Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abstract. Although age-specific improvements in reproductive performance are common in iteroparous organisms, they are by no means universal. Reproductive tradeoffs are integral features of the life-histories of animal populations and may lead to complex breeding strategies among birds of different 

Although age-specific improvements in reproductive performance are common in iteroparous organisms, they are by no means universal. Reproductive tradeoffs are integral features of the life-histories of animal populations and may lead to complex breeding strategies among birds of different age. In particular, asymmetries in the costs and benefits of different components of reproduction for males and females may result in contrasting patterns of age-related parental investment between the sexes. We examined age-specific patterns of parental care in an eastern North American population of house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) over a three-year period and found pronounced differences in the degree to which males and females provisioned young as they aged. Younger male house finches provided more care to offspring than did older males, yet in females it was the middle-aged mothers that provisioned young most often. This pattern of paternal care is inconsistent with conditionand experience-dependent investment, and instead may reflect male compensation for decreased maternal performance or an attempt by males to secure future breeding attempts with their mate. In contrast, the pattern of maternal provisioning mimics age-related trends in other female breeding efforts (e.g. clutch size, fledging success) for short-lived passerines, which may be governed by condition, experience, and the onset of senescence. These data emphasize the variability in parental tactics that characterizes birds of different sex and age, and the importance of considering the allocation of reproductive effort to competitions for mates, egg-production, and parental care in relation to age so that we may better understand the evolution of male and female breeding strategies in birds.
SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and neutralizing activity in donor and patient blood from the San Francisco Bay Area

We report very low SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in two San Francisco Bay Area populations. Seropositivity was 0.26% in 387 hospitalized patients admitted for non-respiratory indications and 0.1% in 1,000 blood donors. We additionally describe the longitudinal dynamics of immunoglobulin-G, immunoglobulin-M, and in vitro neutralizing antibody titers in COVID-19 patients. Neutralizing antibodies rise in tandem with immunoglobulin levels following symptom onset, exhibiting median time to seroconversion within one day of each other, and there is >93% positive percent agreement between detection of immunoglobulin-G and neutralizing titers.
Rheological characterization and microstructural depiction of xanthan gum and its hydrolysates.

Xanthan gum (XG), an anionic hetro-polysaccharide produced by the Gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas campestris through aerobic fermentation, is a high molecular weight natural exopolysaccharide. XG contains glucose, mannose and glucuronic acid in 2:2:1 ratio with different amounts of pyruvyl and O-acetyl residues attached on terminal mannose residue (Kennedy et al., 2015). XG consists of β-(1→4) linked glucose backbone with the replacement of trisaccharide side-chains of β-(1→3)-mannose-α-(1→2)glucuronic acid-β-(1→4)-mannose on alternative glucose units making it soluble in both cold and hot water, stable in acid base and salt conditions. The demand and production of XG from X. campestris has progressively increased at an annual rate of 5–10% (Kongruang et al., 2005; Salah et al., 2010) with the estimated production of 30000 tons per anum (Li et al., 2016). XG found its use in the food industry due to its better affinity with food ingredients, stability towards harsh conditions during processing, ability to stabilize emulsions and pseudoplastic rheological properties. Food products containing XG have fluidity, good mouthfeel and adhesion due to abovementioned properties. These characteristics make XG a suitable candidate as thickening, stabilizing and suspending agent in many foods (Zhao et al., 2009; Habibi and KhosraviDarani, 2017). The best conspicuous uses of XG among the applications are in salad dressing as a stabilizer, in bakery products to improve cohesion of starch particles, contributing to structure and shelf life, in cake mixes to control batter rheology, in frozen foods to prevent syneresis during freeze thaw cycles, in dairy products and desserts as a stabilizer, in beverages to improve mouth feel and in low fat products as a fat replacer (Misra et al., 2018). However, addition of this charged macromolecule in dairy products is hindered due to the electrostatic interaction between casein and xanthan gum resulting in depletion flocculation and phase separation (Hemar et al., 2001) unacceptable for final product. End-use applications of XG can be improved by controlled modification with the main objective of improved dispersibility, better affinity with food system and reduced viscosity. De-polymerization of glucan backbone and hydrolyzation of trisaccharide side chain by using various chemical and enzymatic reactions have been reported (Jampala et al., 2005). Ahuja and coworkers modified XG by carboxymethylation to enhance the solubility of this polymer in water and claimed a considerable reduction in XG viscosity (Ahuja et al., 2012). Another work was carried out on chemical modification of XG using formaldehyde to enhance Pak. J. Agri. Sci., Vol. 57(2), 561-571; 2020 ISSN (Print) 0552-9034, ISSN (Online) 2076-0906 DOI: 10.21162/PAKJAS/20.9148 http://www.pakjas. com.pk
Treatment of Microencapsulated β- Galactosidase with Ozone : Effect on Enzyme and Microorganism

