This study aims to quantify rare earth element enrichment within coal and coal-adjacent strata in the Uinta Region of Utah and western Colorado. Rare earth elements are a subset of critical minerals used for renewable energy technology in the transition toward carbon-neutral energy. This data contains samples from seven active mines and seven stratigraphically complete cores within the Uinta Region, geochemically evaluated via portable X-ray fluorescence (n=3,113) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (n=143) elemental abundance methods. Historical evaluations of geochemical data on Uinta Region coal and coal-adjacent data are sparse, emphasizing the statistical significance of this study’s analyses. These results support the utilization of active mines and coal processing waste piles for the future of domestic rare earth element extraction, offering economic and environmental solutions to pressing global demands.
A comprehensive geochemical and stratigraphic study of Cretaceous coal-bearing strata in Utah and western Colorado was performed to evaluate geologic trends in REE-enrichment, as well as elucidate enrichment mechanisms. Preliminary portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyses (n = 5659) was combined with Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses (n = 135) on particularly REE-enriched samples. Sampling and analyses from active and historic mines as well as nearby cores and outcrops were performed with an emphasis on sedimentary, stratigraphic, geographic, and mining context.
The microbiology data represents the microorganisms recovered during the study period at the University of Utah hospital from samples collected from patients, environmental surfaces, and healthcare personnel (HCP) hands using premoistened sponges. Patient samples were collected daily from the axilla, groin, and perianal areas or stool. Environmental samples were collected daily from room surfaces and unit common areas (such as bed rails, overbed tables, door handles, computer keyboards, and other high-touch areas). HCP hands were periodically sampled upon HCP exit from a patient room after engaging in health care activities. Samples were collected from the 20-bed University of Utah Hospital Cardiovascular ICU (CVICU) over a 54 day period. The information from these datasets can be used to understand how different organisms appear and move throughout a hospital ward over a period of time.
The objective of using the wireless sensors was to improve understanding of the heterogeneity of healthcare worker (HCW) contact with patients and the physical environment in patients’ rooms. The framework and design were based on contact networks with a) nodes defined by HCW’s, rooms, and items in the room and b) edges defined by HCW’s in the room, near the bed, and touching items. Nodes had characteristics of HCW role and room number. Edges had characteristics of day, start time, and duration. Thus, patterns and heterogeneity could be understood within contexts of time, space, roles, and patient characteristics. At the University of Utah Hospital Cardiovascular ICU (CVICU), a 20-bed unit, we collected data for 54 days. HCW contact with patients was measured using wireless sensors to capture time spent in patient rooms as well as time spent near the patient bed. HCW contact with the physical environment was measured using wireless sensors on the following items in patient rooms: door, sink, toilet, over-bed table, keyboard, vital signs monitor touchscreen, and cart. HCW’s clipped a sensor to their clothing or lanyard. This dataset contains cleaned sensor pings of RFD reads between healthcare worker worn sensors and environmental sensors placed in facility using methods described in the "Data Cleaning Steps" section.
This dataset contains room occupancy during the study period at University of Utah hospital. Admission, Discharge, and Transfer (ADT) data is captured in participating hospitals to characterize room occupancy and non-occupancy in wards. These data are pulled from multiple sources collected during the study by study staff as well as harvested EHR data. Data were adjudicated and compiled into one comprehensive file. Data manipulation included redaction of dates, replaced with study days 1-n, as well as transformation from long format to wide for ease of use.
This dataset provides access to data from personnel records of miner employment from 1900–1919. Records from the Utah Copper Company are handwritten and contain the following employee information: name, date employed, address, dependents, age, weight, height, eyes, hair, gender, and nationality. Data has been transcribed and released as a .tsv (Tab Separated Values) file. Technical metadata has been redacted.
