Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Field studies on the ureogenic gulf toadfish in a subtropical bay. I. Patterns of abundance, size composition and growth

Opsanus beta abundance in Biscayne Bay, Florida, varied significantly depending on site and season. O. beta catch per unit eVort (cpue) was highest in southern study sites which tended to provide the combination of shallow mean depth, nocturnally high levels of dissolved oxygen, and Thalassia-dominated substrate. Significant seasonal diVerences in abundance were restricted to the three sites whereO. betacpue tended to be highest; two of these sites shared the same pattern of increase during the cool‐dry season (November‐April), followed by a return to lower levels during warm‐wet season (May‐September). Dramatic seasonal abundance increases could not be ascribed to large influxes of immature fish. Rather, size composition data suggested sexually mature individuals moved seasonally among habitats, possibly for reproductive purposes. Modal analysis of length‐frequency data followed by nonlinear regressions yielded preliminary values for the von BertalanVy growth parameters K and t0, given that L£=300 mm. Possible reasons for O. beta growing slower and attaining a smaller maximal size than its temperate congener, O. tau, are discussed. 1997 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles
Temporal and spatial variability in macroinvertebrate community structure in relation to environmental variables in Ajijiguan Creek, Niger Delta, Nigeria

Variations in macrobenthic community structure in time and space along a pollution gradient were examined in a small Niger Delta creek in 2006–2007. Salinity fluctuated between fresh and mesohaline conditions with values ranging from 0.4 to 5.2, and conductivity ranged from 16.9 to 36.0 μS cm–1. The upper creek was relatively free of gross pollution, with high dissolved oxygen and low nutrient and salinity levels. At its lower end, BOD5 was relatively high and nutrient levels were high, indicating substantial organic input. The middle and upper creek were dominated by Naboandelus africanus, Appasus sp. , Laccotrephes sp. , Plea sp. (Hemiptera) and Georissus sp. (Coleoptera). Sensitive taxa such as Neoperla sp. (Plecoptera), Ecnomus sp. (Trichoptera) and Ephoron sp. (Ephemeroptera) were restricted to the upper creek. At the impaired site Neritina sp. (Mollusca), Sesarma sp. (Decapoda), Nereis sp. (Polychaeta) and Chironomus sp. (Diptera) dominated the assemblage. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total nitrogen, BOD and temperature structured the invertebrate assemblages. Overall, human activities and land-use practices around the creek resulted in varying degrees of habitat degradation and nutrient enrichment, reflected by the macroinvertebrate assemblages which can be used effectively to monitor the effect of such activities on Niger Delta creeks.
Stabilisation of edible oils with natural antioxidants

Natural antioxidants have recently gained increased interest because of the belief that natural food ingredients are better and safer than synthetic ones. The review presents the results on stabilisation of the main edible oils with different types of natural antioxidants. Sources of natural antioxidants are spices, herbs, teas, oils, seeds, cereals, cocoa shell, grains, fruits, vegetables, enzymes, proteins. Researchers concentrate on ascorbic acid, tocopherols and carotenoids as well as on plant extracts containing various individual antioxidants such as flavonoids (quercetin, kaemferol, myricetin), catechins or phenols (carnosol, rosmanol, rosamaridiphenol) and phenolic acids (carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid). Ascorbyl palmitate is regarded as a 'natural' antioxidant because it is hydrolysed in the body to ascorbic and palmitic acids. Among the herbs of the Lamiaceae family, rosemary has been more extensively studied and its extracts are the first marketed natural antioxidants. Oregano, which belongs to the same family, has gained the interest of many research groups as a potent antioxidant in lipid systems. The review concerns the following main topics: stabilisation of oil with individual natural antioxidants, interaction of antioxidants with synergists, stabilisation of oil with extracts or dry materials from different plant sources (e.g. herbs and spices), stabilisation at frying temperatures and in emulsions.
Nitrogen Limitation of Spinach Plants Causes a Simultaneous Rise in Foliar Levels of Orthophosphate, Sucrose, and Starch

