Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advances in Conservation and Management of the Alligator Gar: A Synthesis of Current Knowledge and Introduction to a Special Section

Growing appreciation of biodiversity and the role of apex predators, along with the increasing popularity of multispecies and trophy-oriented angling, has elevated the status of gars—in particular, the Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula—among anglers and biologists alike. As a result, considerable effort has been spent in recent years to gain a working knowledge of the biology and ecology of the species in order to advance science-based management. In January 2019, the Alligator Gar Technical Committee of the Southern Division of the American Fisheries Society hosted a symposium entitled “Advances in the Conservation and Management of North American Gars” to showcase the results of research and management efforts conducted throughout the species’ range. Fishery researchers and managers presented a diversity of works, furthering our understanding of population dynamics, stock assessment, genetics, hatchery practices and stocking, habitat use, and angler desires associated with Alligator Gar fisheries. In our *Corresponding author: nate.smith@tpwd.texas. gov Received May 13, 2019; accepted September 13, 2019 North American Journal of Fisheries Management © 2019 American Fisheries Society ISSN: 0275-5947 print / 1548-8675 online DOI: 10.1002/nafm.10369
Effect of allele combinations at Ppd‐1 loci on durum wheat grain filling at contrasting latitudes

Abstract Flowering time is the most critical developmental stage in wheat, as it determines environmental conditions during grain filling. Thirty‐five spring durum genotypes carrying all known allele variants at Ppd‐1 loci were evaluated in fully irrigated field experiments for three years at latitudes of 41°N (Spain), 27°N (northern Mexico) and 19°N (southern Mexico). Relationships between weight of central grains of main spikes (W) and thermal time from flowering to maturity were described by a logistic equation. Differences in flowering time between the allele combination causing the earliest (GS100/Ppd‐B1a) and the latest (Ppd‐A1b/Ppd‐B1a) flowering were 7, 20 and 18 days in Spain, northern Mexico and southern Mexico, respectively. Flowering delay drastically reduced the mean grain filling rate (R) and W at all sites. At autumn‐sowing sites, an increase of 1°C in mean temperature during the first half of the grain filling period decreased W by 5.2 mg per grain. At these sites, W was strongly dependent on R. At the spring‐sowing site (southern Mexico), W depended on both R and grain filling duration. Our results suggest that incorporating the allele combinations GS100/Ppd‐B1a and GS105/Ppd‐B1a (alleles conferring photoperiod insensitivity) in newly released varieties can reduce the negative effects of climate change on grain filling at the studied latitudes.
Performance of feedlot cattle with inclusion of live yeast in the diet

The objective of this study was to evaluate the productive performance, ingestive behavior, apparent digestibility of the diet, rectal temperature, superficial thermography of skin and hull, and the carcass traits of heifers finished in confinement under the effect of inclusion of live yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae as probiotic) in the diet. The treatments were: Control: diet without the inclusion of live yeasts, and Yeast: diet with the inclusion of live yeasts (7 g animal day-1, at the concentration of 107 CFU g-1. The diets were composed of corn silage at a constant forage: concentrate ratio of 50: 50, on a dry matter basis. The experimental design was completely randomized, composed of two treatments and nine replicates, wherein each replicate was represented by a stall with two animals. Thirty-six heifers, ½ blood Angus, from the same herd, with an average age of 11.9 months and an initial average body weight of 317 kg, were used in the experiment. Supplementation of live yeasts in the diet for finishing heifers proved to be efficient in the feedlot finishing phase because it provided improvement in the apparent digestibility of DM. In relation to the productive performance, ingestive behavior, rectal temperature, superficial thermography of skin and hull and carcass traits, no statistical difference was found between the treatments. The animals have already come from the property adapted to the feedlot system, defining small challenge against the presence of live yeasts included in the experimental diet, justifying the lack of expression on some results obtained.
The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Quercus gilva（Fagaceae）

