Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatially Explicit Analysis Sheds New Light on the Pleistocene Megafaunal Extinction in North America

Abstract. The late Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions may have been the first extinctions directly related to human activity, but in North America the close temporal proximity of human arrival and the Younger Dryas climate event has hindered efforts to identify the ultimate extinction cause. Previous work evaluating the roles of climate change and human activity in the North American megafaunal extinction has been stymied by a reliance on geographic binning, yielding contradictory results among researchers. We used a fine-scale geospatial approach in combination with 95 megafaunal last-appearance and 75 human first-appearance radiocarbon dates to evaluate the North American megafaunal extinction. We used kriging to create interpolated first- and last-appearance surfaces from calibrated radiocarbon dates in combination with their geographic autocorrelation. We found substantial evidence for overlap between megafaunal and human populations in many but not all areas, in some cases exceeding 3000 years of predicted overlap. We also found that overlap was highly regional: megafauna had last appearances in Alaska before humans first appeared, but did not have last appearances in the Great Lakes region until several thousand years after the first recorded human appearances. Overlap in the Great Lakes region exceeds uncertainty in radiocarbon measurements ormethodological uncertainty and would be even greater with sampling-derived confidence intervals. The kriged maps of last megafaunal occurrence are consistent with climate as a primary driver in some areas, but we cannot eliminate human influence from all regions. The late Pleistocene megafaunal extinction was highly variable in timing and duration of human overlap across the continent, and future analyses should take these regional trends into account.
Potencial agroclimatico do Estado de Pernambuco para o cultivo da acerola.

Com base nos balancos hidricos climaticos, obtidos pelo metodo "Thornthwaite e Mather" para 125mm de retencao de agua no solo das regioes de origem e de cultivo comercial da acerola (Malpighia glabra L.) foram estabelecidos os indices-limites de disponibilidade climatica para o cultivo da especie. Com os valores climaticos de temperatura do ar e de precipitacoes mensais de 124 localidades do Estado de Pernambuco, efetuaram-se os balancos hidricos. Foi observado que nao ha limitacao termica em Pernambuco para o cultivo da planta. Maior conteudo de vitaminas C e obtido nas regioes mais quentes, sendo as zonas com aptidao hidrica plena subdividida de acordo com os valores de temperatura media anual. A aptidao hidrica foi estabelecida segundo os indices hidricos anuais (Ih). A aptidao plena foi -15 cultivo de acerola.
Function and plasticity of NKp46 expressing innate lymphoid cells