A study was undertaken to determine whether leaves of nitrogen-limited (N-Lim) spinach simultaneously accumulated starch, sucrose, and orthophosphate (Pi) in a similar mode as leaves of N-Lim soybean plants (Robinson 1997, Int J Plant Sci 158:32-43). Pi is a physiological inhibitor of key regulatory enzymes associated with the syntheses of both starch and sucrose in spinach leaves, and during the daily light period, Pi levels in N-Lim spinach plant leaves were 2.4-3 times higher than in leaves of N-sufficient (N-Suff) spinach plants. However, during the light period, foliar starch and sucrose levels and net accumulation rates were approximately two times higher in the mature leaves of inorganic N-Lim spinach plants than in mature leaves of inorganic N-Suff spinach plants. Elevated leaf Pi did not appear to repress net starch and sucrose accumulation in N-Lim spinach leaves. Controlled compartmentalization of Pi in the vacuoles or other compartments of the leaf mesophyll cells appears to be a possible explanation for these observations.
Immunomodulation of NK Cells by Ionizing Radiation

Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in the antitumor immunity. Ionizing radiation (IR) has a pronounced effect on modifying NK cell biology, while the molecular mechanisms remain elusive. In this review, we briefly introduce the anti-tumor activity of NK cells and summarize the impact of IR on NK cells both directly and indirectly. On one hand, low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) activates NK functions while high-dose ionizing radiation (HDIR) is likely to partially impair NK functions, which can be reversed by interleukin (IL)-2 pretreatment. On the other hand, NK functions may be adjusted by other immune cells and the alternated malignant cell immunogenicity under the settings of IR. Various immune cells, such as the tumor-associated macrophage (TAM), dendritic cell (DC), regulatory T cell (Treg), myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC), and tumor exhibited ligands, such as the natural killer group 2 member D ligand (NKG2DL), natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCR) ligand, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-receptor (TRAIL-R), and FAS, have been involved in this process. Better understanding the molecular basis is a promising way in which to augment NK-cell-based antitumor immunity in combination with IR.
Point-ahead analysis and pre-pointing link stability study of intersatellite laser communication

The static bias error angle obviously affects pre-pointing links’ stability in the presence of vibration in intersatellite laser communication. The 2nd order point-ahead angle is a source of misalignment which was ignored in most solutions, and this is the concern of our paper. In this study, we present a further analytical investigation into the point-ahead angle in complex satellite maneuvering environment. Static bias error angle induced by the 2nd order point-ahead angle has been studied under different intersatellite links. The probability density function of the pre-pointing links’ outage has been derived in the presence of pointing jitter taking consideration of the static bias angle, and the link budget has also been analyzed. Simulation model of link stability has been established to verify the numerical results by the Monte Carlo method in Matlab-Simulink environment. The results have shown that the 2nd order point-ahead angle has a significant detrimental impact on link stability in long distance links. It is a neglectable factor. This work is dedicated to intersatellite laser communication system design.
The Influence of Silicon on the Components of Resistance to Gray Leaf Spot in St. Augustinegrass

ABSTRACT Soil fertilization with silicon (Si) has been shown to reduce the severity of gray leaf spot, caused by Magnaporthe grisea, in St. Augustinegrass. However, to understand how Si reduces gray leaf spot, it is necessary to study the effects of Si on the components of host resistance. In a greenhouse, six rates (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, and 10 t ha−1) of calcium silicate were evaluated for their ability to affect the components of resistance to gray leaf spot in the susceptible (‘Floratam’) and resistant (‘FX-10’) St. Augustinegrass cultivars. Components of resistance assessed were incubation period, latent period, lesion number, lesion area, daily rate of lesion expansion, and number of conidia per lesion. Percent leaf area diseased, a result of the components of resistance, was also evaluated. In this study, the only component of resistance affected by Si was lesion number. Silicon application significantly reduced the number of lesions 26 to 61% when compared to the untreated control in the susceptible cultivar ‘Floratam’. In the resistant cultivar ‘FX-10’, as the rate of calcium silicate increased the number of lesions decreased significantly from 43 to 57%. The percent leaf area diseased in ‘Floratam’ was significantly reduced (18–57%) by increasing rates of silicon when compared to the control. Silicon was the only element to increase significantly in the plant tissue from the amendment of soil with calcium silicate. Integrated disease management strategies for reducing gray leaf spot in both sod production and home lawn settings can be augmented by using Si fertilization to increase plant resistance to gray leaf spot, especially in soils deemed to be low in plant available Si.
Prediction and Variable Selection in High-Dimensional Misspecified Binary Classification

