Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impacts of climate change on nutrient losses from the Pike River watershed of southern Québec

Gombault, C. , Madramootoo, C. A. , Michaud, A. R. , Beaudin, I. , Sottile, M. F. , Chikhaoui, M. and Ngwa, F. F. 2015. Impacts of climate change on nutrient losses from the Pike River watershed of southern Québec. Can. J. Soil Sci. 95: 337-358. The impacts of climate change on water quality in the Pike River watershed, an important contributor of nutrient loads into the northern arm of Lake Champlain, were simulated for the time horizon 2041-2070. Four water quality scenarios were simulated using a calibrated version of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) customized to Québec agroclimatic conditions. Three of the scenarios were generated using climate data simulated with the Fourth-generation Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM4). The fourth scenario was generated using the climate simulated with the Arpege Regional Climate Model. Potential mean climate-induced changes in sediment, phosphorus, and nitrogen yield projected by these scenarios were then analyzed for the 2050 horizon. In addition, the impacts of the different sources of climate projection uncertainty were assessed by comparing climate model initial conditions, and climate model physical structure effects on the hydrochemical projections. Only one climate scenario projected a significant increase in mean annual total phosphorus [10 metrics tons (t) yr-1 or 14%] and total nitrogen (260 t yr-1 or 17%) loads. However, when shorter time spans (seasonal and monthly scales) were considered, several significant changes were detected, especially in winter. Sediment and nutrient loadings, in winter, were predicted to become three to four times higher than current levels. These increases were attributed to a greater vulnerability of soils to erosion in winter due to the decrease in the snowpack, early onset of spring snowmelt, a greater number of rainfall events, and snowmelt episodes caused by higher winter and spring temperatures.
EFFECTS OF EYESTALK ABLATION AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR ON MOLTING AND REPRODUCTION OF THE ESTUARINE GRAPSID CRAB CHASMAGNATHUS GRANULATA (DECAPODA, BRACHYURA)

Abstract The effect of unilateral and bilateral eyestalk ablation on molting and reproduction of the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulata was studied, during the prereproductive (PRE), reproductive (R), and postreproductive (POST) periods under constant laboratory conditions. The effect of the laboratory conditions themselves was also evaluated by comparing the control intact crabs maintained in the laboratory with an intact outdoor group. Bilateral ablation was a stronger inducer of molting than was unilateral ablation. The former treatment induced in both sexes the highest percentages of molting (65–100%) in shorter times, as well as a higher size increment at molting, regardless of the period when it was performed. During POST period, unilateral-ablated and intact crabs from both sexes also molted, females in a higher percentage than males. No spawning was recorded in females that had undergone bilateral ablation. Unilateral-ablated and intact females first spawned and then molted during R. Unilateral ablated females also had, during R period, up to two spawnings before molting, whereas the laboratory control crabs had only one. The laboratory-control and unilateral-ablated females spawned during PRE period, while none of the outdoor control did during that period. We conclude that: (1) bilateral ablation is a very strong inducer of molting for both sexes during any season of the year, (2) unilateral ablation increases the female reproductive output during the reproductive period, and (3) the laboratory conditions used in this study are capable of inducing spawning during the prereproductive period.
Impact of Wind Gusts on Detectability of GPS Spoofing Attacks Using RAIM with INS Coupling

Vulnerability of GNSS users to signal spoofing is a critical threat to positioning integrity, especially in aviation applications where the consequences are potentially catastrophic. Spoofing may even become a more serious risk to aviation in the near future with the rollout of the GPS-based Next Generation Air Traffic Control (ATC) system, and the corresponding reduction in reliance on ground-based radar systems by ATC. In this work, we generalize the spoofing integrity analysis by deriving the statistical dynamic response of an aircraft to a vertical wind gust power spectrum (the Dryden Gust Turbulence model). In aircraft with INS-RAIM, the vehicle dynamic response to wind gusts provides an advantage for detection of the spoofing attack. The reason is that the aircraft response to a gust will be instantaneously reflected in INS measurements, but not in the spoofed GPS signal. The main contribution of this work is the development of a rigorous methodology to compute upper bounds on the integrity risk resulting from a worst case spoofing attack without needing to simulate individual aircraft approaches with an unmanageably large number specific gust disturbance profiles. We use a Boeing 747 aircraft model to demonstrate the performance of the INS-RAIM monitor under worst-case GPS spoofing and to investigate gust intensity levels that are sufficient to meet integrity risk requirements for precision landing approach.
Evaluation of selected soil properties for indicating cattle activity at off-stream watering and river access sites in southern Alberta

