soils made of amorphous silica can be used in model tests to study three-dimensional deformation and flow problems, using nonintrusive optical visualization techniques, if amorphous silica can be produced with geotechnical properties similar to natural soils. The amorphous silicas studied in this paper exhibit consolidation behavior similar to that of organic clays and peat. The permeability of the material falls within the range typically reported for clays and peats.
Dissociable Neural Correlates of Intention and Action Preparation in Voluntary Task Switching

This electroencephalographic (EEG) study investigated the impact of between-task competition on intentional control in voluntary task switching. Anticipatory preparation for an upcoming task switch is a hallmark of top-down intentional control. Meanwhile, asymmetries in performance and voluntary choice when switching between tasks differing in relative strength reveal the effects of between-task competition, reflected in a surprising bias against switching to an easier task. Here, we assessed the impact of this bias on EEG markers of intentional control during preparation for an upcoming task switch. The results revealed strong and varied effects of between-task competition on EEG markers of global task preparation—a frontal contingent negative variation (CNV), a posterior slow positive wave, and oscillatory activity in the alpha band (8–12 Hz) over posterior scalp sites. In contrast, we observed no between-task differences in motor-specific task preparation, as indexed by the lateralized readiness potential and by motor-related amplitude asymmetries in the mu (9–13 Hz) and beta (18–26 Hz) frequency bands. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that between-task competition directly influences the formation of top-down intentions, not only their expression in overt behavior. Specifically, this influence occurs at the level of global task intention rather than the preparation of specific actions.
A Quantitative Comparison of Change-Detection Algorithms for Monitoring Eelgrass from Remotely Sensed Data

nent of coastal and estuarine ecosystems (Milne and Milne, The eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) population in Great Bay, 1951; Ackleson and Klemas, 1987; Short, 1989; Ferguson et New Hampshire has recently undergone dramatic changes. A 1993). It grows in bays, and coastal Oceans reoccurrence of the 1930s wasting disease and decreasing throughout the northern temperate regi0ns the and water quality due to pollution led to a reduction in the eel- Can rival the productivity of agricultural crops (~ha~er et al., grass population during the late 1980s. Currently, the eel- 1984). In addition, eelgrass meadows ~rovide habitat for nugrass populations in ~~~~t B~~ have a remark- merous organisms, including coastal fish, lobsters, crabs and able recovery from the decline in the late 1980~. Eelgrass is scallops, and a food source for waterfowl. Eelgrass meadows important in our estuarine ecosystems because it is utilized also increase water quality by filtering sediments and nutrias habitat by many and non-commercial ents within the water (Short, 1989). It is therefore important isms and is a food source for wateqfowl. In order to monitor to maintain healthy ~o~ulations of eelgrass in to enthe eelgrass populations in Great Bay, a change detection Sure the continuing ~rosperit~ of coastal and estuarine ecoanalysis was performed to determine the fluctuation in eel- systems. grass meadows over time.
Sequence stratigraphy, paleoclimate patterns, and vertebrate fossil preservation in JurassicCretaceous strata of the Junggar Basin, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China

Multi-kilometre-thick JurassicCretaceous-age sedimentary successions exposed in the southern, northwestern, and northeastern regions of the Junggar Basin display a consistent and correlative stratigraphy comprising four, stacked second-order megasequences: Badaowan, Sangonghe, Shishugou, and Kalaza. Each consists of a basal erosional unconformity or discontinuity surface and lower, middle, and upper units that are interpreted as forestepping, backstepping, and aggradational systems tracts, respectively. Each megasequence is interpreted as recording an upsection shift from active tectonism and uplift to tectonic quiescence with associated changes in crustal response and sediment supply. Basin-wide analysis of megasequences indicates that tectonism was intermittent and regionally variable. A maximum phase of subsidence and sediment accommodation is recorded in the middle unit of each megasequence and correlates with a notable abundance of fossil vertebrates suggesting a primary tectonic and basin-response .
Chemical Synthesis of Burkholderia Lipid A Modified with Glycosyl Phosphodiester-Linked 4-Amino-4-deoxy-β-l-arabinose and Its Immunomodulatory Potential

