Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Ration Limitation and Low Temperature on Growth, Biochemical Condition, and Survival of Juvenile Summer Flounder from Two Atlantic Coast Nurseries

Abstract Laboratory experiments were conducted on juvenile summer flounder Paralichthys dentatus (25–80 mm total length) from Delaware and North Carolina nurseries to compare their responses to temperature and to ration limitation. Ad libitum feeding rates, maximum growth rates, and growth efficiency were measured at temperatures from 2 to 20°C. Although ad libitum feeding rates did not differ between fish from the two locations, North Carolina juveniles had higher maximum growth rates and growth efficiencies than Delaware juveniles between 6 and 18°C. Growth rates and changes in biochemical condition were also measured for different rations at temperatures that persist during the months following settlement (10–16°C). Survival was high (>98%) after 10–14 d of starvation and suboptimal rations at 10–16°C, but growth rates were highly dependent on feeding rates. Maintenance rations remained constant between 10 and 16°C, but scope for growth increased with temperature, Scope for growth of North Carolina juv.
AMAZONIAN SMALL MAMMAL ABUNDANCES IN RELATION TO HABITAT STRUCTURE AND RESOURCE ABUNDANCE

Abstract Previous studies in tropical rain forests suggest that most small mammal species reach their highest densities in disturbed habitats; however, only a few sites have been examined. Consequently, habitat and resource use for many species is poorly understood. This is especially true in the Amazon Basin, where no studies of microhabitat associations of small mammals have been undertaken. We studied relationships with habitat variables and resource abundances for 5 species of marsupials and 9 species of rodents at a site in southeastern Amazonia. Small mammals were sampled with traps placed both on the ground and in the understory. Eight habitat variables were measured to quantify habitat structure. Measures of insect biomass were collected by the use of sticky traps, and fruit abundance was quantified. Patterns of habitat use were examined using logistic regression, multiple regression, and ordinations. Many species showed increased abundances with habitat features indicative of edge-affected or disturbed habitats, showing negative relationships with understory openness, understory woody-stem density, tree density, and tree size; and positive relationships with number of vines per tree, mean log size, number of logs, and volume of downed wood. We obtained support for the hypothesis that the cause of this pattern is increased resource abundances in these areas, because both insect biomass and number of fruiting trees showed similar relationships. However, for many species, measures of resource abundance were not important once habitat features were entered into the models, indicating that the relationship to resources is an indirect one.
Dynamics of weed populations in a northern subarctic community

The introduced flora of Churchill, northern Manitoba, was studied to draw some conclusions about the dynamics of weeds in northern subarctic communities in general. One hundred and six introduced species have been recorded at Churchill. Fifty-five percent of these were "temporary," dying out when original colonizers senesced (e.g., Avena spp., Setaria viridis). Seventeen percent were "established," i.e., able to set viable seed and maintain their populations (e.g., Thlaspi arvense, Crepis tectorum). Twenty-eight percent "persisted" locally by vegetative propagation or repeated seed input (e.g., Linaria vulgaris, Chenopodium album s.l.). The findings were compared with those of an earlier study. The number of species and their local distributions around Churchill have increased in the last 30 years. This may be due to an increase and diversification in the traffic with southern regions or to an amelioration in the climate. Although one in five species in the vicinity of Churchill are introduced, usually fe.
Effects of browsing and grazing on cyclic succession in nutrient-limited ecosystems

