Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observations on the Distribution and Natural History of the Evening Bat (Nycticeius humeralis) in Northwestern Missouri and Adjacent Iowa

The evening bat, Nycticeius humeralis (Rafinesque), occurs throughout much of the southeastern United States, and in the warm months of the year is found north to the southern Great Lakes Region and westward to approximately the 100th meridian on the Great Plains. Previously, the species was thought to be relatively uncommon in the northwestern part of its range and little has been published concerning the biology of this bat in that region-it was taken, for example, for the first time in Nebraska in 1957 (Jones and Vaughan, 1959:246), and was reported first from Iowa seven years later by Kunz (1966:341). Recent publications summarizing the distribution of the species in Kansas (Jones et al., 1967:21-22; Birney and Rising, 1968:552-553), Nebraska (Kunz, 1965: 201-202), and Iowa (Kunz and Schlitter, 1968:173) are of note. In the course of field work in northwestern Missouri and adjacent Iowa in the spring of 1966, several colonies of evening bats were discovered. Because of the general paucity of information on the natural history of this bat in that area, a study was conducted from May, 1966, through September, 1968, principally to determine its distributional status and abundance. Arrival and departure dates were determined by netting and shooting. Additional data presented here were gathered by observation of colonies in the period May to October in each of the three years of the study. Estimation of colony size was based on total individuals counted as they vacated the roost to feed in the evening; estimates lacking specific dates in Table 1 were made by cooperating area residents. Visits to maternity colonies in the months of July and August were intentionally restricted in order to prevent disturbance during parturition and early development of young. Bats were captured at maternity colonies in the early evening, as they departed to feed, by placing large plasticlined dip nets directly under the place of emergence. Individuals thus taken were banded and released at the site of capture. A total of 2384 evening bats was tagged with 1A or 1B size aluminum bands, provided by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Specimens preserved for study were deposited at Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville.
Yang Fan

Given the fact that the large class phenomenon cannot easily be eliminated, it is important for teachers to develop effective strategies to teach English in large classes. The purpose of this study was to understand in what ways postobservation discussions lead to increased self-awareness of a college English teacher concerning pedagogy with special reference to large class teaching. Data were collected from document analysis, observations, and discussions. The post-observation discussions were structured using the theoretical frameworks of the Cooperative Development model and the Collaborative Conversation Approach. Data analysis generated four themes: Student participation, affective factors, classroom management, and instructional strategies. This study provided insights which might be useful to teachers who teach large classes in China and around the world. It also provided implications and recommendations for further research.
Effects of dexamethasone on the basal and cytokine-stimulated release of endothelin-1 from guinea-pig cultured tracheal epithelial cells

Les endothelines (ETs) sont de puissants agents bronchoconstricteurs possiblement impliques dans le developpement de l'asthme ainsi que d'autres maladies respiratoires. Une augmentation de l'expression et de la liberation de l'endotheline immunoreactive a ete rapportee au niveau des cellules epitheliales des bronches humaines et dans le lavage bronchoalveolaire de patients asthmatiques. Nous avons determine si la dexamethasone (DEX), un puissant agent anti-inflammatoire et anti-asthmatique, affecte la liberation basale et stimulee des endothelines a partir de cellules epitheliales de la trachee de cobaye. Ces cellules des voies respiratoires liberent spontanement de l'ET-1. Suite a une pre-incubation en presence de DEX pendant 24 h suivie d'une incubation de 24 h en presence de 10 -7 et 10 -6 M DEX, la production basale d'ET-1 a diminue de 32 et 29%, respectivement. Le lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1, 5, 10 μg/mL), le facteur tumoral necrotique-alpha (TNFα; 5, 10 ng/mL) et l'interleukine-1β (IL-1β; 1, 5 ng/mL) ont augmente significativement la liberation basale d'ET-1 apres 24 h. Lorsque ces cellules ont ete pre-incubees avec la DEX (10 -7 M) pour une periode de 24 h puis stimulees avec le LPS (10 μg/mL), le TNFα (10 ng/mL) ou l'IL-1β (1 ng/mL), toujours en presence de la DEX pour une autre periode de 24 h, la liberation d'ET-1 a ete inhibee de 48, 31 et 38%, respectivement. A la concentration de 10 -6 M de DEX, la liberation d'ET-1 a diminue de 45, 37 et 46%, respectivement. Ces resultats montrent que la DEX inhibe la liberation basale d'ET-1 des cellules epitheliales de la trachee de cobaye ainsi que celle stimulee par les cytokines pro-inflammatoires et suggerent que l'effet benefique des glucocorticoides dans l'asthme pourrait etre relie a l'inhibition de la synthese de l'endotheline.
Non-Visual Communication in Freshwater Benthos: An Overview