Modification of the Lipid A phosphates by positively charged appendages is a part of the survival strategy of numerous opportunistic Gram-negative bacteria. The phosphate groups of the cystic fibrosis adapted Burkholderia Lipid A are abundantly esterified by 4-amino-4-deoxy-β-l-arabinose (β-l-Ara4N), which imposes resistance to antibiotic treatment and contributes to bacterial virulence. To establish structural features accounting for the unique pro-inflammatory activity of Burkholderia LPS we have synthesised Lipid A substituted by β-l-Ara4N at the anomeric phosphate and its Ara4N-free counterpart. The double glycosyl phosphodiester was assembled by triazolyl-tris-(pyrrolidinyl)phosphonium-assisted coupling of the β-l-Ara4N H-phosphonate to α-lactol of β(1→6) diglucosamine, pentaacylated with (R)-(3)-acyloxyacyl- and Alloc-protected (R)-(3)-hydroxyacyl residues. The intermediate 1,1′-glycosyl-H-phosphonate diester was oxidised in anhydrous conditions to provide, after total deprotection, β-l-Ara4N-substituted Burkholderia Lipid A. The β-l-Ara4N modification significantly enhanced the pro-inflammatory innate immune signaling of otherwise non-endotoxic Burkholderia Lipid A.
Application of mineral deposit models in exploration: a case study of sediment-hosted gold deposits, Great Basin, Western United States

Abstract This paper emphasizes the development of mineral deposit models for exploration using as a case study the sediment-hosted, structure-controlled, disseminated gold deposits in the Great Basin of the Western United States. More than 60 deposits have been found in this area since the discovery of the Carlin deposit in 1962. Most deposits were discovered by direct prospecting and sampling of outcropping silicified zones (jasperoids). Similar poorly exposed and unexposed deposits remain to be discovered, but future exploration will require improved models that indirectly predict locations of these deposits. Many of these sediment-hosted gold deposits occur within silicified and structurally complex zones in calcareous rocks below regional east-directed thrusts. Geological characteristics that have been successfully employed in exploration include: erosional windows (fensters) through the thrusts; silty to arenaceous calcareous host rocks below the thrusts; silicified zones; anticlines and domes of the lower plate calcareous sediments; alignment of deposits along linear trends; and geochemical anomalies (Au, Ag, As, Sb, Tl, etc.). Although the use of these criteria will discover new deposits, exploration now requires additional criteria that are reliably, but not so directly, associated with the deposits. Identification of these criteria will require the development of genetic models that tie more regional geological characteristics to ore formation and localization. Development of successful mineral deposit models first requires a working definition of the sediment-hosted gold deposit class and its geological characteristics. The characteristics of each deposit included in this class are then documented and validated. Next, the geological processes most likely responsible for the shared characteristics are identified. Finally, the most reliable, informative and accessible criteria, reflective of each ore-forming process, are selected. From these criteria are chosen the most efficient and effective geological features for continued exploration. Processes currently suggested to be important in the formation of sediment-hosted gold deposits include: regional wrench fault tectonics; plutonism; hydrothermal fluid flow driven by intrusions and/or thrusting; fluid flow along regional unconformities; gold precipitation following carbonate dissolution, or fluid mixing; and dissolution of synsedimentary gold from the allochthonous western assemblage sediments and reprecipitation of that gold in the deposits. A general approach for identifying additional possible processes, testing alternative processes and finally selecting exploration criteria is presented.
Source‐diagnostic dual‐isotope composition and optical properties of water‐soluble organic carbon and elemental carbon in the South Asian outflow intercepted over the Indian Ocean

