Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Habitat partitioning by chironomid larvae in arrays of leaf patches in streams

Abstract We used 2 approaches to investigate possible mechanisms underlying positive responses of chironomids to fragmentation of resources in streambeds. We manipulated arrays of leaf patches on a sandy streambed and asked whether responses of chironomids to patch arrangement and leaf species in patches were genus or instar specific. We manipulated densities of Chironomus riparius instars I and III in laboratory microcosms and assessed density dependent dispersal and settlement behaviors. In streambed arrays, chironomid densities in leaf packs were ∼2× higher in fragmented than in aggregated arrays, but density was not affected by leaf species. Density of larvae in sand cores did not differ with respect to patch arrangement or leaf species. Genus and instar composition differed between sand cores and leaf packs, but did not differ with respect to leaf patch arrangement or leaf species in arrays. Resource partitioning in streambed arrays appeared to occur among congeneric instars rather than among genera. In laboratory microcosms, instar III larvae dispersed from high-quality patches into poor-quality patches when larval density was high, and the presence of instar III larvae strongly inhibited settlement of instar I larvae into high-quality patches. We concluded that recruitment of larvae to leaf patches from the regional species pool (drift) probably was random, but intraspecific competitive interactions and density dependent dispersal may be important mechanisms structuring chironomid assemblages in leaf patches. Therefore, larval abundances should be high in streambeds where resources such as leaf patches have spatial arrangements that reduce density dependent dispersal and recruitment inhibition, mitigate the effects of dispersal, and enable congeneric instars to partition the streambed habitat.
Low-temperature tolerance of age-0 Atlantic croakers : recruitment implications for U.S. mid-Atlantic estuaries

Abstract Age-0 Atlantic croakers Micropogonias undulatus overwinter in Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) estuaries, where interannual variability in year-class strength is pronounced. Previous researchers have hypothesized that this variability is the result of cold-induced winter mortality of age-0 Atlantic croakers within estuarine nurseries. We tested this hypothesis by means of laboratory experiments designed to (1) estimate the effects of winter severity and duration on the probability of survival of age-0 fish, (2) determine the relationship between body size and cold tolerance, and (3) examine the effects of temperature decline rate and salinity on susceptibility to low-temperature mortality. Age-0 Atlantic croakers (15–65 mm standard length, SL) were collected from Delaware Bay during October, acclimated to 8°C in the laboratory, and then cooled (1.0°C/d) to treatment levels of 1, 3, 5, or 7°C that were designed to simulate varying levels of winter severity in MAB estuaries. Survival ranged from 0% at 1°C .
Reproductive Strategies and Colonizing Ability of Two Sympatric Epiphytic Bromeliads in a Tropical Premontane Area

Predispersal characteristics that affect the reproductive success in plants may influence their colonizing ability. We evaluated this hypothesis in two sympatric epiphytic bromeliads in Costa Rica, Guzmania monostachia and Tillandsia fasciculata, that show contrasting levels of local seedling recruitment. Genets of G. monostachia, the species with higher recruitment, may reach the reproductive stage faster because of a higher growth rate (6 vs. 13 yr). In addition, in established genets, new asexual ramets develop and reproduce annually, whereas in T. fasciculata, the slower offshoot development implies at least 3 yr to disperse a new batch of seeds. A higher and more continuous seed production in G. monostachia is possible because of a shorter time from flowering to seed dispersal (8–9 vs. 16–20 mo), along with the production of more flowers (29 vs. 22) and naturally pollinated fruits per inflorescence (89% vs. 79% fruit set) and more seeds per fruit (321 vs. 240). Both species showed a high occurrence of spontaneous autogamy that matched the highly selfing condition estimated using microsatellite markers. In all, G. monostachia displayed the reproductive traits of a pioneer species. Here, we emphasize the importance of seed availability in determining the population and community structure of epiphytic bromeliads in secondary and mature forests, along with factors affecting dispersal and plant survival.
Estimating variance components and heritabilities in the wild: a case study using the ‘animal model’ approach

Using a genealogy containing over 1800 dams and nearly 400 sires (estimated by genetic paternity techniques), combined with maximum likelihood procedures and an ‘animal model’, we have estimated the heritabilities, genetic correlations and variance components of three morphometric traits in the Soay sheep (Ovis aries) on St Kilda, Scotland. This approach allows heritabilities to be estimated in natural populations that violate the assumptions of offspring–parent regression methods. Maternal (or paternal) effects can also be estimated under natural conditions. We demonstrate that all the traits, body weight, hind leg length and incisor arcade breadth, have low but significant heritabilities. Body weight, the trait that experiences the strongest selection, had the lowest heritability but the highest additive genetic coefficient of variation. An evolutionary response to selection is predicted. When maternal effects were not taken into consideration heritabilities were over‐estimated, although this effect was only significant in female offspring.
The Relationships between Sleep-Wake Cycle and Academic Performance in Medical Students