In this paper, we consider prediction and variable selection in the misspecified binary classification models under the high-dimensional scenario. We focus on two approaches to classification, which are computationally efficient, but lead to model misspecification. The first one is to apply penalized logistic regression to the classification data, which possibly do not follow the logistic model. The second method is even more radical: we just treat class labels of objects as they were numbers and apply penalized linear regression. In this paper, we investigate thoroughly these two approaches and provide conditions, which guarantee that they are successful in prediction and variable selection. Our results hold even if the number of predictors is much larger than the sample size. The paper is completed by the experimental results.
The disposition effect among mutual fund participants: a re-examination

Based on the information gathered on mutual fund trades executed between 1998 and 2017 by 31,513 individual investor clients of a major Portuguese bank, we study the relationship between the disposition effect, financial literacy and trading experience. We find that mutual fund investors exhibit a strong disposition effect. The tendency to hold losers is partially offset with literacy: a university degree reduces the propensity to hold on to loser funds, in addition to greater financial knowledge and stronger math skills. Literacy also plays a role in shaping the way experience affects this bias. Evidence of the disposition effect remains after considering redemption fees, bad emotions, irrational beliefs, market sentiment and the existence of someone to blame. Given that the existence of the disposition effect entails substantial costs for investors, higher levels of literacy benefit investors. The implementation of measures that accommodate investor reaction to poor performances may also help to reduce the disposition effect.
RPTPδ and the novel protein tyrosine phosphatase RPTPψ are expressed in restricted regions of the developing central nervous system

Transmembrane receptor‐type protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) form a novel and potentially important class of cell regulatory proteins. To identify RPTPs expressed during neural development we have characterized RPTPs transcribed in embryonic day (E)13.5 rat neural tube. Nine different phosphatases, one of which was novel, were identified. We examined the expression of the novel phosphatase, called RPTPψ, and of two other phosphatases, RPTPδ and RPTPμ, whose expression in the developing nervous system has not yet been described in detail. The expression of RPTPμ in small blood capillaries in developing neural tissue is consistent with an involvement in angiogenesis. In contrast, the temporally and spatially regulated expression of RPTPψ and RPTPδ in neuroepithelium suggests a role in early neural development. In the spinal cord, early expression of RPTPδ in the roof plate is followed by its expression in differentiating motor neurons. RPTPψ mRNA is also transiently detectable in the roof plate as well as in floor plate cells. In the telencephalon as well as in the hind‐brain at E13.5, the reciprocal expression patterns of RPTPδ and RPTPψ are consistent with a sequential function, RPTPψ exerting its activity in undifferentiated progenitor cells and RPTPδ functioning during neuronal differentiation. Dev Dyn 208:48–61, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The effect of host lactation on the self-cure of Nippostrongylus brasiliensis in rats

The primary infection of breeding female rates with N. brasiliensis was examined as an experimental model for the study of the effect of lactation on host-parasite relationships. Self-cure was inhibited when the period of infection corresponded with lactation, and a majority of worms could persist to day 34 when lactation was prolonged. A normal self-cure occurred during pregnancy, when litters were removed at birth or when the suckling litter was reduced to 3 young.
TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR 4 COUPLED GI PROTEIN SIGNALING PATHWAYS REGULATE EXTRACELLULAR SIGNAL-REGULATED KINASE PHOSPHORYLATION AND AP-1 ACTIVATION INDEPENDENT OF NFκB ACTIVATION

