Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of habitat fragmentation on amphibian species richness of Prince Edward Island

We surveyed 11 forest remnants and their adjacent ponds to assess the species richness of amphibians on Prince Edward Island, Canada. By combining aquatic and terrestrial sampling methods, we detected the presence of four urodeles and five anurans in our study sites. No significant difference in species richness was found between the sites located in Prince Edward Island National Park (n = 6) and those outside the park (n = 5). The most frequently captured species in forest remnants were blue-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma laterale) and American toads (Bufo americanus) with 35.1 and 29.8% of the captures, respectively. In ponds, the most abundant and widespread species was the green frog (Rana clamitans). Red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) were captured in one site only. Species richness was not significantly associated with either forest remnant area or perimeter length. There was a significant nonlinear relationship between amphibian abundance and the perimeter length of forest remnants. Althou.
Genetic diversity based on physiological attributes among released and pre-release cultures of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Divergence was studied among 29 genotypes ( 18 released and 11 pre-release cultures) based on data of ten physiological attributes viz. leaf area duration, leaf area index, crop growth rate, net assimilation rate, specific leaf area, SCMR (SPAD Chlorophyl meter reading), seedling vigour index, germination percentage, harvest index and pod yield per plant. The analysis of variance indicated significant differences among genotypes for all the ten attributes studied. Twenty nine genotypes were grouped into eight clusters. The cluster size varied from single to 11 genotypes. The highest inter-cluster distance was recorded between cluster VI (Tirupati 4 and K 134) and VII (TCGS 647) among which cluster VI had two genotypes and cluster VII had single genotype. Crosses between these genotypes would be more rewarding. Based on intra and inter –cluster distances and cluster means, parents were identified for further breeding programmes for isolation of useful transgressive segregants.
Heterocyclic compounds: Toxic effects using algae, daphnids, and the Salmonella/microsome test taking methodical quantitative aspects into account

Heterocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing nitrogen, sulfur, or oxygen (NSO‐HET), have been detected in air, soil, sewage sludge, marine environments, and freshwater sediments. Since toxicity data on this class of substances are scarce, the present study focuses on possible implications NSO‐HET have for ecotoxicity (algae and daphnids) and mutagenicity (Salmonella/microsome test). A combination of bioassays and chemical‐analytical quantification of the test compounds during toxicity assays should aid in determination of the hazard potential. Samples of the test concentrations of 14 NSO‐HET were taken at the beginning and end of the bioassays; these samples were then quantified by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The toxicity potential of the substances was evaluated and compared with the toxicity calculated with the nominal concentrations. Significantly different results were obtained primarily for volatile or highly hydrophobic NSO‐HET. The concentration of heterocyclic hydrocarbons can change significantly during the algae and Daphnia test. The EC50 values (effective concentration value: the concentration of a chemical that is required to produce a 50% effect) calculated with the nominal concentrations underestimate the toxicity by a factor of up to 50. Prioritizing the tested compounds according to toxicity, the mutagenic and toxic compounds quinoline, 6‐methylquinoline, and xanthene have to be listed first. The greatest ecotoxic potential on algae and daphnids was determined for dibenzothiophene followed by acridine. In the Daphnia magna immobilization test, benzofuran, dibenzofuran, 2‐methylbenzofuran, and 2,3‐dimethylbenzofuran and also carbazole are ecotoxicologically relevant with EC50 values below 10 mg/L. These substances are followed by indole with a high ecotoxic effect to daphnids and less effect to algae. Only minor toxic effects were observed for 2‐methylpyridine and 2,4,6‐trimethylpyridine.
Cuckoos use host egg number to choose host nests for parasitism

To maximize their offspring success common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) females should lay their eggs into host nests before incubation has begun. This ensures that the parasite chick hatches before all host chicks and can evict its foster siblings to monopolize host parental care. Many studies have demonstrated that most cuckoo eggs are indeed laid before the onset of host incubation. But cues used by female cuckoos to choose the right nest at the right time remain unclear. Here, we combine field observations with a field experiment to test whether female cuckoos use the number of eggs in the nests of their Oriental reed warbler (Acrocephalus orientalis) hosts to direct their choice. Over 8 years of field observations and 5 years of experiments, cuckoo females placed the majority of their eggs in nests with fewer than three host eggs, i.e. early in the laying sequence. For natural nests, the cuckoos may use information gleaned from the activity and behaviour of the host parents to make their choice. In our sets of experimental nests containing different numbers of model eggs, the vast majority of parasitism events occurred in nests containing a single egg. To our knowledge, this is the first field experiment showing that cuckoos choose host nests for parasitism based on the number of host eggs they contain. It appears that cuckoo females use the egg number to estimate the appropriate host nest stage for timely parasitism.
Triglyceride Glucose Index and Prognosis of Patients With Ischemic Stroke