Survey and laboratory studies suggest that several factors, such as social and academic demands, part-time jobs and irregular school schedules, affect the sleep-wake cycle of college students. In this study, we examined the sleep-wake pattern and the role played by academic schedules and individual characteristics on the sleep-wake cycle and academic performance. The subjects were 36 medical students (male = 21 and female = 15), mean age = 20.7 years, SD = 2.2. All students attended the same school schedule, from Monday to Friday. The volunteers answered a morningness-eveningness questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and kept a sleep-wake diary for two weeks. The relationships between sleep-wake cycle, PSQI, chronotypes and academic performance were analyzed by a multiple regression technique. The results showed that 38.9% of the students had a poor sleep quality according to the PSQI. When the medical students were evening type or moderate evening type the PSQI showed a tendency of poor sleep. The multiple regression analysis showed a correlation between sleep onset, sleep irregularity and sleep length with academic performance. These results suggest that chronotypes influence the quality of the sleep-wake cycle and that irregularity of the sleep-wake cycle, as well as sleep deprivation (average length was 6:52), influence the learning of college students.
Enhancement of the MONERIS Model for Application in Alpine Catchments in Austria

Mountainous catchments are usually not in focus of the modelling of nutrient fluxes on catchment scale. Out of 9 model approaches tested in the EU-project EUROHARP only MONERIS claims to be capable of modelling nitrogen and phosphorus emissions in a landscape with mountainous slope. Results derived in the present study indicate that the MONERIS 2.14 model in its current version is not able to reproduce the measured nutrient loads in rivers from alpine catchments in Austria with a size of 70 to 400 km2. Despite this apparent limitation, MONERIS delivers a framework flexible enough to offer the possibility for the introduction of adaptations to regions that had not been a focus during its development. Significant improvements in model performance have been achieved during this study with relatively simple adaptations: (i) calibration a snowmelt constants, (ii) adaptation of the nitrogen balance for open and naturally covered areas, (iii) adaptation of the denitrification approach for groundwater of solid rock areas with low nitrogen surplus and high amount of leakage water, (iv) introduction of the differentiation of area-specific suspended solids emission factors for mountainous open areas covered either with glaciers or not, (v) definition of new input parameters for phosphorus concentrations in solid limestone and schist/gneiss rocks and of dissolved phosphorus concentrations in surface runoff and groundwater flow for mountainous areas. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Response of Certain Varieties of Grapes to Plant Growth-Regulators

1. In one experiment, formulations of fifteen growth-regulators were separately applied to Black Corinth grapes by dipping clusters of the flowers at full bloom. Applications of 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, alpha-(1-naphthoxy)-propionic acid, 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid, N-2-chlorophenylphthalamic acid, N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid, and N-phenylphthalimide resulted in some compact clusters with some large berries containing seeds. 2. In a second experiment, clusters of Black Corinth were dipped at full bloom or 4 days later into formulations of beta-naphthoxypropionic acid or 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid. Compact clusters failed to develop after applications of the former compound, but treatment with 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid at 10, 50, or 100 p.p.m. resulted in large, compact clusters after each treatment. With the higher concentrations of the acid used, correspondingly heavier clusters developed. A higher percentage of berries of the first treatment contained seeds than did those of the later one; clusters of the later treatment were heavier. 3. When Black Corinth vines at full bloom were sprayed with 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid at 25 p.p.m. , many large clusters developed. Average weight of fruit per vine for ungirdled but sprayed, girdled but unsprayed, and ungirdled and unsprayed was 17.3, 22.4, and 1.8 pounds, respectively. 4. Flowering clusters of White Corinth and Black Monukka grapes dipped in 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid at 5 or 50 p.p.m. developed large compact clusters of fruit. A similar treatment with Sultana, Thompson Seedless, Muscat of Alexandria, and Hunisia induced the setting of many "shot" berries. Similar applications of other growth-regulators usually resulted in varying degrees of injury. Applications of growth-regulators to varieties containing seeds resulted in no apparent enlargement of berries. 5. Thompson Seedless vines sprayed with 4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid at 5 or 20 p.p.m. after the shatter of berries developed larger berries than did ungirdled, unsprayed vines.
A Cohort of Patients with COVID-19 in a Major Teaching Hospital in Europe