Les cellules lymphoides innees de groupe 3 (ILC3) contribuent activement a l’homeostasie intestinale par leur production d’Interleukin-22 (IL-22). Ces ILC3 regroupent 2 sous-populations majeures, les LTi (« Lymphoid Tissue inducer »), caracterisees par l’expression du recepteur au chimiokine CCR6, et les ILC3 exprimant le facteur de transcription (FT) T-bet, qui comprennent une population positive pour le marqueur de surface NKp46, recepteur originalement utilise pour identifier les ILC de groupe 1 (ILC1). Les ILC1 jouent un role preponderant dans la reponse aux pathogenes intracellulaires et anti-tumorale. Jusqu’a present, trois populations majeures composent les ILC1 : les lymphocytes cytotoxiques Natural Killer (NK ou ILC1b), qui dependent largement du FT Eomes et expriment l’integrine CD49b ; les ILC1 hepatiques et intestinaux, qui dependent du FT T-bet et expriment CD49a (ILC1a) ; et une population CD49a+ et DX5+ independante du FT Nfil3 localisee dans les glandes salivaires ou l’uterus (ILC1ab). Mes travaux visent a comprendre la biologie des ILC exprimant NKp46, ainsi que les facteurs impliques dans leur developpement, leur maturation et leur fonction. La majeure partie de ma these se concentre sur les NKp46+ ILC3. Premierement, nous demontrons un role majeur pour le recepteur aux chimiokine CXCR6 dans la localisation des NKp46+ ILC3 dans les villi de la lamina propria intestinale (Satoh-Takayama et al. 2014). Deuxiemement, j’ai mis en evidence que NKp46+ ILC3 pouvait perdre l’expression de NKp46 (Verrier et al. 2016). Declenchee par le TGFβ, cette perte d’expression est associee a une plus forte capacite a produire de l’IL-22, mais aussi a l’acquisition de marqueurs identifiant les LTi (CCR6, MHC-II), demontrant ainsi la plasticite des NKp46+ ILC3. Enfin, en collaboration avec le groupe de Rachel Golub, nous avons confirme le role presume de la molecule Notch dans cette plasticite (Chea et al. 2016). Dans ce manuscrit, je discuterai du developpement et de l’heterogeneite des ILC3, ILC1a, ILC1b et ILC1ab. L’ensemble de mes resultats soutient une vision dynamique de la biologie des ILC refletant l’adaptation de ces cellules effectrices face a leur environnement. En caracterisant les differents acteurs impliques dans ce processus dynamique, mes travaux pourront servir au developpement de therapies visant a controler l’equilibre entre ces differentes populations dans divers pathologies comme le cancer, les infections virales, ou encore les maladies intestinales
Correlation of expressions of S100A8 and S100A9 and its prognostic potential in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Purpose: To investigate the expressions of S100 calcium-binding proteins A8 (S100A8) and S100 A9 (S100A9) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues and their correlation with clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis of NPC. Methods: Ninety-two NPC tissue samples and 92 nasopharyngitis tissue samples (controls) were collected. All the NPC patients were on follow-up for more than 5 years. The expressions of S100A8 and S100A9 were determined in these tissues by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between the expressions of S100A8 and S100A9, and the clinico-pathological features were analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis, and the results evaluated by Kaplan-Meier method. Results : The differences between their expressions in the two tissues were statistically significant (p 0.05), but they were closely related to the degree of differentiation, clinical stages and metastasis of lymph node (p < 0.05). The expression of S100A8 had significant positive correlation with the expression of S100A9 (r = 0.393, p = 0.000). Prognosis of patients with positive expressions of S100A8 and S100A9 was poor, when compared to patients with negative expressions of these proteins (p < 0.05). Conclusion : Expressions of S100A8 and S100A9 are closely related to the development of NPC. High expressions of the two proteins may have an important influence in the progress of tumor invasion but are associated with poor prognosis of NPC. These findings could be significant indicators of early diagnosis, effectiveness of treatment and prognosis of NPC. Keywords : S100A8, S100A9, Calcium-binding proteins, Prognosis, Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Prognosis
Relaxin and the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus

RELAXIN AND THE PARAVENTRICULAR NUCLEUS OF THE HYPOTHALAMUS Megan Susan McGlashan Advisor: University of Guelph, 2013 Professor A. J. S. Summerlee The hormone relaxin regulates the release of the magnocellular hormones, oxytocin and vasopressin, from the central nervous system. Studies have yet to determine whether relaxin regulates magnocellular hormone release through the circumventricular organs alone, or whether relaxin can act on the brain regions containing the magnocellular neurons as well. The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus was isolated from other brain regions and maintained in vitro, in order evaluate the effects of the relaxin and relaxin-3 on the somatodendritic release of oxytocin and vasopressin. At 50 nM concentrations, relaxin induced oxytocin release, while relaxin-3 inhibited oxytocin release. Neither relaxin nor relaxin-3 had an effect on the vasopressin release, however the RXFP3 specific agonist, R3/I5, induced vasopressin release. The effect of the relaxin peptides on the electrical activity of neurons in the paraventricular nucleus was also evaluated. Relaxin depolarized magnocellular neurons while relaxin-3 hyperpolarized the neurons. Relaxin and relaxin-3 appear to have differential effects on the magnocellular neurons of the paraventricular nucleus.
Genetic and phenotypic parameter estimates for feeding pattern and performance test traits in pigs