This paper deals with browsing and grazing as forces driving cyclic succession. Between 1989 and 1994 reciprocal transitions between the dwarf shrub Calluna vulgaris and the grass Deschampsia flexuosa were monitored in permanent plots in a cattle grazed grass-rich Dutch heathland on podsolic soils in which tree encroachment was prevented. Heather beetles killed Calluna in four of the nine plots during 1991/1992. The monitoring revealed reciprocal transitions and cycles between Calluna and Deschampsia on a subplot scale. Beetles and cattle had additional and complementary effects on the two competing species. Defoliation by beetles and trampling by cattle-killed Calluna and favoured grass invasion. Grazing and gap creation by cattle in Deschampsia favoured the establishment and recovery of Calluna. Analysis of the causal mechanisms suggests that indirect, resource-mediated herbivory effects may be as important for the replacement processes as direct effects of defoliation and trampling. Herbivory created differential light and nutrient levels in Calluna and Deschampsia gaps. Grazing and browsing improved the resource-capturing abilities of Calluna and its resistance to herbivory and abiotic disturbances. The emerged Calluna-Deschampsia cycle and its driving forces are summarized in a conceptual triangular resource-mediated successional grazing cycle (RSGC) model, a limit cycle involving herbivore-plant-plant resource interactions. It offers a deterministic equilibrium model as alternative for stochastic transitions between the meta-stable states with dominance of Calluna and Deschampsia respectively, The validity range of the RSGC model and its management implications are briefly discussed.
Comparison of cell wall ultrastructures of aspergillus nidulans in presence and absence of a MnpAp mannoprotein

Abstract The ultrastructure of Aspergillus nidulans cell wall in relation to a mannoprotein was studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. An mnpAp null‐mutant, DMPV1, was used as a negative control of a wild type VER7. To analyze whether the mannoprotein in the cell wall during the development of an mnpAp null‐mutant is present or not, immunogold microscopy was also adopted. The surface sculpturing of various cell types ‐ hyphae, conidium, Hülle cell, and ascospore ‐ were not very different between the wild type and the mnpAp‐null mutant (DMPV1) as examined by scanning electron microscopy. These results were comparable to those examined by transmission electron microscopy, in that the hyphal cell wall was not indentical between two strains, probably caused by the MnpA protein (MnpAp). MnpAp was absent in both the hyphal cell wall of the DMPV1 strain and the conidial cell wall of a wide type, but clearly recognized in the hyphal cell wall of a wild type.
Antidepressant Use around Conception, Prepregnancy Depression, and Risk of Ectopic Pregnancy

Objective: To compare the risk of ectopic pregnancy among women with and women without antidepressant prescriptions around conception and examine whether this risk differs by prepregnancy depression status. Methods: We conducted a cohort study of all pregnancies between November 1, 2008, and September 30, 2015, identified in the nationwide (American) IBM® MarketScan® Databases. At least one day’s supply of antidepressants in the 3 weeks after a woman’s last menstrual period defined active antidepressant use around conception. At least one depression diagnosis in the year before the last menstrual period defined prepregnancy depression. Relative risk (RR) of ectopic pregnancy was estimated using unadjusted and inverse probability of treatment (IPT)-weighted log-binomial models. Results: Of the 1,703,245 pregnancies, 106,788 (6.3%) women had a prepregnancy depression diagnosis. Among women with a depression diagnosis, 40,287 (37.7%) had an active antidepressant prescription around conception; the IPT-weighted risk of ectopic pregnancy was similar among women who did and did not fill an antidepressant prescription around conception (IPT-weighted RR = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.10). Overall, the risk of ectopic pregnancy was higher among women who had a prepregnancy depression diagnosis than women who did not have a prepregnancy depression diagnosis (IPT-weighted RR = 1.09; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.15). Conclusions: This study’s findings suggest that women who have a prepregnancy depression diagnosis are at a slightly increased risk of ectopic pregnancy, and among women who have a prepregnancy depression diagnosis, the use of antidepressants around conception does not increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy.
La position systématique de Cryptoprocta ferox (Carnivora). Analyse cladistique des caractères morphologiques de carnivores Aeluroidea actuels et fossiles