Isotopic data in this database includes 863 samples from 34 papers and three previously published compilations. For each sample, this database provides location, age, and reference information presented in the first columns. Locations are recorded in latitude and longitude (WGS84). The information about the location source uses the same criteria used for the elemental geochemical database (“GPS”, “Figure-Polygon” and “Figure-Point”). Age is provided according to the original source and includes two general scenarios: an age with uncertainty at 2σ level and a general estimation for the age with no associated error. Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr data are based on whole rock analysis. Lu-Hf data are based on zircon analysis. Sm-Nd data includes Sm and Nd in ppm, 147Nd/144Nd and 143Nd/144Nd in ratios, Nd uncertainties at 2σ level, and Nd values in the epsilon notation as presented in the data source. Rb-Sr data include Rb and Sr in ppm; 87Rb/86Sr, 87Sr/86Sr, and initial 87Sr/86Sr in ratios, and Sr uncertainties at 2σ level. Lu-Hf data includes 176Yb/177Hf, 176Lu/177Hf, and 176Hf/177Hf rations and their uncertainties at 2σ level, the initial 176/177Hf ratio, Hf values in the epsilon notation and Hf uncertainties at 1σ and 2σ level, all as presented in the data source. Uncertainties related to the data location and heterogenous data distribution should be considered. Samples for the two batholiths in Mongolia are concentrated in central Mongolia and include Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf data. In the Erguna and Xing’an magmatic provinces, available samples provide mainly Lu-Hf data which are relatively better distributed than in the other regions.
In the element database, major elements are reported in weight percent oxide (wt%). Trace element concentrations are reported in parts per million (ppm). Available lithologic information (“lithology” column) and the type of igneous sample (intrusive or extrusive in the “Sample-Type” column) were included. The name of the area or of the corresponding igneous body were included when available (“Location/Body-Name” column). The location of the samples is reported in decimal degrees (WGS84), however, uncertainties explained below must be considered. Coordinates were obtained from three different ways of presenting the information about the location. The three scenarios are distinguished as “GPS”, “Figure-Point”, and “Figure-Polygon” in the “Location-Type” column. Samples with a location in a coordinate system were transformed to decimal degrees (WGS84) and classified as “GPS”. Samples individually identified in a georeferenced geologic map were approximately located after georeferencing the map in Google Earth or ArcGis (“Figure-Point”). Samples identified with a polygon in a georeferenced map (through age, body name or unidentified sample locations), but without more detailed information were approximately located in the middle of the corresponding polygon after georeferencing the map in Google Earth or ArcGis (“Figure-Polygon”). Precise “GPS” locations were obtained for 358 analyses, and approximate locations were obtained for 428 analyses. The age information was organized using three categories: “Age-Approximation”, “Age-number”, and “Age-Error”. “Age-approximation” corresponds to the age information from original paper or from an additional reference detailed in the “Reference-Age” column. “Age-number” corresponds to the age reported in the original paper or previous compilation, or to the average age calculated from a given age range. “Age-Error” corresponds to the error presented in the original paper or previous compilation, or to half of the age range. Information about the methods, analyzed material and laboratory name was included when available. Lastly, the original data sources are available in the “Reference” column. References from previous compilations incorporated in this database are specified as “Compilation-Reference”. Additional references used for constraining the age are detailed in “Reference-Age” column.
Data that were incorrectly reported (e.g., reporting average compositions instead of sample composition) or with anomalous trace element concentrations were filtered-out from the element database. Analyses from weathered or altered samples producing high total volatile content (LOI> 5 wt%) were removed. Samples with no available information to approximately locate them or to constrain their age were eliminated. Despite this screening process, the database suffers from uncertainties related to approximated ages and locations and variable information regarding the lithology, and availability of trace elements The inhomogeneity in this database is explicit and uncertainties related to the age and location should be carefully considered in any interpretation. The final compilation contains 787 geochemical analyses (major, minor and trace elements) and includes data from 36 studies.
The data from the Digital Library Outreach and Instruction survey is intended to discover how digital library practitioners at various types of cultural institutions promote their unique resources, beyond simply placing content in an online repository for users to discover. Types of outreach investigated include social media promotion, integration of digital collections into teaching and instruction activities, and partnerships with external campus units or community organizations.
This collection includes radial component displacement seismograms in the time window including the SKS, SKKS and SPdKS seismic arrivals. These data all interact with ultra-low velocity zone (ULVZ) structures at the core-mantle boundary beneath East Asia. Data used in the study of Festin et al., 2024 (TSR) is included in this collection.
This dataset accompanies the research article entitled, "Vibration of Natural Rock Arches and Towers Excited by Helicopter-Sourced Infrasound," where we investigate the vibration response of seven landforms to helicopter-sourced infrasound during controlled flight. Included are time-series vibration data of the landforms and nearby ground during and before helicopter flight, time-series infrasound data, 3D photogrammetry models of the studied landforms, and GPS data from the helicopter.
