Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Side‐effects of insecticides used in tomato fields on the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hym., Trichogrammatidae), a natural enemy of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lep., Gelechiidae)

Abstract: Trichogramma pretiosum Riley is an important natural enemy used for the biological control of Tuta absoluta in tomato fields in several countries in South America. The side‐effects of insecticides on T. pretiosum was tested by dipping parasitized host eggs (Ephestia kuehniella Zeller) at three different development stages (egg‐larvae, pre‐pupae and pupae) in pesticide solution at recommended concentrations. The insecticides varied in their toxicity and significantly affected the development time of the immature stages, emergence, parasitism and longevity of the adult parasitoid. Cartap and phenthoate were harmful and caused total mortality in all the experiments in the three stages of development tested. Lambda‐cyhalothrin was not detrimental but caused a significant increase in mortality, prolonged development of the immature stages and decreased the capacity of parasitism of the emerged females. Tebufenozide, teflubenzuron and abamectin had sublethal effects. They reduced the time of development, especially when applied during the pupae stage. The capacity of parasitism of emerged females decreased and was affected by the stage of development treated. With abamectin treatments, parasitism decreased as the development of the parasitoid advanced and the mortality of the emerged adults from host eggs treated during the pupae stage was significantly higher. Tebufenozide reduced parasitism when applied during the egg‐larval and pre‐pupae stages. The results showed that cartap and phenthoate were harmful, lambda‐cyalothrin and abamectin were intermediate, tebufenozide and teflubenzuron were harmless to slightly harmful. Nearly all the chemicals tested had significant sublethal effects.
Aristonectes quiriquinensis, sp. nov., A New Highly Derived Elasmosaurid from the Upper Maastrichtian of Central Chile

ABSTRACT This paper describes a new species of elasmosaurid plesiosaur, Aristonectes quiriquinensis, sp. nov., based on a partial skeleton recovered from upper Maastrichtian beds of the Quiriquina Formation of central Chile. The material described here consists of two skeletons, one collected near the village of Cocholgue, and a second juvenile specimen from Quiriquina Island. Prior to these finds, Aristonectes was viewed as a monospecific genus, including only the enigmatic Aristonectes parvidens, the holotype of which consists of an incomplete skull and incomplete postcranium. Other material referred to the genus includes an incomplete juvenile skull and other postcranial material from the upper Maastrichtian of Antarctica, as well as a partial skull from the Quiriquina Formation of central Chile. The relationships of Aristonectes have been controversial, with competing theories assigning the genus to Cryptoclididae, Elasmosauridae, and Aristonectidae; however, there is a developing consensus that Aristonectes is a derived elasmosaurid, and this paper gives strong evidence for this view. Comparison of the specimen here studied with the holotype of A. parvidens demonstrates that A. quiriquinensis is a distinct species. The completeness of the adult skeleton allows the first confident size estimates for adult Aristonectes. It is a large plesiosaurian with a relatively large skull with numerous homodont teeth, a moderately long and laterally compressed neck, and relatively narrow trunk, with slender and elongate forelimbs. The two specimens are restricted to the upper Maastrichtian of central Chile, posing questions concerning the austral circumpolar distribution of different elasmosaurids towards the end of the Cretaceous.
Effects of water stress and nocturnal temperature on carbon allocation in the perennial grass, Leymus chinensis

Water deficit and high temperature often occur simultaneously, but their effects on plants are usually investigated separately. The aim of this study was to test how interactions between water stress and nocturnal warming affect carbon allocation in the perennial grass, Leymus chinensis. Plant biomass, dry mass allocation, 14 C partitioning and carbon isotope composition (δ 13 C) were measured. Severe and extreme water stress during nocturnal warming decreased the allocation of dry mass and 14 C partitioning below ground to the roots, but moderate water stress significantly increased the below-ground allocation of dry mass and 14 C, especially at the lower night temperature. The δ 13 C values were more positive at day/night temperatures of 30/20°C than at 30/25°C, and greater in the roots than in the leaves. By plotting the δ 13 C values of the leaves against the δ 13 C values of the roots, the slopes of regressions were steeper at low than at high night temperature, also indicating that nocturnal warming reduces carbon allocation below ground to the roots. The results suggest that nocturnal warming may weaken acclimation during water stress in this species by regulating carbon allocation between source and sink organs.
Changes in the hydroxamic acid content of maize leaves with time and after artificial damage; implications for insect attack