The data used in these analyses were compiled from individual feeding records of 1832 pigs from 70 sire families using FIRE (food intake recording equipment) system from Hunday Electronics Ltd at the Cotswold Pig Development Company. Pigs were on test between 45 (s.d. 2·76) kg and 95 (s.d. 6·78) kg. Daily food intake (DFI kg), food intake per visit (FlV kg), number of visits per day (NV), duration of each visit (TV min), time in the feeder per day (TD min), feeding rate (FR kg/min) and number of non-feeding visits per day (NFV), were measured as means of test and DFI was also recorded as means of bi-weekly periods of test. Performance test traits ofbackfat depth off test (BF mm), food conversion ratio (ECR kg/kg) and average daily gain (ADG kg), over the test period, were also measured. Parameters were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood with a multivariate individual animal model. DFI had a heritability of 0·21 ranging from 0·18 to 0·26 over the four test periods. Correlations between DFI in each test period were high ( r g = 0·75 to 0·99). DFI was highly correlated with performance test traits (0·61 to 0·78) but had low correlations with feeding pattern traits (0·0 to 0·24). The heritabilities of feeding pattern traits were low (0·06 to 0·11) with the exception of FIV (0·27) and NV (0·34) but correlations between feeding pattern traits were high. FIV, NV and TV were moderately correlated with ADG ( r g = 0·49, -0·29, 0·33 respectively), BF ( r g = 0·35, -0·15, 0·17 respectively) and ECR ( r g = -0·12, 0·31, -0·27 respectively). Feeding patterns may be changed substantially by selection and the genetic correlations with performance test traits indicate that feeding patterns traits can be usefully incorporated in selection criteria to improve somewhat the accuracy of selection.
Weed Management in Black Gram (Vigna mungo L.) and Residual Effect of Herbicides on Succeeding Mustard (Brasica juncea L.) Crop

Pulses are a source of supplementary protein to daily diets based on cereals and starchy food for a predominantly vegetarian population and for those who cannot afford expensive animal protein. Pulses are therefore often regarded as poor man’s meat. They also provide energy, essential minerals, vitamins and several compounds considered beneficial for good health. Their cultivation enriches soil by adding nitrogen and improves the physical, chemical and biological soil properties. The demand of pulses is fast increasing, both in developed and developing countries, where they meet the minimum protein requirements of an increasing population turning to a vegetarian diet. Their productivity can he doubled by improved cultivars and by modern production technologies.
Phylogeny of the rove beetle tribe Gymnusini sensu n. (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae): implications for the early branching events of the subfamily

The rove beetle subfamily Aleocharinae is the largest subfamily of animals known in terms of species richness. Two small aleocharine tribes, Gymnusini and Deinopsini, are believed to be a monophyletic clade, sister to the rest of the Aleocharinae. Although the phylogenetic relationships of the extant lineages have been well investigated, the monophyly of Gymnusini has been questioned due to a series of previous studies and the recent discovery of the aleocharine †Cretodeinopsis Cai & Huang (Deinopsini) from mid‐Cretaceous Burmese amber. Using an additional specimen of †Cretodeinopsis and well‐preserved specimens of †Electrogymnusa Wolf‐Schwenninger from Eocene Baltic amber, we present here two types of morphology‐based phylogenetic analyses, employing all extant/extinct genera of Gymnusini and Deinopsini for the first time. The maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses recovered a monophyletic clade of the two tribes combined, but each analysis suggested nonmonophyly of Gymnusini. In agreement with the results of the present study, we synonymize Deinopsini syn.n. under Gymnusini sensu n. , by priority.
Rewilding Europe's large grazer community: how functionally diverse are the diets of European bison, cattle, and horses?

Trophic rewilding is the introduction of species to restore top–down trophic interactions and associated trophic cascades to promote self‐regulating biodiverse ecosystems. A core example of trophic rewilding is the restoration of large mammalian grazer communities to restore or maintain biodiverse open to half‐open landscapes. Across Europe, cattle and horse breeds are being introduced as substitutes of the extinct aurochs (Bos primigenius) and tarpan (Equus ferus). More recently, European bison (Bison bonasus) is being introduced because it is supposed to fill a niche that pure grazers such as cattle and horses leave empty, especially in terms of reducing woody encroachment. But how functionally diverse are the diets of these three species? We investigated this question in the Kraansvlak pilot; a trophic rewilding project in the Netherlands where European bison, horses, and cattle have been introduced in spatially heterogeneous landscapes of forest, shrub land, and grassland. We present 4 years of data from direct observations on the diet use of all three species. Whereas cattle and bison included a significant proportion of woody plants in their diet throughout the year, horses strictly grazed. However, cattle and bison differed clearly in terms of the woody plant part they used (bark vs. twigs), and we discuss how this may affect the way they influence vegetation structure. Finally, we discuss the implications of our study for the increasing number of trophic rewilding initiatives in Europe.
Inventory of Ferns and Lycophytes of the RPPN Pedra D'Antas, Pernambuco state, northeastern Brazil