Miller, J. J., Curtis, T. W. , Bremer, E. , Chanasyk, D. S. and Willms, W. D. 2013. Evaluation of selected soil properties for indicating cattle activity at off-stream watering and river access sites in southern Alberta. Can. J. Soil Sci. 93: 343-358. Off-stream watering troughs may reduce surface water pollution by shifting nutrient distribution from natural watering sites along the river to around artificial water troughs some distance from the river. The objective of our study was to evaluate the suitability of nine soil properties for assessing the impacts of cattle activity adjacent to eight watering sites. Nine surface (0-5 cm) soil properties were evaluated along four 100-m transects at the five off-stream water troughs and three river access sites along the Lower Little Bow River in southern Alberta over 4 yr (2007-2010). The properties included P (total P, soil test P or STP), N (total N, NO3-N, NH4-N), total C, total C:total N ratio (TC:TN), chloride (Cl), and soil bulk density. Soil test P was significantly (P≤0.05) enriched at 65% of site-year comparisons, followed by total C (63%), NO3-N (55%), total P and TC:TN (50%). This suggested that these soil properties were relatively good indicators of cattle activity at the majority (>50%) of watering sites. Chloride was a valid indicator only in non-saline areas (100% of four non-saline sites). Total C and TC:TN ratios were not valid indicators in the calcareous soils at all sites because of possible confounding influence of inorganic C. Overall, we recommend Cl as an indicator of cattle activity at watering sites not affected by soil salinity and high natural Cl levels, and STP as the best overall indicator of cattle activity at off-stream watering sites and river access sites. Certain soil properties were also influenced by distance from watering site, stocking rate, precipitation, and age of water trough.
Effect of seeding date and depth, seed size and fungicide treatment on Fusarium and Pythium seedling blight of canola

Crop Diversification Centre North, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5Y 6H3 (e-mail: sheau-fang.hwang@gov.ab.ca); Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0X2; and Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2P5. Received 7 October 2014, accepted 24 November 2014. Published on the web 5 December 2014.
Effect of Imidacloprid Soil Treatments on Occurrence of Formosan Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) in Independent Monitors

Abstract Periodic sampling of 30 independent monitors, initially active with the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, was conducted to evaluate the effects of soil treated with imidacloprid on nearby termite activity. Monitors were located adjacent (1–3 m) to the buildings. Soil around and under the buildings was treated with 0.05% imidacloprid. None of the termites collected showed latent mortality attributed to imidacloprid intoxication. Imidacloprid soil treatments did not measurably reduce C. formosanus populations adjacent to the treatments. Imidacloprid does not seem to fit the liquid-bait model.
Resistance to Greenbug (Heteroptera: Aphididae) Biotype I in A egilops tauschii Synthetic Wheats

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), is a major pest of wheat in North America, reducing U.S. wheat production by $60 to $100million each year. In this research, 149 wheat lines containing genes from Aegilops tauschii (Coss.) Schmal. were evaluated for resistance to greenbug biotype I. More than 50% of the lines sustained moderate foliar chlorosis from greenbug feeding, andapproximatelyone thirdof all the lineswerehighly resistant.All lineswithchlorosis scores similar to the resistant control ÔLargoÕ expressed high levels of antibiosis, producing greenbug populations withmeanweights ranging from 0.05 to 11.8mg. Therewas no signiÞcant difference between greenbugweights on these lines and those rearedon ÔLargoÕ, but themeanweight of individuals reared on the susceptible control ÔThunderbirdÕ was signiÞcantly greater than those reared on ÔLargoÕ or any of the test lines. The mean population size of greenbugs produced on plants of each line was signiÞcantly correlated with mean greenbug weight. Tolerance was not evident in any of the lines examined, but was unexpectedly apparent in ÔThunderbirdÕ at a level similar to that in the tolerant control cultivar ÔLargoÕ.
Effects of crop rotation, crop type and tillage on soil organic carbon in a semiarid climate