Summary The dynamics of hydroxamic acids (Hx) in maize plants were examined, along with the effects on this process of artificial leaf damage. The concentration of Hx in maize (cv. LGH) leaves declined rapidly with age, although young emerging tissue did have relatively high levels. The decline was not entirely due to a growth dilution effect, as the total Hx content in leaves also decreased with age. This effect was less pronounced in isolated leaves. The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) accelerated the decline in Hx in isolated maize leaves, while indole acetic acid (IAA) had no apparent effect. Artificial leaf damage on growing plants produced a significant increase in the concentration of Hx relative to undamaged controls. The difference was greatest (about 18%) two days after damage, but seemed to be largely due to a slower rate of decline relative to controls. Isolated maize leaves generally showed a much higher level of increase (20 - 40%). The results are generally consistent with the theory that Hx functions as a defence against insect attack.
Sparse Ambient Resonance Measurements Reveal Dynamic Properties of Freestanding Rock Arches

The dynamic properties of freestanding rock landforms are a function of fundamental material and mechanical parameters, facilitating noninvasive vibration‐based structural assessment. Characterization of resonant frequencies, mode shapes, and damping ratios, however, can be challenging at culturally sensitive geologic features, such as rock arches, where physical access is limited. Using sparse ambient vibration measurements, we describe three resonant modes between 1 and 40 Hz for 17 natural arches in Utah spanning a range of lengths from 3–88 m. Modal polarization data are evaluated to combine field observations with 3‐D numerical models. We find outcrop‐scale elastic moduli vary from 0.8 to 8.0 GPa, correlated with diagenetic processes and identify low damping at all sites. Correlation of dense‐array measurements from one arch validates predictions of simple bending modes and fixed boundary conditions. Our results establish use of sparse ambient resonance measurements for structural assessment and monitoring of arches and similar freestanding geologic features worldwide.
Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of 15 Affected Patients From 12 Japanese Families with GUCY2D-Associated Retinal Disorder

Purpose To determine the clinical and genetic characteristics of patients with GUCY2D-associated retinal disorder (GUCY2D-RD). Methods Fifteen patients from 12 families with inherited retinal disorder (IRD) and harboring GUCY2D variants were ascertained from 730 Japanese families with IRD. Comprehensive ophthalmological examinations, including visual acuity (VA) measurement, retinal imaging, and electrophysiological assessment were performed to classify patients into three phenotype subgroups; macular dystrophy (MD), cone-rod dystrophy (CORD), and Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). In silico analysis was performed for the detected variants, and the molecularly confirmed inheritance pattern was determined (autosomal dominant/recessive [AD/AR]). Results The median age of onset/examination was 22.0/38.0 years (ranges, 0-55 and 1-73) with a median VA of 0.80/0.70 LogMAR units (ranges, 0.00-1.52 and 0.10-1.52) in the right/left eye, respectively. Macular atrophy was identified in seven patients (46.7%), and two had diffuse fundus disturbance (13.3%), and six had an essentially normal fundus (40.0%). There were 11 patients with generalized cone-rod dysfunction (78.6%), two with entire functional loss (14.3%), and one with confined macular dysfunction (7.1%). There were nine families with ADCORD, one with ARCORD, one with ADMD, and one with ARLCA. Ten GUCY2D variants were identified, including four novel variants (p.Val56GlyfsTer262, p.Met246Ile, p.Arg761Trp, p.Glu874Lys). Conclusions This large cohort study delineates the disease spectrum of GUCY2D-RD. Diverse clinical presentations with various severities of ADCORD and the early-onset severe phenotype of ARLCA are illustrated. A relatively lower prevalence of GUCY2D-RD for ADCORD and ARLCA in the Japanese population was revealed. Translational Relevance The obtained data help to monitor and counsel patients, especially in East Asia, as well as to design future therapeutic approaches.
Small‐Scale Topographic Form Stress and Local Dynamics of the Southern Ocean