Abstract Quercus gilva is classified as the national second-class protective tree species in China and is widely distributed in Middle East Asia. We determined the complete chloroplast genome sequence for Q. gilva using Illumina sequencing data. The complete chloroplast sequence is 160,763 bp, including large single-copy (LSC) region of 90,292 bp, small single-copy (SSC) region of 18,831 bp, and a pair of invert repeats (IR) regions of 25,820 bp. Plastid genome contains 128 genes, 80 protein-coding genes, 40 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 26 chloroplast genomes indicates that Q. gilva is closely related to Q. sichourensis in Fagaceae.
Genetic architecture influences when and how hybridization contributes to colonization

The role of genetic architecture in adaptation to novel environments has received considerable attention when the source of adaptation variation is de novo mutation. Relatively less is known when the source of adaptive variation is inter- or intraspecific hybridization. We model hybridization between divergent source populations and subsequent colonization of an unoccupied novel environment using individual-based simulations in order to understand the influence of genetic architecture on the timing of colonization and the mode of adaptation. We find that two distinct categories of genetic architecture facilitate rapid colonization but that they do so in qualitatively different ways. For few and/or tightly linked loci, the mode of adaptation is via the recovery of adaptive parental genotypes. With many unlinked loci, the mode of adaptation is via the generation of novel hybrid genotypes. The first category results in the shortest colonization lag phases across the widest range of parameter space, but further adaptation is mutation limited. The second category takes longer and is more sensitive to genetic variance and dispersal rate, but can facilitate adaptation to environmental conditions which exceed the tolerance of parental populations. These findings have implications for understanding the origins of biological invasions and the success of hybrid lineages.
Low Tunnel and Cultivar Effects on Day-neutral Strawberry Yield and Characteristics in New Hampshire

Day-neutral strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa) cultivars show promise for extending the fruiting season and increasing production in the northeastern United States, but published research on cultivar yield in the region is lacking. Furthermore, few studies have investigated the effects of low tunnels on yield, fruit, and plant characteristics. We evaluated eight day-neutral cultivars (Albion, Aromas, Cabrillo, Monterey, Portola, San Andreas, Seascape, and Sweet Ann) on open beds and under low tunnels in two separate experiments conducted in 2017 and 2018. Cultivars began producing ripe fruit within 10 weeks of planting in both years, and continued producing fruit without interruption for 20 weeks (2017) and 18 weeks (2018). Annual total yield ranged from 234.9 to 497.8 g/plant and marketable yield ranged 126.4 to 389.1 g/plant, depending on cultivar and year. Cultivar significantly affected the percent marketable yield, late season yield, fruit size, soluble solids content (SSC), runner emergence, and plant size. Except for the cultivar Sweet Ann, low tunnels did not increase season-long marketable or total yield, but did increase the percent marketable yield for all cultivars in 2017, and most cultivars in 2018. Furthermore, marketable yield was significantly greater under low tunnels than open beds during 6 late-season weeks in 2018. Fruit SSC was greater under low tunnels in 2018, and low tunnels reduced runner emergence for certain cultivars. Season-long average air temperatures were higher under low tunnels, but the greatest temperature differences occurred when low tunnels were closed. We demonstrate that day-neutral cultivars can produce high annual yields in New England, but that cultivar selection is paramount.
Successful Induction of Sterilization and Growth Improvement in Common Carp Cyprinus carpio Through Dietary Administration of the Androgen Norethindrone