Previous studies have implicated heterotrimeric Gi proteins in signaling leading to inflammatory mediator production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). TLR4 has recently been shown to play a central role in response to LPS activation. We hypothesized that Gi proteins are coupled to TLR4 activation of signaling pathways. To inhibit Gi protein function, human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells or RAW 264.7 cells were pretreated with pertussis toxin (PTx), an inhibitor of receptor–Gαi interaction, or transfected with dominant negative Gαi3 (Gαi3dn) or Gαi2 minigene (an inhibitory carboxyl terminus of Gαi2) plasmid. The cells were subsequently transfected with constitutively active TLR4 (TLR4ca) plasmid or TLR4ca together with an NFκB or AP-1 reporter construct. TLR4ca transfection induced ERK 1/2 activation (157 ± 14%, P < 0.01), AP-1 activation (4.0 ± 0.2-fold, P < 0.01), and NFκB activation (8.1 ± 0.4-fold, P < 0.01) compared with empty vector controls. Pretreatment with PTx inhibited TLR4ca-induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation (30 ± 7%, P < 0.05) and AP-1 activation (36 ± 3%, P < 0.05) but did not inhibit NFκB activation. Cotransfection of TLR4ca with Gαi3dn or Gαi2 minigene also reduced TLR4ca-induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation (34 ± 10% and 33 ± 5%, respectively, P < 0.05). Constitutively active Gαi2 and Gαi3 plasmids potentiated TLR4ca-induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation (27 ± 3% and 41 ± 6%, respectively, P < 0.05). βARK-ct plasmid, which inhibits the function of βγ subunit of G protein, has no effect on TLR4ca-induced ERK 1/2 phosphorylation. These data support our hypothesis and provide the first evidence that Gαi-coupled signaling pathways are activated by TLR4. The TLR4-activated Gαi signaling pathway activates ERK 1/2 phosphorylation and AP-1 activation independently of TLR4-mediated signaling to NFκB activation.
Genetic variation and resistance to a bacterial infection in the endangered Gila topminnow

We tested the association between host genetic diversity and resistance to a novel pathogen using controlled experiments to compare bacterially induced mortality among four populations of the endangered Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis) with different levels of genetic diversity, and between nine lines of inbred topminnows and their respective (non‐inbred) source populations. We exposed fish in treatment groups to salinity shock and high concentrations of the bacterium Listonella (Vibrio) anguillarum, a causative agent of vibriosis in fish. Mortality associated with vibriosis (mortality) 1 to 6 days post‐exposure differed among the populations, and between inbred and non‐inbred samples. However, mortality was not associated with expected heterozygosity based on microsatellite loci diversity, nor was it associated with expected or observed heterozygosity at a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II locus. Neither was mortality related to the presence or absence of specific MHC alleles. Additionally, the effect of severe inbreeding was to reduce mortality in the inbred fish relative to the non‐inbred controls in every population. Taken in the context of other studies, we conclude that effects of genetic diversity may be context‐ and locus‐specific, environmental stress may be an important determinant of host immunity, and genetic diversity should be used cautiously to predict the potential response of a population to a specific environmental challenge.
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) seed quality in response to water stress on maternal plants