The contribution of small ‐ scale abyssal hill topography to the topographic form stress and local dynamics of the Southern Ocean is investigated using a high ‐ resolution model of the sector of the Southern Ocean south of Tasmania and New Zealand. The results of two simulations, with and without small, O(1 – 100 km), scale topography, con ﬁ rm that the effects of small ‐ scale topography are exerted through the generation of strong topographic form stress leading to transient eddy dissipation and changes in ﬂ ow meanders. Small ‐ scale topographic form stress is comparable in magnitude to that generated by large ‐ scale topography, but with a pairwise distribution of positive and negative stress values upstream and downstream of the Macquarie Ridge, consistent with the meandering of the ﬂ ow. In the experiment without small ‐ scale topography, the bottom mean ﬂ ow speed increases, while the surface mean speed slightly decreases, making the mean ﬂ ow more barotropic. Eddy kinetic energy also greatly enhances throughout the water column after removing small ‐ scale topography. Our results suggest that small ‐ scale topography has strong impact on transient eddies and plays an important role for setting the vertical structure of the ﬂ ow and the equilibration and position of ﬂ ow meanders. investigated in Wang et al. (2016), where they show that, in response to the removal of Kerguelen Plateau (KP), the Indian Ocean part of the ACC shifts poleward, which leads to a warm anomaly in the upper North Atlantic and the corresponding decrease of the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) formation. In addition, their results indicate that the southward shift of the ACC in the no ‐ KP simulation makes the Weddell Gyre warmer and saltier, which reduces the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), thereby in ﬂ uencing the global thermohaline circulation. In our study, the meridional shift of the ACC fronts is signi ﬁ cant between the simulations with and without small ‐ scale topography, and
Birth Weight and Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Japanese Workers

Background and aims: Low birth weight is associated not only with poor birth outcome but also chronic health conditions such as hypertension in later life. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a prognostic factor of cardiovascular events in the general population. However, the association between birth weight and BNP remains unclear. Here, we examined the relationships among birth weight and risk factors for atherosclerosis, including BNP, in Japanese workers. Methods: A total of 1109 (517 male, 592 female; age 40–70 years) participants in an annual medical checkup were enrolled. Subjects were divided into three groups according to birth weight, and the associations between their birth weight and risk factors for atherosclerosis were examined by statistical analysis. Results: Jonckheere–Terpstra trend test according to birth weight category revealed that although birth weight was not correlated with BNP level, it was inversely associated with HbA1c in men and with diastolic blood pressure in women. Correlation coefficient tests for both categorical and continuous birth weight data confirmed the trend test findings. Multiple regression analysis indicated that birth weight was an explanatory factor for HbA1c in men and for diastolic blood pressure in women. Conclusions: Although no significant association was observed between birth weight and BNP, inverse associations between birth weight and HbA1c in men and diastolic blood pressure in women were found. These findings suggest that birth weight may partially predict future risk of cardiovascular events.
Impact of grazing management on biodiversity of grasslands

This paper reviews recent work carried out by the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research and collaborating organizations that addresses some of the impacts of grazing management on both species-rich and species-poor lowland neutral grassland. Results indicate that for species-rich grassland, lenient grazing pressure maintained botanical diversity and the abundance of positive indicator species of nature conservation value over a 5-year period and also enhanced faunal diversity and abundance reflecting improvements in spatial, architectural and temporal structure. However, there was no enhancement in positive indicator species and there was also an increase in pernicious weeds suggesting that grazing alone may not suffice to deliver all the biodiversity goals for these grasslands and that additional management interventions may be required. For species-poor grassland, results indicate that distinctive differences in structure can lead to differences in faunal diversity. There is also some tentative evidence that livestock breed may affect invertebrate species assemblages.
Tire Recycled Rubber for More Eco-Sustainable Advanced Cementitious Aggregate