The Northeastern Atlantic Forest (NAF) has a historic of intense habitat loss and fragmentation. In this context, knowledge of the species from forest remnants is urgently needed and represents a key tool for future studies and conservation strategies. Here, we present the floristic inventory of ferns and lycophytes from the Private Natural Heritage Reserve RPPN Pedra D’Antas, located in a NAF area. The study area associated with the RPPN Frei Caneca is the Serra do Urubu, which is a hotspot for the diversity of several biological groups in the NAF. We recorded 74 fern species, distributed in 17 families and 46 genera. The most diverse families were Pteridaceae (17 species), Polypodiaceae (14 spp.), Dryopteridaceae (nine spp.) and Thelypteridaceae (seven spp.). Lycophytes were represented by four species, two families and two genera. A new record for the Northeast of Brazil, Serpocaulon hirsutulum, is presented in this study. The area has a large number of species, some of which are restricted to the NAF (e.g. Megalastrum umbrinum). Based on the richness of the study area associated with another inventory held at the RPPN Frei Caneca (138 spp.), the Serra do Urubu is corroborated as a hot-spot for the diversity of ferns and lycophytes in the NAF.
Agentes causadores de mastite e relações entre a CCS com a produção e com a composição do leite em vacas leiteiras

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of mastitis pathogens prevalence and somatic cells count (SCC) on dairy cow milk yield (MY) and composition. Milk samples of Holstein cows (n=1163) with 30.97±10.22 kg·d-1 of milk yield were collected and evaluated. Staphylococcus spp. was the most prevalent pathogen. In general, increased SCC decreased MY and lactose concentration and increased milk crude protein content. Coliforms had different SCC and milk crude protein concentrations relation. SCC and milk lactose content relationships were different for S. aureus and Streptococcus spp. Lactose and crude protein are the most sensitive milk components to SCC variation and this relationship is dependent on pathogen presence.
Anchored phylogenomics of burrowing mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and the evolution of tusks

This study investigated the phylogenetic relationships among seven burrowing mayfly families. Genetic data from four ribosomal DNA genes (12S, 16S, 18S and 28S) generated with Sanger sequencing, 448 protein‐coding loci generated using a novel hybrid enrichment probe set and available RNAseq and genome assembly for 19 ingroup taxa and four outgroup taxa. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses were carried out to estimate phylogenetic relationships. The results indicated that Potamanthidae, Euthyplociidae, Behningiidae and Palingeniidae were recovered as monophyletic. Ephemeridae was not monophyletic. Mandibular tusks evolved in the common ancestor of burrowing mayflies and were lost in the lineage leading to Behningiidae.
Optimization of irrigation and nutrient concentration based on economic returns, substrate salt accumulation and water use efficiency for tomato in greenhouse

ABSTRACT To evaluate the effects of different irrigation and nutrient concentration strategy on growth, yield, water use efficiency (WUE), fruit quality and substrate salt accumulation, tomatoes were grown with five different levels of water (W: 50%, 75%, 100%, 125% and 150%) and nutrient concentrations (N: 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 times of Hoagland strength(X)). Fruit quality index was determined by normalization of fruit quality parameters. Deficit irrigation at standard concentration of nutrients reduced yields by 17.43% and 15.52% for T7 (W75%-N1.0x) and 49.54%–51.99% for T8 (W50%-N1.0x) during spring-summer (SS) and fall-winter (FW) seasons, respectively. Contents of total soluble solids (TSS), titrable acidity (TA) and sugar acid ratio (SAR) were all increased in water-deficit treatments. T8 was found to be highest in TSS, TA and SAR except SAR in FW. Over-irrigation with excessive and standard Hoagland nutrient concentration caused non-significant reduction in yield except T6 (W125%-N1.0x) in SS. T2 (W100%-N2.0x) and T4 (W100%-N1.5x) caused more substrate salt accumulation which resulted in significant decrease in yield and WUE. Through economic analysis, over-watering along with excessive nutrients caused profit reductions. Considering water saving, yield and fruit quality through economic analysis, T7 found to be optimal strategy.
Memoirs: The Neuro-Muscular Mechanism of the Gill of Pecten