This overview of non-visual communication in freshwater benthic animals emphasizes recent studies of the effect of chemical and mechanical signals on predator-prey interactions of benthic macroinvertebrates and amphibians. Prey species use chemical signals to modify their morphological development, life history strategy, feeding, and predator avoidance behavior. The advantages of chemical signals are that they can be used in dark or turbid environments by animals that do not have image-forming eyes. Chemical signals are more persistent than mechanical signals, and they allow species-level identification of predator species. In streams, prey species may use mechanical signals (hydrodynamic pressure waves or sound) to avoid predators approaching from downstream (a situation characteristic of streams and in which chemical signals are unreliable) and to initiate escape responses. Predators often depend on chemical signals to stimulate or inhibit feeding, and they use species-specific mechanical signals to locate or track prey or potential mates. The exact nature of non-visual signals depends on ecological constraints of both the sender and receiver. Responses to non-visual signals may be adapted to local predator conditions. Non-visual signals are effectively used over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales in all aquatic habitats. Organisms often adjust their responses as ontogenic development results in changing size, diet, and habitat.
In-Silico Prediction and Functional Analysis of Salt Stress ResponsiveGenes in Rice (Oryza sativa)

The area for cultivation of rice on salt affected soil is increasing at very fast rate due to insensitivity towards following proper package and practices of crops production in order to increasing productivity of rice due to high population pressure in Asian countries. Therefore, it is important to identify genes and their regulatory elements for development of salt stress tolerance variety of rice. In order to identify genes responsible for salt stress in rice 7746 expressed sequence tags (ESTs), expressed in salinity stress condition, were mined from the different web recourses. The downloaded ESTs were clustered and assembled into 672 contigs. Biological functions were obtained only for 424 out of 672 contigs through Gene Ontology (GO). The remaining contigs were used for reconstruction, validation and annotation of salt stress genes. These contigs were mapped on to rice genome and full length gene sequences were designed. These designed candidate genes were further validated by means of a) Integrating with known salt stress related quantitative trait loci (QTL) on rice genome and b) Promoter analysis. In this study novel candidate genes were identified which may have a possible involvement in regulation of salt stress mechanism and may be useful in molecular breeding programme in rice for development of salt tolerance varieties through Molecular Assisted Breeding.
Natural Pigment Production by Monascus purpureus: Bioreactor Yield Improvement through Statistical Analysis

Among the ways of pigment production, microbial synthesis has gained more interest for high growth rate, easy extraction and high yield. Pigments are used in the food industry as natural colorants and preservatives; they also have pharmaceutical applications. In this study, fungus Monascus purpureus PTCC 5303 was used to produce red, orange and yellow pigments. At first, significant variables were screened based on Plackett-Burman’s design. The optimized value of two effective factors, i.e. concentration of yeast extract and K2HPO4 by three-level, was more studied by the response surface method (RSM). The most suitable level was 2.75 g/L for yeast extract and 1.5 g/L for K2HPO4. Antimicrobial activity of the pigments was shown on Gram-positive food-borne bacteria under optimal conditions. Moreover, pigment production at optimal conditions in a bioreactor was evaluated, and the rate of production of red, orange and yellow pigments was obtained to be 2.05, 1.55 and 0.78 (ODU/ml), respectively.
Optimization of laccase production in the white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus (ACCC 52857) induced through yeast extract and copper

ABSTRACT Different inducers for laccase production in Pleurotus ostreatus (ACCC 52857) were screened: carbon and nitrogen source, phenolic compounds and metal ions. Among the tested substances, yeast extract and copper showed the strongest effect on laccase activity. Laccase activity increased during the early phase of cultivation in the presence of yeast extract, peaking on the 6th day and decreasing thereafter. Copper-induced laccase activity increased both in a dose-dependent and a time-dependent manner. The highest laccase activity was obtained with 2 mmol/L Cu2+, while the mycelial growth was inhibited approximately 27%. Thus, the time-dependent effect of copper on laccase activity was examined. The results showed that the best laccase production was induced when copper was added during the mid-logarithmic phase of cultivation (the 5th day). A positive synergistic effect of yeast extract and copper on the laccase production was observed. Laccase activity dramatically increased upon the addition of copper to medium containing 1% yeast extract on the 5th day of cultivation. The highest activity (8533.33 ± 1228.94 U/mL) was observed on the 13th day of cultivation, increased more than 80 folds compared to the original level.
Rural Industry Clusters Raise Local Earnings

Industry clusters have become a popular strategy for rural economic development, yet their benefits to the local areas have not been fully examined. Labor is expected to be more productive within clusters, which should translate into higher wages. Our analysis confirms this, showing that workers’ earnings in rural industry clusters are about 13 percent higher than those of comparable workers outside clusters. The wage boost is similar for workers regardless of age or education level.
Ecology of Scots Pine in the Scottish Highlands