BACKGROUND Since the confirmation of the first patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Spain in January 2020, the epidemic has grown rapidly, with the greatest impact on the Madrid region. This article describes the first 2226 consecutive adult patients with COVID-19 admitted to the La Paz University Hospital in Madrid. METHODS Our cohort included all consecutively admitted patients who were hospitalized and who had a final outcome (death or discharge) in a 1286-bed hospital of Madrid (Spain) from February 25th (first case admitted) to April 19th, 2020. Data was entered manually into an electronic case report form, which was monitored prior to the analysis. RESULTS We consecutively included 2226 adult patients admitted to the hospital who either died (460) or were discharged (1766). The patients median age was 61 years; 51.8% were women. The most common comorbidity was arterial hypertension (41.3%). The most common symptoms on admission were fever (71.2%). The median time from disease onset to hospital admission was 6 days. Overall mortality was 20.7% and was higher in men (26.6% vs 15.1%). Seventy-five patients with a final outcome were transferred to the ICU (3.4%). Most patients admitted to the ICU were men, and the median age was 64 years. Baseline laboratory values on admission were consistent with an impaired immune-inflammatory profile. CONCLUSIONS We provide a description of the first large cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Europe. Advanced age, male gender, the presence of comorbidities and abnormal laboratory values were more common among the patients with fatal outcomes.
Enzyme immunoassay for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in dried blood spot samples: A minimally-invasive approach to facilitate community- and population-based screening

Background Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies is needed to document the community prevalence and distribution of the virus, particularly since many individuals have mild symptoms and cannot access molecular diagnostic testing of naso-pharyngeal swabs. However, the requirement for serum/plasma limits serological testing to clinical settings where it is feasible to collect and process venous blood. To address this problem we developed a serological test for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies that requires only a single drop of capillary whole blood, collected from a simple finger prick and dried on filter paper (dried blood spot, DBS). Methods Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was optimized to detect SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. DBS samples were eluted overnight and transferred to a 96-well plate coated with antigen, and anti-human IgG-HRP was used to generate signal in proportion to bound antibody. DBS samples spiked with anti-SARS IgG antibody, and samples from known positive and negative cases, were compared to evaluate assay performance. Results Analysis of samples with known concentrations of anti-SARS IgG produced the expected pattern of dose-response. Optical density (OD) values were significantly elevated for known positive cases in comparison with samples from unexposed individuals. Discussion DBS ELISA provides a minimally-invasive alternative to venous blood collection that combines the convenience of sample collection in the home or non-clinical setting with the accuracy of ELISA in the lab. Serological testing for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in DBS samples should facilitate research across a wide range of community- and population-based settings on seroprevalence, predictors and duration of antibody responses, as well as correlates of protection from reinfection, each of which is critically important for pandemic control.
Sulfur compounds, potential turnover of sulfate and thiosulfate, and numbers of sulfate‐reducing bacteria in planted and unplanted paddy soil

Abstract Sulfate reduction potentials (SRP), thiosulfate consumption potentials (TCP), numbers of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and the vertical profiles of sulfate, thiosulfate, acid volatile sulfides (AVS) and chromium reducible sulfides (CRS) were measured within 10-cm-deep 13-week-old planted and unplanted paddy soil microcosms. The soil pore water of unplanted microcosms showed sulfate concentrations 300 μM and > 150 μM, respectively, indicating that oxidation of reduced sulfur was stimulated in this zone (the root zone of the rice plants). On the other hand, concentrations of AVS were also much higher in the upper layers of planted versus unplanted microcosms indicating that reduction of oxidized sulfur compounds was also stimulated in this zone. The highest AVS and CRS concentrations were 1.6 and 1.3 μmol cm −3 soil, respectively. Indeed, planted soils showed a two- to five-fold higher SRP and TCP ( −3 d −1 , respectively) compared to unplanted microcosms ( −3 d −1 ). Concentrations of acetate and lactate were also higher, especially in the uppermost soil layers. However, SRP and TCP were only stimulated by the addition of hydrogen. SRB were enumerated by the MPN technique using hydrogen, acetate, propionate, lactate, butyrate, succinate and benzoate as electron donors. Vertical profiles indicated that the SRB were relatively homogenously distributed in the paddy soil microcosms. The SRB populations growing on H 2 , propionate and succinate appeared to be higher in planted than in unplanted paddy soil microcosms although at a relatively low statistic significance (α Desulfovibrio, Desulfotomaculum, Desulfobulbus , and Desulfobotulus . Our results indicate a very dynamic cycling of both reduced and oxidized sulfur species in the rhizosphere of planted paddy soil.
Exigência de treonina para frangos de corte no período de 22 a 42 dias de idade

The objective of this experiment was to determine the threonine requirement for broilers in the period from 22 to 42 days of age. Nine hundred and sixty broilers were random allotted in a 6x2 factorial arrangement, with six total threonine levels ( .67, .71, .75, .79, .83, e .87%) two sexes with five replicates with 16 birds each. The feed intake, weight gain, feed:gain ratio, plasma uric acid concentration, yields of carcass, special cuts and abdominal fat, and body composition were evaluated. There was no effect of the threonine levels on the characteristics of performance, plasma uric acid concentration, carcass traits and body composition of the birds. Females had higher values of breast yield and males had higher carcass yield, thigh and overthigh yield. The females presented higher value of body fat and lower value of dry matter in the carcass than males. The levels of . 67% of total threonine and . 57% of digestible threonine were enough to maximize males and females performance in the period from 22 to 42 days of age.
COMPARISON OF MEXICAN FRUIT FLY (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) CAPTURE BETWEEN MCPHAIL TRAPS WITH TORULA AND MULTILURE TRAPS WITH BIOLURES IN SOUTH TEXAS