Afin de determiner la position phylogenetique de l'espece malgache Cryptoprocta ferox, nous avons etudie l'anatomie de differents genres de carnivores Aeluroidea et de deux taxons fossiles, Proailurus et Palaeopnonodon, auxquels il avait ete compare. L'analyse cladistique de 77 caracteres morpho-anatomiques place Cryptoprocta en groupe-frere des Felidae sur la base de caracteres dentaires essentiellement. Proailurus est le groupe-frere de l'ensemble Felidae + Cryptoprocta. Cette etude demontre surtout que Cryptoprocta doit etre exclu des Viverridae au sein desquels il est generalement classe.
Benchmarking Speech, Velopharyngeal Function Outcomes and Surgical Characteristics Following the Sommerlad Protocol and Palate Repair Technique

Objective: To report speech and velopharyngeal function (VPF) outcomes, and surgical characteristics, at age 5 following early complete palate closure using the Sommerlad protocol. Design: A retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional consecutive series. Setting: A regional twin site center; a district general hospital and tertiary children’s hospital. Participants: Between 1993 and 2006, 877 participants underwent surgery; 712 (81%) were eligible for inclusion; 391 (55%) were included, 321 (45%) excluded. Thirteen percent had bilateral cleft lip and palate (CLP), 40% unilateral CLP, and 47% isolated cleft palate. Intervention: Lip and vomerine flap repair at 3 months of age (BCLP, UCLP) with soft palate closure using radical muscle dissection and retropositioning at a mean age of 6.6 months, range 4 to 23 months, as described and undertaken by Sommerlad. Outcome Measures: Velopharyngeal Composite (VPC) CAPS-A and articulation summary scores derived from analysis using the Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented. Results: A VPC-SUM CAPS-A score of “0” was found in 97% reflecting adequate VPF; 73% had no cleft articulation difficulties. The BCLP group had the poorest articulation. Secondary speech surgery rate was 2.6% and 10.7% had fistula repair. Levator muscle quality and degree of retropositioning was associated with speech outcomes related to VPF. 2.6% had current features of VPI. Conclusions: Complete palate closure by around 6 months of age by the surgeon who described the technique led to excellent perceived VPF and very good speech outcomes at age 5, with less speech therapy and secondary speech surgery than commonly reported. These findings serve as a benchmark for the Sommerlad protocol and technique.
Implementing a quick Sequential (Sepsis-Related) Organ Failure Assessment sepsis screening tool: an interrupted times series study.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of implementing a sepsis screening (SS) tool based on the quick Sequential [Sepsis-Related] Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) and the presence of confirmed/suspected infection. The implementation of the 6-hour (6-h) bundle was also evaluated. DESIGN Interrupted times series with prospective data collection. SETTING Five hospital wards in a developing nation, Argentina. PARTICIPANTS 1151 patients (≥18 years) recruited within 24-48 hours of hospital admission. INTERVENTION The qSOFA-based SS tool and the 6-h bundle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the timing of implementation of the first 6-h bundle element. Secondary outcomes were related to the adherence to the screening procedures. RESULTS Of 1151 patients, 145 (12.6%) met the qSOFA-based SS tool criteria, among them intervention (39/64) patients received the first 6-h bundle element earlier (median 8 hours; 95% CI: 0.1-16) than baseline (48/81) patients (median 22 hours; 95% CI: 3-41); these times, however, did not differ significantly (p = 0.525). Overall, 47 (4.1%) patients had sepsis; intervention patients (18/25) received the first 6-h bundle element sooner (median 5 hours; 95% CI: 4-6) than baseline patients (15/22) did (median 12 hours; 95% CI: 0-33), however times were not significantly different (p = 0.470). While intervention patients were screened regularly, only one-third of patients that required sepsis alerts had them activated. CONCLUSION The implementation of the qSOFA-based SS tool resulted in early, but not significantly improved, provision of 6-h bundle care. Screening procedures were regularly conducted, but sepsis alerts rarely activated. Further research is needed to better understand implementation of sepsis care in developing settings.
Soil microbes of an urban remnant riparian zone have greater potential for N removal than a degraded riparian zone.