Shrestha, B. M. , McConkey, B. G. , Smith, W. N. , Desjardins, R. L. , Campbell, C. A. , Grant, B. B. and Miller, P. R. 2013. Effects of crop rotation, crop type and tillage on soil organic carbon in a semiarid climate. Can. J. Soil Sci. 93: 137-146. There is uncertainty about how crop rotation and tillage affect soil organic C (SOC) on the Canadian prairies. We compared SOC amount and change (ΔSOC) for one continuous crop and four 3-yr fallow-containing crop rotations under no-tillage (NT), and two fallow-containing crop rotations under minimum-tillage (MT), from 1995 to 2005 in semiarid southwestern Saskatchewan. After 11 yr, SOC (0- to 15-cm depth) was 0.2 Mg C ha-1 higher under continuous crop compared with fallow-containing systems. There were no significant differences in SOC and ΔSOC among fallow-containing rotations or between MT and NT. Total C inputs were weakly (R 2=0.18) but significantly (P<0.05) correlated to ΔSOC, which changed by ±0.33 Mg C ha-1 for each Mg ha-1 C input above or below 2.4 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. Carbon inputs were typically less than this amount and SOC generally decreased over the experiment. Simulations of SOC with the Century model were consistent with our observations regarding ΔSOC per unit of C input. There was slight loss of SOC for the above-average precipitation regime during the study. Simulations also supported our finding that SOC differences between crop mix and tillage systems may require several decades to become distinguishable in this semiarid climate with small and variable C inputs.
Effects of parity, age at calving and stage of lactation on fatty acid composition of milk in Canadian Holsteins

Bilal, G. , Cue, R. I. , Mustafa, A. F. and Hayes, J. F. 2014. Effects of parity, age at calving and stage of lactation on fatty acid composition of milk in Canadian Holsteins. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 94: 401-410. The objectives of the present study were to study the effects of parity, age at calving and stage of lactation on individual fatty acids and fatty acid unsaturation indices in milk of Canadian Holsteins. One morning milk sample was collected from each of 3185 dairy cows between February and June 2010 from 52 commercial herds enrolled in the Quebec Dairy Production Centre of Expertise, Valacta. Individual fatty acid proportions (g 100 g-1 of total fatty acids) were determined for each sample by gas chromatography. Editing for registration status, cow, sire and dam identification, breed, country, age at calving and stage of lactation reduced the data set to 2573 cows representing 46 herds. The statistical model included the fixed effects of parity, age at calving and stage of lactation each nested within parity and random effects of herd-year-season of calving and residual. First-parity cows had relatively higher proportions of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids, from a human health standpoint, and lower proportions of potentially undesirable saturated fatty acids in milk fat as compared with later parity cows. Milk fatty acid profile varied with stage of lactation. The proportions of short- and medium-chain fatty acids (C6:0 to C14:0) were low in the beginning of lactation and increased during the early part of lactation. Long-chain fatty acids (especially C18:0 and oleic acid) and unsaturation indices (C16, C18 and total) showed an opposite trend to that of short- and medium-chain fatty acids. The study showed that parity and lactation stage contribute to variation in bovine milk fat composition.
MATURITY AND REPRODUCTIVE CYCLE OF THE FEMALE AMERICAN LOBSTER, HOMARUS AMERICANUS, IN THE SOUTHERN GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE, CANADA