Current treatments for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections require intravenously delivered vancomycin; however, systemically delivered vancomycin has its problems. To determine the feasibility and safety of locally delivering vancomycin hydrochloride (~25 mg/Kg) to the medullary canal of long bones, we conducted a pharmacokinetics study using a rat tibia model. We found that administering the vancomycin intraosseously resulted in very low concentrations of vancomycin in the blood plasma and the muscle surrounding the tibia, reducing the risk for systemic toxicity, which is often seen with traditional intravenous administration of vancomycin. Additionally, we were able to inhibit the development of osteomyelitis in the tibia if the treatment was administered locally at the same time as a bacterial inoculum (i.e., Log10 7.82 CFU/mL or 6.62x107 CFU/mL), when compared to an untreated group. These findings suggest that local intramedullary vancomycin delivery can achieve sufficiently high local concentrations to prevent development of osteomyelitis while minimizing systemic toxicity.
Background: To assess the demographic and attitudinal factors associated with HPV vaccine initiation and completion among 18–26 year old women in Utah. Method: Between January 2013 and December 2013, we surveyed 325 women from the University of Utah Community Clinics about their HPV vaccine related beliefs and behaviors. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated from logistic regression models to identify variables related to HPV vaccine initiation and series completion. Results: Of the 325 participants, 204 (62.8 %) had initiated the vaccine and 159 (48.9 %) had completed the 3-dose series. The variables associated with HPV vaccine initiation were lower age (OR = 1.18 per year); being unmarried (OR = 3.62); not practicing organized religion (OR = 2.40); knowing how HPV spreads (OR = 6.29); knowing the connection between HPV and cervical cancer (OR = 3.90); a belief in the importance of preventive vaccination (OR = 2.45 per scale unit); strength of doctor recommendation (OR = 1.86 per scale unit); and whether a doctor’s recommendation was influential (OR = 1.70 per scale unit). These variables were also significantly associated with HPV vaccine completion. Conclusion: The implications of these findings may help inform policies and interventions focused on increasing HPV vaccination rates among young women. For example, without this information, programs might focus on HPV awareness; however, the results of this study illustrate that awareness is already high (near saturation) in target populations and other factors, such as strong and consistent physician recommendations, are more pivotal in increasing likelihood of vaccination. Additionally, our findings indicate the need for discussions of risk assessment be tailored to the young adult population.
The mechanisms governing tree drought mortality and recovery remain a subject of inquiry and active debate given their role in the terrestrial carbon cycle and their concomitant impact on climate change. Counter-intuitively, many trees do not die during the drought itself. Indeed, observations globally have documented that trees often grow for several years after drought before mortality. A combination of meta-analysis and tree physiological models demonstrate that optimal carbon allocation after drought explains observed patterns of delayed tree mortality and provides a predictive recovery framework. Specifically, post-drought, trees attempt to repair water transport tissue and achieve positive carbon balance through regrowing drought-damaged xylem. Further, the number of years of xylem regrowth required to recover function increases with tree size, explaining why drought mortality increases with size. These results indicate that tree resilience to drought-kill may increase in the future, provided that CO2 fertilization facilitates more rapid xylem regrowth.
Weather-related research often requires synthesizing vast amounts of data that need archival solutions that are both economical and viable during and past the lifetime of the project. Public cloud computing services (e.g., from Amazon, Microsoft, or Google) or private clouds managed by research institutions are providing object data storage systems appropriate for long-term archives of such large geophysical data sets. , Current Status:
Our research group no longer needs to maintain archives of High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model output at the University of Utah since complete publicly-accessible archives of HRRR model output are now available from the Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services (AWS) as part of the NOAA Open Data Program.
Google and AWS store the HRRR model output in GRIB2 format, a file type that efficiently stores hundreds of two-dimensional variable fields for a single valid time. Despite the highly compressible nature of GRIB2 files, they are often on the order of several hundred MB each, making high-volume input/output applications challenging due to the memory and compute resources needed to parse these files.
With support from the Amazon Sustainability Data Initiative, our group is now creating and maintaining HRRR model output in an optimized format, Zarr, in a publicly-accessible S3 bucket- hrrrzarr. HRRR-Zarr contains sets for each model run of analysis and forecast files sectioned into 96 small chunks for every variable. The structure of the HRRR-Zarr files are designed to allow users the flexibility to access only the data they need through selecting subdomains and parameters of interest without the overhead that comes from accessing numerous GRIB2 files.