Soils in the riparian zone, the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, may decrease anthropogenic nitrogen (N) loads to streams through microbial transformations (e.g., denitrification). However, the ecological functioning of riparian zones is often compromised due to degraded conditions (e.g. vegetation clearing). Here we compare the efficacy of an urban remnant and a cleared riparian zone for supporting a putative denitrifying microbial community using 16S rRNA sequencing and qPCR of archaeal and bacterial nitrogen cycling genes. Although we had no direct measure of denitrification rates, we found clear patterns in the microbial communities between the sites. Greater abundance of N-cycling genes was predicted by greater soil ammonium (N-NH4 ), organic phosphorus, and C:N. At the remnant site, we found positive correlations between microbial community composition, which was dominated by putative N oxidisers (Nitrosomonadaceae, Nitrospiraceae and Nitrosotaleaceae), and abundance of AOA, nirS, nirK and nosZ, whereas the cleared site had lower abundance of N-oxidisers and N cycling genes. These results were especially profound for the remnant riparian fringe, which suggests that this region maintains suitable soil conditions (via diverse vegetation structure and periodic saturation) to support putative N cyclers; which could amount to higher potential for N removal. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
The Concept of Culture in Skinnerian Radical Behaviorism: Debates and Controversies

Skinner’s paper Selection by Consequences (Skinner, 1981) places cultural phenomena at a postulated third level of selection, distinct from the phylogenic and ontogenic levels, without requiring new behavioral principles for their explanation. This proposal stimulated a considerable amount of research and theoretical analysis, much of it concerning principles of selection at the cultural level. The need of a dialogue with other disciplines that investigate cultural phenomena has been recognized. Among these are the social sciences, which have, among many other features, distinguished types of social relationships involved in cultural phenomena. The description of actual practices of different cultures, as done by the social sciences, may contribute significantly to behavior analytic research about culture.
Insights from chironomid oviposition is useful to visual pest control

Efficient visual pest control is still in its infant stages. Although being non-invasive, environmentally friendly and potentially cost effective, we still have not cracked the way to efficiently use it against epidemic vector-carrying and crop-infesting insects. Chironomid ovipostion can provide insights to key factors in visual pest control by investigating the behavior under confined and unconfined conditions. Under confined condition, due to limited amount of oviposition sites and increase of egg density in highly preferred locations, females oviposit in less suitable sites. Intensity and polarization of light reflected from the oviposition sites were found to be important as guiding cues for the females. However, in the open outdoor where oviposition sites are unlimited, oviposition followed the polarization signal only, and the intensity was ignored as a cue. By applying this approach to reduce chironomid population in a natural reservoir we show that it may be used to divert ovipositing females to egg traps reflecting highly and horizontally polarized light. The potential of using color, intensity and polarization as a basis for building oviposition traps and applying it to pest control in the future, is discussed. doi: 10.5324/fn.v31i0. 1404. Published online: 17 October 2012.
Phylogenetic analyses of Remipedia (Crustacea)

We present a cladistic analysis of the crustacean class Remipedia, including all 17 extant species currently assigned to the order Nectiopoda, with the Carboniferous fossil Tesnusocaris serving as an outgroup. We applied different methodological approaches and coding options to a basic matrix composed of 26 morphological characters. Our analyses strongly support monophyly of the Godzilliidae and affirm justification of the family Micropacteridae. However, the present taxonomic structure within the Speleonectidae is partly incompatible with our results, and we cannot exclude that the family is paraphyletic. r 2006 Gesellschaft fur Biologische Systematik. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Quality of life of women using the etonogestrel long-acting reversible contraceptive implant after abortion for unplanned pregnancy