The recent publication by Steven & Carlisle (1959) on the native pine woods of Scotland presents a great deal of information basic to the study of Scots pine ecology in the Highlands. In particular, it concentrates upon the world distribution of the species, the distribution of native forest fragments in the Highlands, the history and prehistory of pine in Britain and the morphological variation to be found, especially within Pinus sylvestris ssp. scotica. The present paper, while not a comprehensive review of the subject, seeks to expand the third chapter of the above work on the general ecology and regeneration of the native pine woods in Scotland.
High amplitude tides that result in floating mats decouple algal distribution from patterns of recruitment and nutrient sources

Three processes that may facilitate proliferation of Ulva intestinalis blooms in eutrophic estuaries include: rapid growth in response to nutrient enrichment, the capacity for biweekly sexual recruitment, and the ability to transition from attached benthic stages to floating mats. We conducted field surveys and in situ experiments to evaluate whether these 3 processes affect spatial and temporal distribution of U. intestinalis biomass within a eutrophic California (USA) estuary. We sampled environmental variables (sediment redox potential, organic content, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus; water column nitrate, ammonium, and dissolved organic nitrogen) and algal biomass and cover at 2 to 4 mo intervals over 15 mo at 3 permanent sites at the head, middle, and mouth of the estuary. Principal component analysis demonstrated significant yet weak relationships between macroalgal abundance and water and sediment N concentrations. Recruitment was abundant throughout the estuary (76.1 ± 22.8 spores cm −2 ), with little spatial pat- tern. Thus, we hypothesized that water flow may affect distribution by causing size-dependent detachment of benthic filaments. In 2 experiments on different substrata (tiles and sediment cores), 2 lengths of U. intestinalis filaments were exposed to accelerated and ambient water flow during flood tides. On both substrata, there was greater removal at high flow compared to ambient flow and greater removal of tall filaments. Pull tests confirmed that tall filaments required less force to break. Together, these experiments demonstrated that rapid water flow during high amplitude tides caused transitions between attached and floating stages and at least partially decoupled distribution from recruitment patterns and nutrient sources.
Minimality of Group and Monoid Presentations

In Chapter 1 of this thesis we review existing theory concerning group and monoid presentations, and the concept of pictures over these. We also recall aspherical, combi-natorial aspherical, n-Cockcroft (n ∈ Z+), efficient and inefficient presentations. Minimality is the final concept introduced in this chapter: we present an important theorem, due to Lustig in the case of groups and to Pride for monoids. In Chapter 2 we prove necessary and sufficient conditions for the presentation of the central extension to be p-Cockcroft (p a prime or 0). The starting point of this result is the joint paper of Baik-Harlander-Pride. We end the chapter by giving some examples. In Chapter 3 we prove a theorem on the efficiency of standard wreath products of two finite groups. We also present some applications of the theorem and end by giving examples. Chapter 4 sees discussion on the semi-direct product of any two monoids. In particular we prove necessary and sufficient conditions for the standard presentation of the semi-direct product of any two monoids to be p-Cockcroft (p a prime or 0). We end by giving some applications of this theorem to the direct product of two monoids and the semi-direct product of two finite cyclic monoids. We begin Chapter 5 with an application of the main theorem of Chapter 4, namely we give necessary and sufficient conditions for a presentation of the semi-direct product of a one-relator monoid by an infinite cyclic monoid to be p-Cockcroft (p a prime or 0), and give some examples of this. Following this we present the main theorem of this chapter, which is sufficient conditions for the presentation of a semi-direct product of a one-relator monoid by an infinite cyclic monoid to be minimal but inefficient. We end by giving some examples.
Antioxidant activities of phenolic components from various plants of Desmodium species

The aim of this study was to examine the antioxidant activities and phenolic components of the crude extracts of 10 Desmodium species from Taiwan. In this study, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, ABTS radical monocation scavenging activity, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and reducing power of the 10 Desmodiumspecies were evaluated for their antioxidant activities. The results showed that, of all the samples, Desmodium sequax was the most active in ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and reducing power assays. The total polyphenol, total flavonoid and total flavonol contents of the crude extract were calculated. The correlation coefficient (R2) values of TEAC with phenolic compounds indicated strong positive correlations, except for total flavonoid content. Furthermore, HPLC chromatographic fingerprints were established, and chlorogenic acid and vitexin in D. sequax were quantified. Chlorogenic acid was confirmed to express strong antioxidant activities in ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and reducing power assays. The present study indicated the antioxidant activities of the 10Desmodium species were related to their phenolic components. D. sequax is a potent antioxidant medicinal plant, and chlorogenic acid may be an important factor in the antioxidant activity of this plant. Key words: Desmodium, antioxidant activity, chlorogenic acid, vitexin
Methane emissions from an oil sands tailings pond: A
quantitative comparison of fluxes derived by different methods