This research focused on using ground tire rubber (GTR) with different grain sizes as a replacement for the mineral aggregates used in a cement-based mixture suitable for extrusion-based Additive Manufacturing. The use of two types of GTR particles and the possibility to apply rubberized mixtures in advanced manufacturing technologies are the innovative aspects of this work. At the base of this strategy is the possibility of achieving cementitious aggregates, which would potentially be improved regarding some technological-engineering requirements (lightness, thermal-acoustic insulation, energy dissipation capacity, durability) and environmentally sustainable. The integration of waste tires into cement-based materials is a promising solution for the reuse and recycling of such industrial waste. In addition, this approach may involve a considerable reduction in the use of natural resources (sand, water, coarse mineral aggregates) needed for the building materials production. The purpose of the research was to investigate the effect of sand-GTR replacement on certain chemical-physical properties of mixtures (permeable porosity, surface wetness, and water sorptivity), closely related to material durability. Besides, the role of rubber on the printability properties of the fresh material was evaluated. GTR fillers do not alter the rheological properties of the cement material, which was properly extruded with better print quality than the reference mixture. Concerning chemical-physical characterization, the GTR powder-granules synergy promotes good compaction of the mixture, hinders the cracks propagation in the cement matrix, decreases the permeable porosity, improves the surface hydrophobicity and preserves optimal water permeability.
A Systematic Review of the Spectrum of Cardiac Arrhythmias in Sub-Saharan Africa

Major structural cardiovascular diseases are associated with cardiac arrhythmias, but their full spectrum remains unknown in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which we addressed in this systematic review. Atrial fibrillation/atrial flutter (AF/AFL) prevalence is 16–22% in heart failure, 10–28% in rheumatic heart disease, 3–7% in cardiology admissions, but <1% in the general population. Use of oral anticoagulation is heterogenous (9–79%) across SSA. The epidemiology of sudden cardiac arrest/death is less characterized in SSA. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is challenging, owing to low awareness and lack of equipment for life-support. About 18% of SSA countries have no cardiac implantable electronic devices services, leaving hundreds of millions of people without any access to treatment for advanced bradyarrhythmias, and implant rates are more than 200-fold lower than in the western world. Management of tachyarrhythmias is largely non-invasive (about 80% AF/AFL via rate-controlled strategy only), as electrophysiological study and catheter ablation centers are almost non-existent in most countries. Highlights: - Atrial fibrillation/flutter prevalence is 16–22% in heart failure, 10–28% in rheumatic heart disease, 3–7% in cardiology admissions, and <1% in the general population in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). - Rates of oral anticoagulation use for CHA2DS2VASC score ≥2 are very diverse (9–79%) across SSA countries. - Data on sudden cardiac arrest are scant in SSA with low cardiopulmonary resuscitation awareness. - Low rates of cardiac implantable electronic devices insertions and rarity of invasive arrhythmia treatment centers are seen in SSA, relative to the high-income countries.
The effect of green practices on emotional attachment and green loyalty of coffee shop consumers (Turkey)

As individuals have recently become more sensitive towards environmental issues, green marketing has emerged as an important strategic tool in order to gain competitive advantage for hospitality and food and beverage enterprises. This study is aimed at determining the effect of green marketing practices on coffee shop customers’ loyalty and emotional attachment. For this aim, the customers of 3 Starbucks (coffee shop) operating in Mugla province (Turkey) and having Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certificate (n=404) were included in the scope of this study. The hypotheses determined for this aim were tested via path analysis with latent variables which was one of the structural equation modellings. According to test results, it was concluded that green practices had a positive significant effect on attachment to green businesses; customer attachment to green businesses had a positive significant effect on green loyalty to both green businesses and green products and also loyalty towards green businesses had a negative impact on loyalty towards green products. These results show that it is important for food and beverage businesses to adopt green practices both for raising awareness towards environmental protection and also for creating customer loyalty and emotional attachment. In this way, environmentally friendly practices provide competitive advantage as well as an increase in the number of environmentally friendly customers for businesses.
Toxicity of crude oil products and detergent on serum alkaline phosphatase concentration of Clarias gariepinus juveniles