Abstract Objectives The aims of the study were to investigate the effect of a subcutaneous etonogestrel-containing contraceptive implant on the quality of life (QoL) and sexual function of women who had undergone termination of an unplanned pregnancy. Methods At pregnancy termination 140 women received contraceptive counselling on the etonogestrel implant. The Short Form-36 questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index and the Female Sexual Distress Scale were used to investigate, respectively, the QoL, sexual function and sexual distress of the women at baseline and at 6, 12, 24 and 36 months of follow-up. Results The study group comprised 86 (61.4%) women who chose to use the contraceptive implant. The control group comprised 28 (20.0%) women who chose to use short-acting reversible contraception (SARC) and 26 (18.6%) women who chose not to use hormonal contraception. In the women not using hormonal contraception there were 23 (88.5%) unintended pregnancies before the end of the 3 year study period. QoL, sexual function and sexual distress improved in the study group from the 6 months follow-up until the end of the study (p < 0.001). QoL (p < 0.02) and sexuality (p < 0.001) gradually improved in the control group after 24 and 12 months of follow-up, respectively. None of the women using the etonogestrel implant became pregnant during the study. Inter-group analysis showed better improvement in QoL, sexual function and sexual distress in the study group than in the control group from 6 months (p < 0.004) until the end of the study (p < 0.001). Conclusion Compared with SARC and non-hormonal contraception, the contraceptive implant promoted better QoL and sexuality in users and reduced the incidence of unplanned pregnancy. However, the women who opted for SARC or non-hormonal contraception did so because of the lower cost compared with that of the contraceptive implant.
The Phosphorus Mass Balance of Lake Okeechobee, Florida: Implications for Eutrophication Management

Abstract A phosphorus (P) mass balance was developed for Lake Okeechobee, Florida (USA) for the period 1973 to 2002. During those 30 years, yearly P inputs averaged 499 metric tons, outputs averaged 174 metric tons, and there was a 297 metric ton ·y−1 net sink, attributed to sediment accrual. Yearly P loads were highly variable, ranging from <200 to >900 metric tons, and there was a strong positive relationship between yearly load and inflow volume (r2 = 0.73). There was no long-term trend in P loading to the lake, but the total P concentration of inflow water displayed a historic trend that was independent of inflow volume, perhaps related to P control programs in the watershed. Inflow total P increased from 150 to >200 μg·L−1 in the 1970s when land use was intensified but management programs generally were absent, but declined in the 1980s and 1990s (to ~150 μg·L−1), coincident with various P control programs. Inflow total P concentrations displayed no trend after the early 1990s, although there was considerable year-to-year variability. Lake water total P concentrations increased during the 1970s, stabilized in the 1980s and early 1990s, and increased in recent years, possibly due to sediment saturation with P. There was no significant relationship between lake water total P concentration and mean depth, contradicting earlier reports based on shorter (10 and 20-y) periods of record. The difference between annual average inflow and lake water total P declined from near 150 μg·L−1 in the 1970s to <50 μg·L−1 in recent years, and the net sedimentation coefficient declined from near 2.0 to just above zero. These trends indicate a decreasing capacity of the lake to assimilate P. Two features noted here – (1) potential of the watershed to export large amounts of P rich water in certain years, and (2) lack of P assimilative capacity of the lake – indicate that the ecosystem is at risk for continued and perhaps worsened eutrophication symptoms under current P loading conditions.
Coexistence of Specialist and Generalist Rodents Via Habitat Selection

Habitat specialization is an effective mechanism of coexistence among com- peting species. But many communities also include generalized species whose habitat use overlaps that of the specialists. Two hypotheses seem most likely to account for the pattern: (1) Habitat generalists may coexist in competitively structured communities by exploiting habitats unused, or underused, by habitat specialists. (2) Population densities of the spe- cialized species may be limited (e.g., by predation) below levels where the specialists can competitively exclude habitat generalists. I evaluated these ideas in a community of small mammals occupying mesic and xeric habitats at nine different locations in the Rocky Mountains of southern Alberta, Canada. A chipmunk generalist coexists with two specialists, one with a distinct preference for xeric habitat (deer mouse), and another with a similar preference for mesic habitat (red-backed vole). Habitat selection appeared to depend pri- marily on the density of conspecifics. The generalist coexisted by responding to habitat at a larger scale than did the specialists. Shared predators, whose habitat selection operates on a larger scale than that of their prey, may augment coexistence of all species by rein- forcing habitat selection by the specialists.