The present study was designed to examine the effect of ozone treatment in microencapsulated β-galactosidase on inactivation of the enzyme and sterilization of microorganism. The efficiency was the highest as 78.4% when the ratio of polyglycerol monostearate (PGMS) was 15:1. Activities of lactase remaining outside the capsule were affected by ozone treatment. With the increase of ozone concentration and duration of ozone treatment, the activity reduced significantly. In sensory aspect, with 2% microcapsule addition, no significant difference in sweetness was found compared with a market milk during 12 d storage. Above result indicated that the additional washing process of lactase was not necessary to inactivate the residual enzyme. In a subsequent study, the vegetative cells of microorganisms were completely killed with 10 ppm for 10 min treatment by ozone. The present study provides evidence that ozone treatment can be used as an inactivation and a sterilization process. In addition, these results suggest that acceptable milk products containing lactase microcapsules made by PGMS can be prepared with ozone treatment.
Chemicals on the ant cuticle: nestmate recognition, territorial marking and pollution indicators

The insect cuticle is generally considered to be a barrier against the environment and protects against desiccation (Gibbs, 1998). It is mainly formed by a lipid layer. In social insects, cuticular lipids also play a communication role, which is generally attributed to hydrocarbons. We will first review the role of hydrocarbons in nestmate recognition and the formation of colony odor in ants. In a second section, we will present new data on the exploitation of the common nest odor by various parasites and guests. In a third section, we will describe how the cuticle is also a barrier against potential parasites. Finally, we will present data showing that the cuticle is contaminated with various pollutants.
Observations on chiasmata in mouse diplotene oocytes and spermatocytes

Complete chromomere maps of Swiss mouse in early diplotene oocytes and spermatocytes have been developed. Individual bivalent identification has been used to assign all chiasmata in complete cells of each sex. All chiasmata appeared to be interchromomeric. More chiasmata were found on all oocyte bivalents than spermatocyte, except bivalent 18 where they were equal. There appeared to be non-random distribution of chiasmata in both sexes and 86 out of 169 chiasmata locations were identical on oocytes and spermatocytes. Differences of location between the present study of early diplotene cells and other reports of studies at the later meiotic stages of diakinesis/metaphase I were found.
Genetic and Conservation Status of a Relictual Population of the Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus eremicus)