The dual carbon isotope signatures and optical properties of carbonaceous aerosols have been investigated simultaneously for the first time in the South Asian outflow during an intensive campaign at the Maldives Climate Observatory on Hanimaadhoo (MCOH) (February and March 2012). As one component of the Cloud Aerosol Radiative Forcing Dynamics Experiment, this paper reports on the sources and the atmospheric processing of elemental carbon (EC) and water‐soluble organic carbon (WSOC) as examined by a dual carbon isotope approach. The radiocarbon (Δ14C) data show that WSOC has a significantly higher biomass/biogenic contribution (86 ± 5%) compared to EC (59 ± 4%). The more 13C‐enriched signature of MCOH‐WSOC (−20.8 ± 0.7‰) compared to MCOH‐EC (−25.8 ± 0.3‰) and megacity Delhi WSOC (−24.1 ± 0.9‰) suggests that WSOC is significantly more affected by aging during long‐range transport than EC. The δ13C‐Δ14C signal suggests that the wintertime WSOC intercepted over the Indian Ocean largely represents aged primary biomass burning aerosols. Since light‐absorbing organic carbon aerosols (Brown Carbon (BrC)) have recently been identified as potential contributors to positive radiative forcing, optical properties of WSOC were also investigated. The mass absorption cross section of WSOC (MAC365) was 0.5 ± 0.2 m2 g−1 which is lower than what has been observed at near‐source sites, indicating a net decrease of WSOC light‐absorption character during long‐range transport. Near‐surface WSOC at MCOH accounted for ~1% of the total direct solar absorbance relative to EC, which is lower than the BrC absorption inferred from solar spectral observations of ambient aerosols, suggesting that a significant portion of BrC might be included in the water‐insoluble portion of organic aerosols.
Increased Levels of cAMP by the Calcium-Dependent Activation of Soluble Adenylyl Cyclase in Parkin-Mutant Fibroblasts

Almost half of autosomal recessive early-onset parkinsonism has been associated with mutations in PARK2, coding for parkin, which plays an important role in mitochondria function and calcium homeostasis. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a major second messenger regulating mitochondrial metabolism, and it is strictly interlocked with calcium homeostasis. Parkin-mutant (Pt) fibroblasts, exhibiting defective mitochondrial respiratory/OxPhos activity, showed a significant higher value of basal intracellular level of cAMP, as compared with normal fibroblasts (CTRL). Specific pharmacological inhibition/activation of members of the adenylyl cyclase- and of the phosphodiesterase-families, respectively, as well as quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis, indicate that the higher level of cAMP observed in Pt fibroblasts can contribute to a higher level of activity/expression by soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) and to low activity/expression of the phosphodiesterase isoform 4 (PDE4). As Ca2+ regulates sAC, we performed quantitative calcium-fluorimetric analysis, showing a higher level of Ca2+ in the both cytosol and mitochondria of Pt fibroblasts as compared with CTRL. Most notably, inhibition of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter decreased, specifically the cAMP level in PD fibroblasts. All together, these findings support the occurrence of an altered mitochondrial Ca2+-mediated cAMP homeostasis in fibroblasts with the parkin mutation.
Oscillating modes of orogeny in the Southwest Pacific and the tectonic evolution of New Caledonia

Abstract This paper presents a new interpretation of the tectonic evolution of New Caledonia, based on the extrapolation of detailed structural analysis at several different scales. The coherent high-pressure schist belt of northern New Caledonia contains clear evidence for cyclicity in the orogenic process. Two switches from large-scale crustal shortening to extensional tectonism can be recognized. We propose that orogenesis initially resulted in significant crustal thickening, obduction, and high-pressure (15–20 kbar) metamorphism. There is a close temporal link between ophiolite emplacement and high-pressure metamorphism. The high-pressure rocks were exhumed during the first period of extensional tectonism (c. 40–36 Ma) as a large coherent terrane (>1500 km2). During the second period of crustal shortening the New Caledonia orogen was folded into upright megafolds. Basin and Range style normal faulting then took place, bringing the folded extensional terrane and the high-pressure rocks to their present crustal level. Metamorphic grade changes in the high-pressure belt are structurally controlled by these late-stage normal faults. However, movement on these faults is responsible for only the very last stages of exhumation.