Abstract The maturity and reproductive cycle of female American lobsters (Homarus americanus) were investigated in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (sGSL), Canada. The onset of sexual maturity of female lobsters can be established by observations of the ovarian condition, either color or weight, and staging of cement glands but cannot be detected by the morphometry of their abdomens. Females reached 50% maturity between 68.7 mm and 73.3 mm carapace length (LC). There was a significant geographic difference (P < 0.005) in the size at 50% maturity established by the ovarian development techniques but not by the cement-gland staging technique. Also, there were no annual significant differences (P > 0.005) between the ovarian development techniques used at a single site between 1994 and 1997. To study the reproductive cycle of females, molt stage, ovarian development, and egg spawning were monitored by dissections at the laboratory and by tagging studies in the field. The majority (80%) of small mature females (LC < 120 mm) in the sGSL had a typical two-year reproductive cycle with molting (with copulation) and spawning in alternating years. However, up to 20% of multiparous females ranging between 65 mm and 109 mm LC could spawn in successive years instead of the generally accepted two-year cycle, and some could even molt and spawn during the same summer. Similarly, up to 20% of primiparous females could molt and spawn (for the first time) in the same year instead of spawning the following year. A small percentage (5%) of small mature females could also skip molting or spawning for a year. Temperature data suggested that the length of the female reproductive cycle, and possibility of molting and spawning in the same year, were related to the number of degree-days in a particular season.
Comparing grazing and resting electivity of beef cattle for BC bunchgrass communities using GPS collars

Thompson, D. , Wheatley, B. J., Church, J. S. , Newman, R. and Walker, J. 2015. Comparing grazing and resting electivity of beef cattle for BC bunchgrass communities using GPS collars. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 499-507. Grasslands in the interior of British Columbia often contain a mosaic of plant communities that provide variable habitat for free-ranging cattle. Global positioning system (GPS) collars have been used to study natural habitat use by cattle on a coarse scale (such as riparian, grassland and forested habitats), but not on a fine scale (such as choice among grassland plant communities). Cows equipped with GPS collars were tracked during the spring grazing period for 4 yr. Six grassland pastures were used as replicates. The activity (grazing or resting) of cattle at GPS locations was classified using a distance travelled algorithm. A detailed plant community map of five plant community types was constructed, and cow relative use within the plant communities was determined. Electivity, which scales for differences in community area, was used to compare the use of plant communities. While grazing, electivity for the Kentucky bluegrass community (mean +0.3) was greater than for the bluebunch wheatgrass community (mean -0.2). While resting, these differences were more pronounced. GPS collars can be used to estimate fine-scale choices among grassland communities.
Condensed tannins concentration of selected prairie legume forages as affected by phenological stages during two consecutive growth seasons in western Canada

Li, Y. , Iwaasa, A. D. , Wang, Y. , Jin, L. , Han, G. and Zhao, M. 2014. Condensed tannins concentration of selected prairie legume forages as affected by phenological stages during two consecutive growth seasons in western Canada. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 817-826. Studies have shown that condensed tannins (CT) at appropriate concentrations improve nutrient digestion in animals and influence ecosystem processes. However, knowledge of CT concentration in different phenological stages and different plant parts of non-conventional legumes growing in the western Canadian prairies is lacking for feed and grazing management. The research objectives were to determine the level and distribution of total CT (TCT), extractable CT (ECT) and protein-bound (PCT) or fiber-bound CT (FCT) concentrations in the whole plant of legume forages at different phenological (vegetative, flowering, seed maturity) stages and plant parts (leaves, stems, inflorescences and inflorescences+seedpods) using the Butanol-HCl procedure. Whole plant samples of purple prairie clover (Dalea purpurea Vent.), white prairie clover (D. candida Michx. ex Willd), sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) and Canadian milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis L.) were collected in the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons from replicated small trial plots at vegetative, flowering and seed maturity stages. Species, phenological stages and their interactions all significantly affect the TCT, ECT, PCT and FCT concentrations in whole plant and plant parts (P<0.001). Concentrations of ECT and TCT increased for all species as they matured from vegetative to seed maturity, except for sainfoin where the vegetative stage had the highest ECT and TCT levels. The highest mean ECT and TCT concentrations for purple prairie clover and white prairie clover were found in the inflorescences part at flowering stage, while sainfoin had the highest ECT and TCT concentrations in the leaves at vegetative stage. There was little variation for PCT among different phenological stages in whole plant for species except for purple prairie clover and white prairie clover which had higher (P<0.05) PCT at seed maturity than at flowering stage. Only trace amounts of FCT were detected from either whole plant or different fractions of all plant species, except Canadian milkvetch. Condensed tannins were not observed in Canadian milkvetch except for trace amounts in the seed coat at seed maturity stage. The results demonstrate that legumes differ in their condensed tannin content which could potentially be used in pasture management.
Evaluation of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart) and D. farinae Hughes (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) sensitivity in patients with allergic rhinitis: a comparative study