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History:
This effort began in 2015 to illustrate the use of a private cloud object store developed by the Center for High Performance Computing (CHPC) at the University of Utah. We began archiving thousands of two-dimensional gridded fields (each one containing over 1.9 million values over the contiguous United States) from the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) data assimilation and forecast modeling system. The archive has been used for retrospective analyses of meteorological conditions during high-impact weather events, assessing the accuracy of the HRRR forecasts, and providing initial and boundary conditions for research simulations. The archive has been accessible interactively and through automated download procedures for researchers at other institutions that can be tailored by the user to extract individual two-dimensional grids from within the highly compressed files. Over a thousand users have voluntarily registered to use the HRRR archive at the University of Utah.
Our archive has grown to over 130 Tbytes of model output but we no longer need to continue that effort since the GRIB2 files are available now via Google and AWS. As mentioned above, we now provide much of the same information in an alternative format that is appropriate particularly for machine-learning applications.
While several studies have qualitatively investigated age- and region-dependent adhesion between the vitreous and retina, no studies have directly measured the vitreoretinal strength of adhesion. In this study, we developed a rotational peel device and associated methodology to measure the maximum and steady-state peel forces between the vitreous and the retina. Vitreoretinal adhesion in the equator and posterior pole were measured in human eyes from donors ranging 30 to 79 years of age, and in sheep eyes from premature, neonatal, young lamb, and young adult sheep. In human eyes, maximum peel force in the equator (7.24 ± 4.13 mN) was greater than in the posterior pole (4.08 ± 2.03 mN). This trend was especially evident for younger eyes from donors 30 to 39 years of age. After 60 years of age, there was a significant decrease in the maximum equatorial (4.69 ± 2.52 mN, p = 0.016) and posterior pole adhesion (2.95 ± 1.25 mN, p = 0.037). In immature sheep eyes, maximum adhesion was 7.60 ± 3.06 mN, and did not significantly differ between the equator and posterior pole until young adulthood. At this age, the maximum adhesion in the equator nearly doubled (16.67 ± 7.45 mN) that of the posterior pole, similar to the young adult human eyes. Light microscopy images suggest more disruption of the inner limiting membrane (ILM) in immature sheep eyes compared to adult sheep eyes. Interestingly, in human eyes, ILM disruption was significantly greater in the posterior pole (p < 0.05) and in people over 60 years of age (p < 0.02). These findings supplement the current discussion surrounding age-related posterior vitreous detachment, and the risk factors and physiological progressions associated with this condition. In addition, these data further our understanding of the biomechanical mechanisms of vitreoretinal adhesion, and can be used to develop age- appropriate computational models simulating retinal detachment, hemorrhaging, or retinal trauma.
See Creveling CJ, Colter J, Coats B. 2018. Changes in vitreoretinal adhesion with age and region in human and sheep eyes. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2018.00153.
The Purkinje system (PS) and the His bundle have been recently implicated as an important driver of the rapid activation rate after 1-2 minutes of ventricular fibrillation (VF). It is unknown whether activations during VF propagate through the His-Purkinje system to other portions of the the working myocardium (WM). Little is known about restitution characteristic differences between the His bundle and working myocardium at short cycle lengths. In this study, rabbit hearts (n=9) were isolated, Langendorff- perfused, and electromechanically uncoupled with blebbistatin (10 μM). Pacing pulses were delivered directly to the His bundle. By using standard glass microelectrodes, action potentials duration (APD) from the His bundle and WM were obtained simultaneously over a wide range of stimulation cycle lengths (CL). The global F-test indicated that the two restitution curves of the His bundle and the WM are statistically significantly different (P<0.05). Also, the APD of the His bundle was significantly shorter than that of WM throughout the whole pacing course (P<0.001). The CL at which alternans developed in the His bundle vs. the WM were shorter for the His bundle (134.2±13.1ms vs. 148.3±13.3ms, P<0.01) and 2:1 block developed at a shorter CL in the His bundle than in WM (130.0±10.0 vs. 145.6±14.2ms, P<0.01). The His bundle APD was significantly shorter than that of WM under both slow and rapid pacing rates, which suggest that there may be an excitable gap during VF and that the His bundle may conduct wavefronts from one bundle branch to the other at short cycle lengths and during VF.