Background: The triglyceride glucose index (TyG index) has been proposed as a simple and credible surrogate marker of insulin resistance. However, it is unclear whether TyG index correlates with adverse clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the relationship between baseline TyG index and clinical outcomes of ischemic stroke individuals. Methods: We included eligible subjects with ischemic stroke from the China National Stroke Registry II for the current analysis. TyG index was calculated and divided into quartiles to explore the relationship with the outcomes of ischemic stroke. Outcomes included stroke recurrence, all-cause mortality, poor functional outcome at 12 months, and neurologic worsening at discharge. Multivariable Cox regression and logistic regression models were performed to explore the correlation of baseline TyG index with the outcomes. Results: Among the 16,310 patients enrolled in the study, the average age was 64.83 ± 11.9 years, and 63.48% were men. The median TyG index was 8.73 (interquartile range, 8.33–9.21). After adjustment for multiple potential covariates, the fourth quartile of TyG index was associated with an increased risk of stroke recurrence (adjusted HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.11–1.57; P = 0.002), all-cause mortality (adjusted HR, 1.25; 95%CI, 1.06–1.47; P = 0.01) at 12-month follow-up, and neurological worsening (adjusted OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.02–1.55; P = 0.03) at discharge, but not poor functional outcome compared with the first quartile. Conclusion: TyG index representing insulin resistance was associated with an increased risk of stroke recurrence, all-cause mortality, and neurologic worsening in patients with ischemic stroke.
Avaliação das Principais Propriedades Físicas e Mecânicas da Madeira de Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage

The present study aimed to assess the physical and mechanical properties of Eucalyptus benthamii Maiden et Cambage wood. The following physical properties were determined: apparent density at 12 and 0% moisture content, basic density, and indices of contraction. Mechanical properties were determined through tests of static bending, compression parallel to the grain, shear, and hardness in six-year-old wood. Based on the results obtained in the determination of physical properties, E. benthamii wood at the age studied can be classified as moderately heavy and dimensionally unstable. The species showed low resistance with respect to mechanical properties, which can be related to the large amount of juvenile wood observed in the material studied.
Relative Abundance of Lake Trout and Burbot in the Main Basin of Lake Michigan in the Early 1930s

Abstract We used general linear models to compare and to assess the sources of variation in CPUEs (catches per unit effort) of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush and burbot Lota lota netted in small-mesh gill nets from the main basin of Lake Michigan in the early 1930s, before populations of both species collapsed. Spring, summer, and fall CPUEs were modeled separately. In all seasons combined, CPUEs were over 2.5 times greater for lake trout than for burbot, and lake trout CPUEs were greater than burbot CPUEs in five of six regions of the lake. The hypothesized sources of variability in log e (CPUE) included lake region, depth (either as a linear [depth only] or a quadratic [depth and depth2 included] relationship), number of nights out that the nets fished (also as either a linear or quadratic relationship), and the possibility that the effects of depth could vary among regions. The models predicted 57–68% of the variation in lake trout CPUE and 29–37% of the variation in burbot CPUE (log scales). Lake reg.
RcsAB and Fur Coregulate the Iron-Acquisition System via entC in Klebsiella pneumoniae NTUH-K2044 in Response to Iron Availability

The iron acquisition system is an essential virulence factor for human infection and is under tight regulatory control in a variety of pathogens. Ferric-uptake regulator (Fur) is one of Fe2+-responsive transcription factor that maintains iron homeostasis, and the regulator of capsule synthesis (Rcs) is known to regulate exopolysaccharide biosynthesis. We speculate the Rcs may involve in iron-acquisition given the identified regulator box in the upstream of entC that participated in the biosynthesis of enterobactin. To study the coregulation by RcsAB and Fur of entC, we measured the β-galactosidase activity and relative mRNA expression of entC in WT and mutant strains. The RcsAB- and Fur-protected regions were identified by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and a DNase I footprinting assay. A regulatory cascade was identified with which Fur repressed rcsA expression and reduced RcsAB and entC expression. Our study demonstrated that entC was coregulated by two different transcriptional regulators, namely, RcsAB and Fur, in response to iron availability in Klebsiella pneumoniae.
The Research on Detection of Crop Diseases Ranking Based on Transfer Learning