Experimental. 1. The contraction of the adductor-muscle which follows stimulation of the palial nerve is preceded by a marked contraction of the ctenidial axis, so that the gill contracts before the adductor-muscle becomes active. This movement of the ctenidium is abolished if the main branchial nerve is cut near its origin. 2. The gills of Pecten possess a neuromuscular mechanism which is to some extent independent of the rest of the body, so that excised gills when stimulated react in the same way as an attached gill. 3. The lamellae of the gill possess two distinct types of movement. (a) When the surface of the gill is stimulated by contact with a glass rod or by carmine particles, the frontal surfaces of the two lamellae approach each other; the movement very often being executed by the lamella which is not actually being stimulated. The lateral extent of these movements (concertina movements) is roughly proportional to the intensity of the stimulus. Such movements normally appear to transfer the bulk of the material on to the mantle. Separation of the main branchial nerve abolishes these movements. (b) Each principal filament is capable of moving the ordinary filaments to which it is attached. This movement (flapping movement) is due to the movements of the interfilamentar junctions which alternatively move up and down at right angles to their length. This motion is independent of the branchial nerve and can be produced by direct stimulation of very tiny pieces of the individual filaments. 4. The significance of gill movements to feeding habits is discussed. The course of food particles depends on the nature of the stimuli affecting the gill. Histological. 5. The ctenidial axis and the principal filaments have a stratum of anastomosing nerve-cells which appear to form a true nerve-net comparable to that of the mantle. 6. The gill receives nerve-fibres from two sources, the brain and the visceral ganglion. The subsidiary branchial nerve is a structure hitherto unknown in the molluscan gill; so far its function is unknown. Each gill has four main longitudinal nerve-trunks. 7. The osphradium of the gill has a much more extensive distribution than has hitherto been supposed. 8. Two sets of muscles exist at the base of the gill-filaments, and these are responsible for movements of the lamellae. The muscle-fibres are non-striated. 9. The principal filaments are connected to the ordinary filaments by processes containing true muscle-cells, and by these cells movements of the filaments are effected.
Integrated Structural And Functional Biomarkers For Neurodegeneration

INTEGRATED STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL BIOMARKERS FOR NEURODEGENERATION Benjamin Kandel James C. Gee, Ph.D. Alzheimer’s Disease consists of a complex cascade of pathological processes, leading to the death of cortical neurons and development of dementia. Because it is impossible to regenerate neurons that have already died, a thorough understanding of the earlier stages of the disease, before significant neuronal death has occurred, is critical for developing diseasemodifying therapies. The various components of Alzheimer’s Disease pathophysiology necessitate a variety of measurement techniques. Image-based measurements known as biomarkers can be used to assess cortical thinning and cerebral blood flow, but nonimaging characteristics such as performance on cognitive tests and age are also important determinants of risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Incorporating the various imaging and nonimaging sources of information into a scientifically interpretable and statistically sound model is challenging. In this thesis, I present a method to include imaging data in standard regression analyses in a data-driven and anatomically interpretable manner. I also introduce a technique for disentangling the effect of cortical structure from blood flow, enabling a clearer picture of the signal carried by cerebral blood flow beyond the confounding effects of anatomical structure. In addition to these technical developments in multi-modal image analysis, I show the results of two clinically-oriented studies focusing on the relative importance of various biomarkers for predicting presence of Alzheimer’s Disease pathology in the earliest stages of disease. In the first, I present evidence that white matter hyperintensities, a marker of small vessel disease, are more highly associated with Alzheimer’s Disease pathology than current mainstream imaging biomarkers in elderly control patients. In the second, I show that once Alzheimer’s Disease has progressed to iii the point of noticeable cognitive decline, cognitive tests are as predictive of presence of Alzheimer’s pathology as standard imaging biomarkers. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that the relative importance of biomarkers and imaging modalities changes over the course of disease progression, and sophisticated data-driven methods for combining a variety of modalities is likely to lead to greater biological insight into the disease process than a single modality.