Tailings ponds in the Alberta oil sands region are significant sources of fugitive emissions of methane to the atmosphere, but detailed knowledge on spatial and temporal variabilities is lacking due to limitations of the methods deployed under current regulatory compliance monitoring programs. To develop more robust and representative methods for quantifying fugitive emissions, three micrometeorological flux methods (eddy covariance, gradient, and inverse dispersion) were applied along with traditional flux chambers to determine fluxes over a 5-week period. Eddy covariance flux measurements provided the benchmark. A method is presented to directly calculate stability-corrected eddy diffusivities that can be applied to vertical gas profiles for gradient flux estimation. Gradient fluxes were shown to agree with eddy covariance within 18 %, while inverse dispersion model flux estimates were 30 % lower. Fluxes were shown to have only a minor diurnal cycle (15 % variability) and were weakly dependent on wind speed, air, and water surface temperatures. Flux chambers underestimated the fluxes by 64 % in this particular campaign. The results show that the larger footprint together with high temporal resolution of micrometeorological flux measurement methods may result in more robust estimates of the pond greenhouse gas emissions.
Effects of in Ovo Administration of Betaine and Choline on Hatchability Results, Growth and Carcass Characteristics and Immune Response of Broiler Chickens

The effect of in ovo administration of different levels of betaine and choline on egg hatchability, immune response, growth and carcass traits of broiler chickens was studied. Four thousand hatching eggs from Ross 308 broiler breeder layers, weighed individually, were incubated for 21 days in a commercial hatchery. At 12th day of incubation, 3456 fertilized eggs were randomly divided into 8 experimental groups of 3 replicates each (144 eggs per replicate): negative control (NC) – not injected; positive control (PC) – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water; Bet 0.25 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.25 mg soluble betaine; Bet 0.375 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.375 mg soluble betaine; Bet 0.50 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.50 mg soluble betaine; Chol 0.25 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.25 mg soluble choline; Chol 0.375 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.375 mg soluble choline; Chol 0.50 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.50 mg soluble choline. Among the hatched chickens, 360 males were randomly chosen (45 for each group) and were grown up to 42nd day of age. The embryo mortality, pecked eggs, infected eggs and hatchability percentages were similar among the experimental groups. The betaine and choline treatments improved hatching weight and final weight of chickens, while reduced feed conversion ratio and abdominal fat percentage. No effect on carcass yield, and breast muscle, leg and wings percentages, as well as on immunoglobulin M (IgM), G (IgG), and total antibody (IgT) titers was observed. The treatments had little effect on internal organs.
A MODEL FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF SYSTEM QUALITY AND SATISFACTION ON CONTINUING TO USE E-LEARNING SYSTEM.

: E-learning is a future educational channel that will be a substitute for the traditional learning system, because it has the ability to overcome the spatial and temporal limitations faced by the traditional learning system. E-learning has recorded rapid growth in recent years due to its importance and impact in the private and public sectors. However, the success of the e-learning field has to depend on certain characteristics that without doubt will improve the prospects of flourishing in this area. Importantly, this research focuses on system quality, because this plays a crucial role to satisfy users in general. Quality is a determining factor for the success of any e-learning project and the real success is based on sustained usage. If the quality of the e-learning system is poor, this will discourage users from adopting or using the system. In some cases the users reject the system after using it for a trial period, and this experience discourages the user from continuing to use the system. Basically, there are several characteristics and functionalities that can have an impact on user satisfaction as they use the e-learning system. These characteristics and functions contribute particularly to the quality of the e-learning system and in general the quality of the whole system, because these characteristics are related to the system quality and user perspective. The characteristics which should be taken into consideration include usability, reliability and efficiency, which were chosen from common models that included these aspects. Moreover, these characteristics include sub-characteristics as follows: usability (learnability, understandability, operability, attractiveness, and navigation), reliability (fault tolerance, maturity, recoverability, and consistency) and efficiency (time behaviour, resource utilization) which are considered as real challenges.
Measurements of differential scattering cross section using a ring transducer

A method for the measurement of intrinsic scattering object properties is presented. This procedure is based on the measurement of the scattered acoustic field as a function of scattering angle and frequency. Measurements are normalized using analytically determined expressions for emitter and detector beams resulting from a combination of unfocused linear elements arranged in a circular configuration. The spatial effects of finite emitter pulse length and detector gate length are represented by a convolution formula valid for narrow‐band signals and long receiver gates. The method includes correction for target absorption as well as measurement of the directly transmitted acoustic power in the free field, yielding the average differential scattering cross section per unit volume. Measured results for two phantoms consisting of glass microspheres embedded in agar show good relative agreement with theory for varying angle, frequency, and phantom properties. For the phantoms employed, scattering effects, ra.