Crop diseases are a major global threat to food security. Because the lack of agriculture experts or necessary facilities, it is difficult to determine the type of disease, as well as the degree of disease in time, which became the major factor affecting in crop production. In recent years, with the development of the transfer learning in deep learning domain, the experience of experts can be simulated to detect crop diseases in time. In this paper, we have proposed an improved transfer learning method based on ResNet 50 in crop disease diagnosis. The AI Challenger 2018 dataset has been deeper analyzed, the degree of crops diseases are detected. Comparing with non-transfer learning, the proposed transfer learning method achieved better results, which can significantly improve accuracy results by 5.1%~1.87% with reducing half of the running time.
Assimilation of glycerol by a strain of Lactobacillus collinoides isolated from cider

A collection of glycerol-degrading lactic acid bacteria from spoiled cider was isolated. The most widespread species was Lactobacillus collinoides, a heterofermentative species which mainly produced the D -lactic acid isomer from glucose. Conditions of glycerol assimilation by such bacteria were investigated for strain Lb. collinoides IOEB 9527. It could not be cultivated with glycerol alone as carbon source. Sugars were necessary for growth, and fructose was preferred to glucose. Glycerol was degraded, mainly to 1,3-propanediol. Small amounts of acrolein, produced from 3-hydroxypropion-aldehyde (3-HPA) during distillation of samples, were detected. When Lb. collinoides was cultivated with glucose or fructose alone, it produced the usual compounds of the heterofermentative pathway, notably D -lactic acid and small amounts of L -lactic acid, acetic acid and ethanol. When glycerol was present, the amounts of lactic acid were surprisingly much lower and acetic acid + ethanol much higher than expected. Oxidation of D -lactic acid, and to a lesser extent of L -lactic acid, was coupled to degradation of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol. This co-metabolism leading to acetic acid provided energy. Consequently, in fermented beverages spoiled by such strains, glycerol is degraded and 3-HPA plus acetic acid are produced. Both components are undesirable for health and sensorial quality.
National patterns of functional diversity and redundancy in predatory ground beetles and bees associated with key UK arable crops

1. Invertebrates supporting natural pest control and pollination ecosystem services are crucial to world-wide crop production. Understanding national patterns in the spatial structure of natural pest control and pollination can be used to promote effective crop management and contribute to long-term food security. 2. We mapped the species richness and functional diversity of ground beetles and bees to provide surrogate measures of natural pest control and pollination for Great Britain. Func- tional diversity represents the value and range of morphological and behavioural traits that support ecosystem services. We modelled the rate at which functional diversity collapsed in response to species extinctions to provide an index of functional redundancy. 3. Deficits in functional diversity for both pest control and pollination were found in areas of high arable crop production. Ground beetle functional redundancy was positively corre- lated with the landscape cover of semi-natural habitats where extinctions were ordered by body size and dispersal ability. For bees, functional redundancy showed a weak positive cor- relation with semi-natural habitat cover where species extinctions were ordered by feeding specialization. 4. Synthesis and applications. Increasingly, evidence suggests that functionally diverse assem- blages of ground beetles and bees may be a key element to strategies that aim to support pol- lination and natural pest control in crops. If deficits in both functional diversity and redundancy in areas of high crop production are to be reversed, then targeted implementation of agri-environment schemes that establish semi-natural habitat may provide a policy mecha- nism for supporting these ecosystem services.
AAAS: An Anonymous Authentication Scheme Based on Group Signature in VANETs

As special ad-hoc networks, vehicular ad-hoc networks (VANETs) support vehicles to communicate with each other via opportunistic wireless links. In order to protect privacy of drivers, vehicles registered in VANETs are required to authenticate and communicate with surrounding vehicles or roadside infrastructure anonymously. However, due to high-speed driving and wireless environment, it is vital to propose a privacy protection scheme that is able to balance security and efficiency. Consequently, this paper proposes an anonymous authentication scheme in VANETs (AAAS). Specifically, we add region trust authority to provide more efficient anonymous authentication service for vehicles. Subsequently, group signature mechanism is adopted to achieve anonymity and conditional privacy. Moreover, security and performance analysis show that AAAS has higher security and efficiency.
A Framework Based on Distributed Ledger Technologies for Data Management and Services in Intelligent Transportation Systems