Abstract DNA sequences from the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene were examined in individuals of the hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus eremicus) collected from an isolated population in southwestern Arizona. Analyses indicated unique DNA substitutions and haplotypes that were restricted to the population in Arizona and an overall genetic affiliation to populations of the western lineage of S. hispidus, particularly to the population from Otero County, New Mexico. Estimates of time since divergence indicated an allopatric relationship with other populations of S. hispidus ≥150,000 years ago. Additionally, data obtained from analyses of amplified fragment-length polymorphisms indicated that S. h. eremicus exhibits lower genetic diversity compared to other populations. Together, these data along with detection of two replacements of apomorphic nonsynonymous amino acids and genetic divergence among amplified length polymorphisms argue that S. h. eremicus is unique from other populations of S. hispidus and that conservation considerations are encouraged. Resumen Secuencias de ADN del gen mitocondrial de citocromo-b fueron examinadas en individuos de la rata algodonera crespa (Sigmodon hispidus eremicus) colectadas de una población aislada del suroeste de Arizona. Los análisis indicaron substituciones únicas de ADN y haplotipos que estuvieron restringidos a la población en Arizona, y una afiliación genética en general a poblaciones del linaje oeste de S. hispidus, particularmente a una población del condado de Otero, en Nuevo México. Estimaciones del tiempo de divergencia indicaron una relación alopátrica con otras poblaciones de S. hispidus hace ≥150,000 años. Adicionalmente, datos obtenidos de los análisis del polimorfismo de fragmentos amplificados de longitud indicaron que S. h. eremicus exhibe una diversidad genética menor que la de otras poblaciones. Conjuntamente, esos datos y la detección de dos reemplazos apomórficos en aminoácidos no sinónimos, más la divergencia genética entre los polimorfismos de fragmentos amplificados de longitud, debaten que S. h. eremicus es única al compararla con otras poblaciones de S. hispidus, y se incentiva a que se considere esta población para su conservación.
Mechanisms of biocontrol and plant growth-promoting activity in soil bacterial species of Bacillus and Pseudomonas: a review

Abstract Plant pathogens are responsible for many crop plant diseases, resulting in economic losses. The use of bacterial agents is an excellent option to fight against plant pathogens and an excellent alternative to the use of chemicals, which are offensive to the environment and to human health. Two of the most common biocontrol agents are members of the Bacillus and Pseudomonas genera. Both bacterial genera have important traits such as plant growth-promoting (PGP) properties. This review analyzes pioneering and recent works and the mechanisms used by Bacillus and Pseudomonas in their behaviour as biocontrol and PGP agents, discussing their mode of action by comparing the two genera. Undoubtedly, future integrated research strategies for biocontrol and PGP will require the help of known and novel species of both genera.
Beyond Selection: Optimal Ingestion Rate as a Function of Food Value

A simple model based on microphagous feeders (animals which process their food items in bulk with little chance of selecting food items on an individual basis) has been developed to predict how ingestion rate should vary with food quality if the net time rate of gain of some measure of food quality, say energy, is to be maximized. Three variants of the model were considered, in which absorption efficiency (1) was constant, (2) decreased linearly with increased ingestion rate, or (3) decreased exponentially. The optimal ingestion rate, which maximized the net rate of energy gain, depended on food quality and increased on higher quality foods. For certain parameter values, constantly maintaining the maximum ingestion rate resulted in maximal net energy gain. Experimental results from the literature on a variety of animals are not in consistent accord with these predictions. It seems likely that uncontrolled and confounding variables, such as food composition or palatability, may obscure the effects of food quality on ingestion rate.
PUP PRODUCTION OF HARP SEALS, PHOCA-GROENLANDICA, IN THE NORTHWEST ATLANTIC

Northwest Atlantic harp seal, Phoca groenlandica, pup production was estimated from aerial surveys flown off eastern Newfoundland ("Front") and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ("Gulf") during March 1990. One visual and two independent photographic estimates were obtained at the Front; a single photographic estimate was obtained in the Gulf. Photographic estimates were corrected for misidentified pups by comparing black-and-white photographs with ultraviolet imagery. Estimates were also corrected for pups absent from the ice at the time of the survey using distinct age-related developmental stages. Stage durations in the Gulf appeared consistent with previous studies but were increased by 30% to improve the fit to staging data collected at the Front. The best estimate of pup production at the Front was obtained from the visual surveys. A total of 467 000 (SE = 31 000) pups were born in three whelping concentrations. The photographic estimates were comparable. Pup production estimates for the southern (Magdalen.
Orbital and Mass Constraints of the Young Binary System IRAS 16293-2422 A