Six-d-old fry of the carp, Cyprinus carpio (Linn.) were fed diets incorporated with 5, 25 and 50 mg·kg-1 diet of norethindrone (NE) for 50 d in fiberglass tanks; this was followed by 180 d rearing in fertilized cement cisterns where hormone-free diet was given. NE at 5 mg·kg·1 diet produced 40.00% male, 31.40% female and 28.60% sterile fish. While 25 mg·kg·1 NE induced 96.30% sterile carp and 3.70% males, 50 mg·kg·1 produced 100% sterile carp. The sex ratio of the untreated control group was almost 1:1. Administration of NE at 5 mg·kg·1 slightly suppressed the gonads (both ovaries .and testes). At higher doses, the steroid produced sterile carp which lacked any visible ovarian/ testicular portions. After 180 d post-treatment grow-out, the increase in mean final weights of hormone-treated fish was 19.80, 11.30 and 216.32%, respectively, when compared with the control. Loss of weight due to evisceration was 16.40-17.50% in normal fish, and only 8.4- 8.90% in steroid-treated groups, suggesting the availability of 8% more edible meat per unit weight from sterile fish compared to normal fish. Results of biochemical analysis revealed that the hormone treatment had a positive effect on fat deposition, and significantly increased RNA/DNA ratio. The results suggest that it is possible to produce a 100% sterile progeny of common carp, and to improve growth and dressing weight of NE-treated fish. This is the first report on the successful induction of sterilization with NE treatment in this carp. The benefits of stocking grow-out ponds with sterile carp fry are also discussed.
Emerging Perspective: Role of Increased ROS and Redox Imbalance in Skin Carcinogenesis

Strategies to battle malignant tumors have always been a dynamic research endeavour. Although various vehicles (e.g., chemotherapeutic therapy, radiotherapy, surgical resection, etc.) are used for skin cancer management, they mostly remain unsatisfactory due to the complex mechanism of carcinogenesis. Increasing evidence indicates that redox imbalance and aberrant reactive oxygen species (ROS) are closely implicated in the oncogenesis of skin cancer. When ROS production goes beyond their clearance, excessive or accumulated ROS could disrupt redox balance, induce oxidative stress, and activate the altered ROS signals. These would damage cellular DNA, proteins, and lipids, further leading to gene mutation, cell hyperproliferation, and fatal lesions in cells that contribute to carcinogenesis in the skin. It has been known that ROS-mediated skin carcinogenesis involves multiple ways, including modulating related signaling pathways, changing cell metabolism, and causing the instability of the genome and epigenome. Nevertheless, the exact role of ROS in skin cancer has not been thoroughly elucidated. In spite of ROS inducing skin carcinogenesis, toxic-dose ROS could trigger cell death/apoptosis and, therefore, may be an efficient therapeutic tool to battle skin cancer. Considering the dual role of ROS in the carcinogenesis and treatment of skin cancer, it would be essential to clarify the relationship between ROS and skin cancer. Thus, in this review, we get the related data together to seek the connection between ROS and skin carcinogenesis. Besides, strategies basing on ROS to fight skin cancer are discussed.
Investigating Respiration and Gas Exchange in the Aquatic Bug Aphelocheirus aestivalis (Hemiptera: Aphelocheiridae), and Surface Dwelling and Subterranean Diving Beetles (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

1 Author declaration . 2 Chapter One: Introduction . 4 Chapter Two: The effects of temperature, activity and convection on the plastron PO2 of the aquatic bug Aphelocheirus aestivalis . 10 1. Abstract . 12 2. Introduction . 13 3. Methods and materials . 15 4. Results . 19 5. Discussion . 23 6. Acknowledgements . 29 7. Supplementary material . 30 Chapter Three: Cutaneous respiration by diving beetles from underground aquifers of Western Australia (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) . 31 1. Abstract . 33 2. Introduction . 34 3. Methods and materials . 36 4. Results . 43 5. Discussion . 50 6. Acknowledgements . 60 7. Supplementary material . 60 Chapter Four: Respiration, gas exchange and dive characteristics in the diving beetle Platynectes decempunctatus (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) . 65 1. Abstract . 67 2. Introduction . 68 3. Methods and materials . 69 4. Results . 78 5. Discussion . 87 6. Acknowledgements . 97 7. Supplementary material . 97 Chapter Five: Allometric analysis of respiration in diving beetles (Coleoptera; Dytiscidae) . 104 1. Abstract . 106 2. Introduction . 107 3. Methods and materials . 109 4. Results . 115
Neural Networks in Big Data and Web Search