Data are becoming the cornerstone of many businesses and entire systems infrastructure. Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are no different. The ability of intelligent vehicles and devices to acquire and share environmental measurements in the form of data is leading to the creation of smart services for the benefit of individuals. In this paper, we present a system architecture to promote the development of ITS using distributed ledgers and related technologies. Thanks to these, it becomes possible to create, store and share data generated by users through the sensors on their devices or vehicles, while on the move. We propose an architecture based on Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) to offer features such as immutability, traceability and verifiability of data. IOTA, a promising DLT for IoT, is used together with Decentralized File Storages (DFSes) to store and certify data (and their related metadata) coming from vehicles or by the users’ devices themselves (smartphones). Ethereum is then exploited as the smart contract platform that coordinates the data sharing through access control mechanisms. Privacy guarantees are provided by the usage of distributed key management systems and Zero Knowledge Proof. We provide experimental results of a testbed based on real traces, in order to understand if DLT and DFS technologies are ready to support complex services, such as those that pertain to ITS. Results clearly show that, while the viability of the proposal cannot be rejected, further work is needed on the responsiveness of DLT infrastructures.
Possible surface carbohydrates involved in signaling during conjugation process in Zygnema cruciatum monitored with fluorescein isothiocyanate‐lectins (Zygnemataceae, Chlorophyta)

The changes of cell surface carbohydrates were examined with FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate)‐labeled lectins during the conjugation process of the green alga Zygnema cruciatum. The Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA)‐specific materials were detected consistently on the surface of vegetative cells, but were absent on the surface of protruding papillae or conjugation tube. The tips of male and female papillae were labeled with soybean agglutinin (SBA) and peanut agglutinin (PNA) during conjugation. The SBA‐ and PNA‐specific materials appeared first at the tip of male papillae and began to accumulate on the surface of female papillae. No labeling of these lectins was detected on the surface of vegetative filaments throughout the conjugation process. FITC‐ConA (Concanavalin A) and FITC‐RCA (Ricinus communis agglutinin) did not label the vegetative filaments of Z. cruciatum, but a trace labeling of these lectins was observed on the surface of some swollen papillae occasionally. Blocking experiments with various lectins showed that these SBA‐ and PNA‐specific glycoconjugates might be involved in the signaling between male and female papillae.
Informing Recovery Goals Based on Historical Population Size and Extant Habitat: A Case Study of the Gulf Sturgeon

Abstract Conservation efforts under regulatory programs such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act seek to restore species in decline to a level where the populations are no longer in jeopardy. Key to designing effective conservation plans for the more than 2,500 species currently managed by these two U.S. programs is the establishment of realistic restoration targets given changes in habitats and ecosystems. Accomplishing this is difficult, particularly for populations that have experienced significant habitat alterations. We developed and assessed an approach for establishing quantifiable goals for the recovery of a threatened species by (1) estimating historical population biomass prior to directed fishing, (2) identifying large-scale habitat modifications that limit available critical habitat, (3) assessing the relationship between historical baselines, habitat characteristics, and extant available habitat, and (4) using these relationships to inform recovery efforts in rivers where traditional stock assessment methods are not possible. In our case study of Gulf Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus desotoi, we found that the current population levels in four of the seven river systems in the recovery plan are likely at or exceeding the mean carrying capacity, given the current levels of available habitat. In the remaining three rivers, extant Gulf Sturgeon populations are likely below their estimated carrying capacity levels. Our approach is of management importance because it establishes realistic recovery criteria through the assessment of changes in habitat from historic to present levels and is widely applicable across a species' range. An important application of this approach is to assess the potential benefits to fish species from management actions, such as dam removal or spawning habitat restoration, that are designed to restore habitat and promote species recovery.
Load Frequency Stability Analysis of Time-Delayed Multi-Area Power Systems With EV Aggregators Based on Bessel-Legendre Inequality and Model Reconstruction Technique

This paper investigates the stability of time-delayed load frequency control (LFC) systems with electric vehicles (EV) aggregators based on Lyapunov theory and linear matrix inequality (LMI) technology. A novel Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF) is constructed. Then, based on Bessel-Legendre (B-L) inequality and model reconstruction technique, two stability criteria are derived, respectively. Some simulations are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods. And the interaction of time-delays between areas and the effect of gains of EVs on delay margins are discussed.
Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research

Open Access Research Ectopic endometrium in human foetuses is a common event and sustains the theory of müllerianosis in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, a disease that predisposes to cancer Abstract Background: Endometriosis is a gynecological disease defined by the histological presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside the uterine cavity. Women with endometriosis have an increased risk of different types of malignancies, especially ovarian cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Though there are several theories, researchers remain unsure as to the definitive cause of endometriosis. Our objective was to test the validity of the theory of müllerianosis for endometriosis, that is the misplacing of primitive endometrial tissue along the migratory pathway of foetal organogenesis