The comparative effect of exposing Clarias gariepinus juveniles (100.20 + 0.8g) to diferent concentrations of crude oil products and detergent were studied. Bonny Light Crude oil (BLCO), Premium motor spirit (PMS), Dual purpose kerosene (DPK) and Ariel Enzymax Detergent (AED) were respectively applied at three concentratons, 2.00, 4.00and 6.00mi/L as well as a control experiment 0.00ml/L with no toxicant for two hours (2 hours) toxicity period. Increased serum alkaline phosphatase and low degree of toxicity were recorded in the fish samples exposed to the various pollutants than in the fish control. The comparatively low toxicity noticed within the sample fish was attributed to the reduced length o exposure to the pollutants this probably lowered the pressure of the toxicant on organs of the fish. Keywords: Clarias gariepinus , Serum alkaline phosphatase, Bonny light crude oil, Premium motor spirit, Dual purpose kerosene, Ariel enzymax detergent
Fishes of the Sea: The North Atlantic and Mediterranean

Part 1 Class Cyclostomata: order Myxinoidea - hagfish order Hyperotreta - lampreys. Part 2 Class Chonrichthyes: order Pleurotremata - sharks, monkfish order Hypotremata - rays, guitar fish. Part 3 Class Osteichthyes: order Chondrostei - sturgeons order Isospondyli - ladyfish, herrings, salmon, trout, smelts, capelin, lizard fish, sea catfish order Anguilliformes - eels, congers, morays order Synentognathi - needlefish, garfish, halfbeaks, pipefish, sea horses, sticklebacks, hake order Anacanthini - cods order Zeiformes - John Dory order Perciformes - groupers, combers, sea perch, sea bass, cardinal fish, blue fish, cobea, horse mackerel, Jack mackerel, dolphin fish, tripletail, drums, kingfish, seatrout, red mullets, sea bream, porgies, picarel, angelfish, spadefish, damselfish, wrasse, parrot fish, sand eels, weever fish, star gazer, mackerel, tunas, sailfish, swordfish, gobies, wormfish, dragonets, blennies, wolf fish, blackfaced blennies, wrymouths, yarrell's blenny, gunnels, snake blenny, eelpouts, pearlfish, butterfish, barracudas, grey mullets, sand smelts order Scleroparei - scorpion fish, gurnards, sea robins, sculpins, pogge, bullhead, lumpfish, sea snails, flying gurnards order Heterosomata - turbot, brill, topknots, lemon sole, flounders, scaldfish, plaice, dabs, soles order Discocephali - remoras order Plectognathi - triggerfish, burrfish, sunfish order Xenopterygll - clingfish order Batrachoideformes - toad fish order Pediculati - anglerfish.
Relationship of seed quality traits for greenhouse-grown versus field-grown high erucic acid rapesseed: Is seed quality trait selection for greenhouse-grown seed worthwhile?

A study of the relationship of seed quality traits for greenhouse-grown and field-grown seed samples was conducted. Early generation high erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR) cross progeny were grown in the greenhouse, selfed and then the selfed seeds were grown in the field at the University of Manitoba. The oil, protein, erucic acid and glucosinolate concentrations of greenhouse-grown versus field-grown seed samples were compared. There were differences (P ≤ 0.01) between the means of all seed quality traits for greenhouse-grown versus field-grown seed samples. The mean oil, protein and erucic acid concentrations of field-grown seed samples were higher than for greenhouse-grown seed samples. In contrast, the mean glucosinolate concentration of greenhouse-grown seed samples was higher than for field-grown seed samples. Rank correlations between greenhouse-grown seed samples and field-grown seed samples for all seed quality traits were significant but moderate in magnitude. Selection for oil, protein, erucic acid .