We present 3 mm ALMA continuum and line observations at resolutions of 6.5 au and 13 au, respectively, toward the Class 0 system IRAS 16293-2422 A. The continuum observations reveal two compact sources toward IRAS 16293-2422 A, coinciding with compact ionized gas emission previously observed at radio wavelengths (A1 and A2), confirming the long-known radio sources as protostellar. The emission toward A2 is resolved and traces a dust disk with an FWHM size of ∼12 au, while the emission toward A1 sets a limit to the FWHM size of the dust disk of ∼4 au. We also detect spatially resolved molecular kinematic tracers near the protostellar disks. Several lines of the J = 5−4 rotational transition of HNCO, NH2CHO, and t-HCOOH are detected, with which we derived individual line-of-sight velocities. Using these together with the CS (J = 2−1), we fit Keplerian profiles toward the individual compact sources and derive masses of the central protostars. The kinematic analysis indicates that A1 and A2 are a bound binary system. Using this new context for the previous 30 yr of Very Large Array observations, we fit orbital parameters to the relative motion between A1 and A2 and find that the combined protostellar mass derived from the orbit is consistent with the masses derived from the gas kinematics. Both estimations indicate masses consistently higher (0.5 ≲ M1 ≲ M2 ≲ 2 ) than previous estimations using lower-resolution observations of the gas kinematics. The ALMA high-resolution data provides a unique insight into the gas kinematics and masses of a young deeply embedded bound binary system.
Variation in the Vigna lanceolata complex for traits of taxonomic, adaptive or agronomic interest

Variation was assessed in the endemic Australian herbaceous legume, V. lanceolata Benth. , by using an extensive collection of accessions that sampled a wide range of geographically dispersed collection sites. Attributes were evaluated under natural conditions at the time of collection and in field-grown plants in coastal south-eastern Queensland. Qualitative and quantitative measures were taken of traits reflecting plant habit, floral, vegetative and reproductive morphology, phenology and stress reactions. On the basis of visual assessment, accessions were subjectively allocated into seven previously reported morphotypes. Analysis of the variation confirmed that there were large differences among the putative morphotypes relative to that among the accessions within morphotypes. Significant correlations between accession means for some traits provided further evidence that V. lanceolata is not a homogeneous species and has differentiated into forms with sharply defined aggregations of distinctive traits. In addition, correlations between some traits and the latitude or longitude of collection implied a geographic component to the differentiation among accessions and morphotypes. In some instances, these changes were associated with adaptive responses, but in others may reflect chance occurrence. Cluster analysis confirmed the authenticity of the morphotype groups and provided information on the levels of affinity between them. It is concluded that V. lanceolata is a 'complex' of related taxa and that taxonomic revision is warranted. The information documented through the study provides the basis for that revision and also identifies several attributes of adaptive and/or agronomic significance.
On the generic behavior of the metric entropy, and related quantities, of uniformly continuous maps over Polish metric spaces

In this work, we show that if f is a uniformly continuous map defined over a Polish metric space, then the set of f‐invariant measures with zero metric entropy is a Gδ$G_\delta$ set (in the weak topology). In particular, this set is generic if the set of f‐periodic measures is dense in the set of f‐invariant measures. This settles a conjecture posed by Sigmund (Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 190 (1974), 285–299), which states that the metric entropy of an invariant measure of a topological dynamical system that satisfies the periodic specification property is typically zero. We also show that if X is compact and if f is an expansive or a Lipschitz map with a dense set of periodic measures, typically the lower correlation entropy for q∈(0,1)$q\in (0,1)$ is equal to zero. Moreover, we show that if X is a compact metric space and if f is an expanding map with a dense set of periodic measures, then the set of invariant measures with packing dimension, upper rate of recurrence and upper quantitative waiting time indicator equal to zero is residual.
Atmospheric circulation of brown dwarfs and directly imaged exoplanets driven by cloud radiative feedback: effects of rotation