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the sensitivity to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart) and D. farinae Hughes with skin prick tests (SPT) and serologic tests in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), and to specifically search for those mites in homes of patients. A total of 51 participants, (23 patients and 28 controls) were utilized. Skin-prick tests with D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae allergens were performed on all participants, and serum levels of allergen-specific lgE and total IgE were also measured. Dust samples were collected from homes of all participants and examined under a stereo microscope. 977 D. pteronyssinus (mean 44.4/g) and 24 D. farinae (mean 4.0/g) were isolated from the homes of patients, whereas 35 D. pteronyssinus (mean 4.4/g), and four D. farinae (mean 2.0/g) were isolated from the homes of the controls. Patients with D. pteronyssinus in their homes had 95.5% sensitivity to the species according to SPT and 27.3 according to IgE. Patients with D. farinae in their homes had 83.3% sensitivity to the species according to SPT, and 50% according to IgE. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus sensitivity in the controls was detected as 12.5% according to SPT; however, D. farinae sensitivity was not detected according to both SPT and mite-specific IgE. Differences between patients and controls utilizing SPT results was statistically significant, but not when using mite-specific IgE results. As a result, it was determined that patients with AR in Erzincan province were sensitized to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae, and that their homes contained those species. It may be helpful to consider these findings in clinical assessment of patients with AR, and also in treatment utilizing immunotherapy techniques.
ON THE FIRST ZOEA OF LAURIDROMIA INDICA (GRAY, 1831), WITH AN APPRAISAL OF THE GENERIC CLASSIFICATION OF THE DROMIIDAE (DECAPODA: BRACHYURA) USING LARVAL CHARACTERS

Abstract The first zoea of Lauridromia indica (Gray, 1831) is described and compared with other dromiid larvae. Forty-six characters of dromiid first zoea and megalopa larvae (seven genera and 11 species) are summarized, and their concordance with the taxonomy of recently revised genera, based on adult morphology, is tested. For the most part, larval characters support the new generic arrangement of McLay (1993). However, the larvae of Dromia wilsoni are very different from those of congeners, suggesting that it should be placed in a new genus. Almost half of the species whose larvae are known show various degrees of abbreviated development. All known dromiids with direct development occur in Australian waters. This mode of development is not confined to a monophyletic group of dromiids and seems to have evolved independently several times. The distinctiveness of the shell-carrying genera Conchoecetes and Hypoconcha is reinforced by larval characters and their similarity suggests descent from a common ancestor. On the basis of larval and adult characters, these two genera should eventually be placed in a separate new family.
Comparative analysis of tissue expression and methylation reveals the crucial hypoxia genes in hypoxia-resistant animals

Abstract: Tibetan goat and Tibetan sheep are species peculiar to Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau which is the highest plateau in the world, and have high hypoxia resistance to the extremely bad environment. Unlike monogastrics, how the genes change responding to hypoxia in ruminants remains unclear. In this study, three healthy animals of Tibetan sheep, Tibetan goat, Chuanzhong goat, and Small-tailed Han sheep were selected. The expression of factor inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (FIH 1) hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), HIF-3α, and erythropoietin (EPO) in various tissues, including heart, liver, lungs, kidney, muscle, and brain, was investigated. The EPO was observed highly expressed in all the tissues of Tibetan goats and Tibetan sheep compared with low-altitude animals, respectively, implied that higher expression of EPO may give the explanation for the hypoxia resistance of plateau animals. Besides, we also cloned the promoters of FIH-1, HIF-1α, HIF-3α, and EPO in goats and sheep, analyzed their core regions and CpG islands. Higher methylation rate was observed in HIF-1α, HIF-3α, and EPO, whereas lower methylation rate hit on FIH-1. These data may be beneficial for revealing the response mechanism to hypoxia of plateau animals.