Farmers who still cultivate bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) rely on landraces and seed retained from previous harvests. Given that the crop is typically cultivated in semi-arid regions, seed quality of farmers' retained seed might be compromised due to water stress experienced by maternal plants during production. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of water stress on maternal plants on subsequent seed quality of bambara groundnut. A single bambara groundnut landrace was characterised into four distinct selections based on seed coat and speckling colour. Initial seed quality (viability and vigour) was evaluated prior to planting seed in a field trial under irrigated and rainfed conditions. Final yield and yield components were determined at harvest. Thereafter, seed quality (viability and vigour) of progeny of different landrace selections was evaluated. Yield was lower under rainfed than irrigated conditions. Overall, subsequent seed quality showed improvement from initial seed quality of the original seedlot. Seed viability was higher in seeds produced under irrigated than rainfed conditions. Seed quality of bambara groundnut may be reduced underwater-limited production conditions. Seed enhancement practices such as priming may assist farmers to achieve better emergence. In the long term, seed production should be done under optimum conditions in order to achieve high-seed quality.
Bionomics of an aphidiid parasitoid Trioxys indicus Subba Rao & Sharma (Hym., Aphidiidae)

The functional response, area of discovery and sex ratio of F1 offspring of the parasitoid T. indicus was studied at varying densities of the host A. gossypii on three cucurbit food plants viz., Lagenaria vulgaris, Luffa cylindrica and Cucurbita maxima. A sigmoid functional response was observed on each food plant. Area of discovery values were higher on L. vulgaris fed hosts at each host density tested than on L. cylindrica and C. maxima. A convex curve described the area of discovery within the host density range of 15–100 with a maximum value of area of discovery at 50 hosts on L. vulgaris and L. cylindrica. Host density did not affect significantly the indirect mortality of the host on each food plant though the percentage of indirect mortality was lower on L. vulgaris fed hosts than other food plants. Sex ratio of F1 offspring was not affected by host density, but the food plant had a significant influence on the sex ratio. The sex ratio was above 0.50 on L. vulgaris and L. cylindrica, and below 0.50 on C. maxima. We conclude that the food plant is an important factor in biological control.
An investigation into the use of multiple site characteristics to predict the presence and infestation level of wireworms (Agriotes spp., Coleoptera: Elateridae) in individual grass fields

Summary Sixty-two grass fields were sampled in England and Wales over a three year period to assess the level of wireworm population present. Data on site-specific variables including soil physical characteristics, grass duration, grass genera diversity and other abiotic factors such as field aspect, altitude, and meteorological parameters were abiotic factors such as field aspect, altitude, and meteorological parameters were collected at each site. Only grass duration and soil bulk density showed any association with wireworm infestation stauts when considered as single variates. Data from a sub-set of 41 fields were used to develop a series of multi-variate discriminant rules to predit wireworm presence/absece in individual fields. These were vaildated using data from the remaining 21 fields. In general, the rules tended to over-estimate the number of wireworm-infested fields by misclassifying uninfested fields as infestes. Multivariate models to predict wireworm populaiton levels in infested fields were also developed using multiple and generalised linear regression. The predictive accuracy of these was poor. Neither the population prediciton models nor the presence/absence rulses accounted fully for the large inte-field variation in wireworm infestation status.
Influence of Pitfall and Drift Fence Design on Capture Rates of Small Vertebrates in Semi-Arid Habitats of Western-Australia

The influence of several attributes of pitfall and drift fence design on capture rates of small vertebrates was examined over 12 months in semi-arid habitats of Western Australia. Large 28 cm diameter pits (20 L buckets), captured significantly more animals than smaller pits made of 16 cm diameter PVC piping. Amongst taxonomic groups, large lizards and geckos showed highly significant biases for large pits, frogs, small lizards, and snakes and legless lizards less so, while small mammals were caught equally often in both sizes. All faunal groups except geckos showed an overall significant increase in capture rates with increasing fence length, but the optimal length per pit cannot be accurately determined from our data. Faunal groups showed a dichotomy in responses to temporary verus permanent drift fences. Independent fenced pits produced significantly higher capture rates than those in a conventional driftline. Variations in species responses to different design attributes probably reflect differing modes of behaviour and activity. We conclude that for our study areas, many large pits installed as a grid at 10-20 m spacing, each with a permanently erected short drift fence (e.g. 7-10 m), should produce excellent results for both autecological and synecological studies.