One of the key components in the Mexican Anastrepha ludens (Loew), eradication program in the Rio Grande Valley veillance and trapping program with a uniform grid of 1.6 traps per square kilometer (5 per mile) to wild Mexican fruit ﬂies. The McPhail trap baited with an aqueous slurry of torula yeast the fruit ﬂy the eradication switching to a Multilure trap baited the Biolure (MFF) the of the trappers a reduc-tion in of captured Mexican fruit ﬂy after switching to the Multilure trap with Biolure.
The growth and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of Pinus caribaea and P. elliottii at the seedling stage

The nutrition pot experiments of Pinus caribaea and P. elliottii (PEE) were conducted to assess the response of chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters to different provenances and measured time. The materials were potted seedlings from 16 P. caribaea provenances and 4 PEE provenances. The growth of the seedlings and the Chl fluorescence parameters were measured in July and August 2016 and February 2017, separately. The result showed there were significant differences among seedlings of different provenances in height and diameter (P<0.01). The measured time and species had a significant effect on the PSII maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), while the interaction effect was not significant. The Fv/Fm was higher in February 2017 than in July 2016 and August 2016; the response models of measured times of two species were opposite in the effective quantum yield (ΦPS II), the photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) and the apparent electron transport rates (ETR). The Chl fluorescence parameters of two species were affected by the measured times rather than provenances. The growth had a negative correlation with Fv/Fm and Fv′/Fm′ in February 2017 in examined seedlings according to the correlation analysis. The Chl fluorescence parameters of P. caribaea and PEE were inhibited by high light intensity, which might not affect the growth. The Chl fluorescence parameters in P. caribaea were also inhibited by low temperature, which might be related to growth. The Chl fluorescence parameters of P. caribaea in February 2017 might be indicators of chilling tolerance among P. caribaea individuals.
Introduction of armoured scale predators and establishment of the predatory mite Hemisarcoptes coccophagus (Acari: Hemisarcoptidae) on latania scale, Hemiberlesia lataniae (Homoptera: Diaspididae) in kiwifruit shelter trees in New Zealand.

Between 1987 and 1989, three predatory beetle species ( Chilocorus bipustulatus (Linnaeus), C. infernalis (Linnaeus) and C. cacti (Linnaeus)) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and two predatory mite species ( Hemisarcoptes coccophagus Meyer and H. cooremani Thomas) were imported and released for the biological control of armoured scale insects ( Hemiberlesia rapax Comstock, H. lataniae Signoret and Aspidiotus nerii Bouche ) on kiwifruit and shelter trees in New Zealand. Hemisarcoptes coccophagus has established on Hemiberlesia lataniae infestations on Lombardy poplar ( Populus nigra var. Italica) shelter trees at three sites. Detailed studies at one of the release sites over a period spanning nine to 24 months after release, showed that densities of Hemiberlesia lataniae in samples with mites fell to less than 20% of the level in control trees. Assessment of the dispersion characteristics of the mite suggested that the adults are repelled by the presence of other mites on a host. Hemisarcoptes coccophagus can use two species of New Zealand ladybirds ( Scymnus fagus Broun and Halmus chalybeus Boisduval) for phoresy. Hemisarcoptes coccophagus spread naturally to the control trees between 20 and 24 months after release, though the means of dispersal between trees is not known.
The Status of Child Labour Exploitation in South West Ethiopia, Jimma Town: The Case of Bocho Bore Kebele

Nowadays, child labour exploitation has become a global problem. Hence, this study intends to examine the status of child labour exploitation in Jimma town, Bocho Bore Kebele. I used a purposive sampling technique to select informants and conducted non-participant observation, in depth and key informant interviews, document analysis and focus group discussion to generate data. The findings from this study revealed that children in Bocho Bore Kebele are vulnerable to wide and extreme violations of their rights. They are verbally, physically and sexually abused. The majority of child labourers are “invisible”, hidden from sight and beyond the reach of the law. Many of these children are not only being exploited, they are often being denied education, basic health care, adequate nutrition, leisure time and the safety and security of their families and communities. Data generated from different methods showed that the most decisive factors for child labour exploitation are economic and social problems that adversely affect the living condition of child. Finally, child labour exploitation observed in Bocho Bore Kebele needs greater attention from different governmental and non-governmental organizations cooperation to solve the problem at a grass root level.