As digitalization is gradually transforming reality into Big Data, Web search engines and recommender systems are fundamental user experience interfaces to make the generated Big Data within the Web as visible or invisible information to Web users. In addition to the challenge of crawling and indexing information within the enormous size and scale of the Internet, e-commerce customers and general Web users should not stay confident that the products suggested or results displayed are either complete or relevant to their search aspirations due to the commercial background of the search service. The economic priority of Web-related businesses requires a higher rank on Web snippets or product suggestions in order to receive additional customers. On the other hand, web search engine and recommender system revenue is obtained from advertisements and pay-per-click. The essential user experience is the self-assurance that the results provided are relevant and exhaustive. This survey paper presents a review of neural networks in Big Data and web search that covers web search engines, ranking algorithms, citation analysis and recommender systems. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) based on neural networks and deep learning in learning relevance and ranking is also analyzed, including its utilization in Big Data analysis and semantic applications. Finally, the random neural network is presented with its practical applications to reasoning approaches for knowledge extraction.
Antimicrobial Effects of Propolis on Preservation of Ram's Semen Extender and Its Fertility Rate

The present study aimed to define the effect of different concentrations of propolis powder or glue extract compared with synthetic antibiotic on ram's semen quality, resistance to bacterial contamination and fertility rate. Semen samples of six mature rams aging 2.2 years old with an average 62.0 kg live body weight were collected twice a week for three weeks using artificial vagina. The semen ejaculates were pooled, extended and divided into seven portions. The final extension rate was 1 semen: 10 extender. The seven portions were (CTL, without any antibiotic type and kept as control group), 400μl pen-step (SA400μl) and 600μl pen-step (SA600μl) as synthetic antibiotic; 400μl and 600μl propolis powder (PP400μl & PP600μl); 400μl and 600μl propolis glue (PG400μl & PG600μl) as natural antibiotic, respectively. Extended semen samples were stored at 5 °C for 6 days. The obtained results showed that, spermatozoa quality was significantly (P<0.05) decreased with the advancement of storage period in all extended samples. In addition, sperm parameters (sperm motility, acrosomal status and normal spermatozoa), enzymatic activities (ALT, AST, ALP and LDH), bacterial count and fertility rate were improved (P<0.05) in extended samples treated with synthetic and natural antibiotics either powder or glue than the control. A higher antimicrobial activity after 24 hrs incubation for PP600μl and PG600μl extenders were significantly (P<0.05) decreased compared with other extended samples. Moreover, the PG600μl antibiotic was insignificantly greater litter size (1.27%) compared with (1.07%) for SA600μl one. Regarding to the results of this study, it could be concluded that antimicrobial effect of natural propolis either powder or glue in extended ram semen was capable to improve ram semen quality and inhibitory bacterial zones, as well as, improvement fertility rate.
Neuronal population dynamics during motor plan cancellation in nonhuman primates

To understand the cortical neuronal dynamics behind movement generation and control most studies focused on tasks where actions were planned and then executed, using different instances of visuomotor transformations. However, to fully understand the dynamics related to movement control one must also study how movements are actively inhibited. Inhibition, indeed, represents the first level of control both when different alternatives are available and only one solution could be adopted and when is necessary to maintain the current position. We recorded neuronal activity from a multielectrode array in the dorsal premotor (PMd) cortex of monkeys performing a countermanding reaching task that requires, in a subset of trials, to cancel a potentially planned movement before its onset. In the analysis of the neuronal state-spaces of PMd we found a subspace in which activities conveying temporal information were confined during active inhibition and position holding. Movement execution required activities to escape from the plane toward an orthogonal subspace and, furthermore, surpass a threshold associated to the maturation of the motor plan. These results revealed further details in the neuronal dynamics underlying movement control extending the hypothesis that neuronal computation confined in an output-null subspace does not produce movements.
The Prevalence of Human Herpes Virus Type 8 in Semen Specimens of HIV-Negative Iranian Population Detected by Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction

Background: Human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV-8) is a member of the herpes family that, like other herpesviruses, causes a lifelong infection following entrance into the human body. The etiological agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma, this virus, was first identified in a biopsy of a Kaposi’s sarcoma tumor in an HIV-infected patient. Objectives: The aim of this research was to evaluate the prevalence of HHV-8 in semen specimens from HIV-negative individuals. Methods: Semen specimens obtained from HIV-negative individuals referred to an infertility center were transferred to the central laboratory for HHV-8 DNA amplification via the nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Results: The prevalence of HHV-8 in the referral population was 26%. Conclusions: The prevalence of HHV-8 in the semen samples of our study population may be representative of its prevalence in the normal population. Further studies are, therefore, recommended to determine the prevalence of the virus in the normal Iranian population.
Historical museum collections clarify the evolutionary history of cryptic species radiation in the world's largest amphibians

Abstract Inaccurate taxonomic assessment of threatened populations can hinder conservation prioritization and management, with human‐mediated population movements obscuring biogeographic patterns and confounding reconstructions of evolutionary history. Giant salamanders were formerly distributed widely across China, and are interpreted as a single species, Andrias davidianus. Previous phylogenetic studies have identified distinct Chinese giant salamander lineages but were unable to associate these consistently with different landscapes, probably because population structure has been modified by human‐mediated translocations for recent commercial farming. We investigated the evolutionary history and relationships of allopatric Chinese giant salamander populations with Next‐Generation Sequencing methods, using historical museum specimens and late 20th‐century samples, and retrieved partial or near‐complete mitogenomes for 17 individuals. Samples from populations unlikely to have been affected by translocations form three clades from separate regions of China, spatially congruent with isolation by either major river drainages or mountain ranges. Pliocene–Pleistocene divergences for these clades are consistent with topographic modification of southern China associated with uplift of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. General Mixed Yule Coalescent model analysis indicates that these clades represent separate species: Andrias davidianus (Blanchard, 1871) (northern Yangtze/Sichuan), Andrias sligoi (Boulenger, 1924) (Pearl/Nanling), and an undescribed species (Huangshan). Andrias sligoi is possibly the world's largest amphibian. Inclusion of additional reportedly wild samples from areas of known giant salamander exploitation and movement leads to increasing loss of biogeographic signal. Wild Chinese giant salamander populations are now critically depleted or extirpated, and conservation actions should be updated to recognize the existence of multiple species.
Histo-architectural changes in placental epithelium during gestation in buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

The present study was conducted on placentomes of 20 buffaloes (n=20) ranging from 38 to 243 days of gestation. Their gestational age was determined by measuring the curved crown rump length (CRL) of foetii using an inelastic thread as per formula given by Soliman (1975) in bovines. Depending on the CRL and estimated age of the foetuses, the samples were divided into 3 groups. The placental tissues fixed in 10% NBF were processed and stained accordingly. The present observation revealed that the cryptal epithelium was cuboidal during early and mid pregnancy but transformed to squamous during late pregnancy especially at the tip of the maternal septa. This reduction in size and nature of epithelium during late pregnancy was in order to shorten the distance between foetal and maternal tissue for substance exchange by diffusion. The trophoblastic epithelium transformed from cuboidal during early and mid pregnancy to stratified epithelium in the arcade region due to accumulation of binucleated giant cells that were involved in phagocytosis of extravasated erythrocytes in the arcade region. The phagocytosis released iron from the RBC that were probably being utilized by the developing fetus as very strong reaction for acid phosphatase was observed in the arcade region and iron in the form of fine granules were observed by special staining.