Observations of brown dwarfs (BDs), free-floating planetary-mass objects, and directly imaged extrasolar giant planets (EGPs) exhibit rich evidence of large-scale weather. Cloud radiative feedback has been proposed as a potential mechanism driving the vigorous atmospheric circulation on BDs and directly imaged EGPs, and yet it has not been demonstrated in three-dimensional dynamical models at relevant conditions. Here, we present a series of atmospheric circulation models that self-consistently couple dynamics with idealized cloud formation and its radiative effects. We demonstrate that vigorous atmospheric circulation can be triggered and self-maintained by cloud radiative feedback. Typical isobaric temperature variation could reach over 100 K and horizontally averaged wind speed could be several hundreds of $\, {\rm m\, s^{-1}}$. The circulation is dominated by cloud-forming and clear-sky vortices that evolve over time-scales from several to tens of hours. The typical horizontal length-scale of dominant vortices is closed to the Rossby deformation radius, showing a linear dependence on the inverse of rotation rate. Stronger rotation tends to weaken vertical transport of vapour and clouds, leading to overall thinner clouds. Domain-mean outgoing radiative flux exhibits variability over time-scales of tens of hours due to the statistical evolution of storms. Different bottom boundary conditions in the models could lead to qualitatively different circulation near the observable layer. The circulation driven by cloud radiative feedback represents a robust mechanism generating significant surface inhomogeneity as well as irregular flux time variability. Our results have important implications for near-infrared (IR) colours of dusty BDs and EGPs, including the scatter in the near-IR colour–magnitude diagram and the viewing-geometry-dependent near-IR colours.
Variation in the pine stem rust fungus Peridermium pini in the United Kingdom

Peridermium pini aeciospores from lesions on Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) in Scotland and in Thetford Forest, East Anglia, differed in terms of germ tube morphology and cytology. The former produced long aseptate germ tubes containing a pair of nuclei. The latter produced short septate germ tubes, each cell containing a single nucleus. One third of the ‘Scottish’ germ tubes ended in a vesicle. Nuclei could be counted in only a small proportion of ungerminated aeciospores. On average 83% of Scottish spores had two nuclei and 4% had one. The equivalent figures for Thetford spores were 66 and 20%. A small number of aeciospore samples from other parts of England resembled Scottish spores rather than Thetford spores in germ tube morphology and cytology. Both Scottish and Thetford spores proved capable of causing infection of wounded Scots pine shoots. In addition, some Thetford spores caused infection on leaf discs taken from certain Paeonia cultivars. From these results it is concluded that two distinct forms of Peridermium pini exist in the UK. The implications of this finding are discussed in relation to the history of pine stem rust in the country and the genetics and taxonomy of P. pini.
Rethinking of Pedestrian Attribute Recognition: Realistic Datasets with Efficient Method

Despite various methods are proposed to make progress in pedestrian attribute recognition, a crucial problem on existing datasets is often neglected, namely, a large number of identical pedestrian identities in train and test set, which is not consistent with practical application. Thus, images of the same pedestrian identity in train set and test set are extremely similar, leading to overestimated performance of state-of-the-art methods on existing datasets. To address this problem, we propose two realistic datasets PETA\textsubscript{$zs$} and RAPv2\textsubscript{$zs$} following zero-shot setting of pedestrian identities based on PETA and RAPv2 datasets. Furthermore, compared to our strong baseline method, we have observed that recent state-of-the-art methods can not make performance improvement on PETA, RAPv2, PETA\textsubscript{$zs$} and RAPv2\textsubscript{$zs$}. Thus, through solving the inherent attribute imbalance in pedestrian attribute recognition, an efficient method is proposed to further improve the performance. Experiments on existing and proposed datasets verify the superiority of our method by achieving state-of-the-art performance.