Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retrospective Study to Describe Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Balance Disorders

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics of patients with balance disorders at Otolaryngology unit. Subjects and methods: A retrospective study was conducted including patients between 4 to 96 years who consulted for balance disorders in the last three years. A univariate analysis and Two way- ANOVA tests were performed for statistical analysis. Results: 2620 patients were assessed with a mean of 54.6 ± 9 years, female were the most affected (64.5%). As main non -neurotological comorbidities Depression, Otosclerosis, Fibromyalgia and Cardiac Arrhythmias were found. Vestibular Migraine (VM), Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and Vestibular neuritis (VN) were described as main neurotological comorbidities. BPPV percentage of presentation compared to VM showed a significant statistical difference. Moreover, similar findings were observed between BPPV and VN. The most frequent diagnosis done were VM (25%), Meniere’s Disease (21.6%), BPPV (16.2%), Multisensory Dizziness (6%) and VN (4%). VM presentation was inversely proportional to age in men and women, meanwhile BPPV showed it as directly proportional. Meniere’s Disease showed a similar distribution on age presentation. Conclusions: We found similar results as European and American series, being female sex the most affected. However, in this population we found Multisensory dizziness as non-frequent diagnosis reported in other series.
THE WATER RELATIONS AND IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF COCOA (THEOBROMA CACAO L.): A REVIEW

SUMMARY The results of research into the water relations of cocoa are reviewed in the context of drought mitigation and irrigation need. Background information on the centres of production of the cocoa tree, and the role of water in crop development and growth processes, is followed by reviews of the effects of water stress on stomatal conductance, leaf water status and gas exchange, together with drought tolerance, crop water use and water productivity. Leaf and shoot growth occur in a series of flushes, which are synchronized by the start of the rains following a dry season (or an increase in temperature), alternating with periods of ‘dormancy’. Flowering is inhibited by water stress but synchronous flowering occurs soon after the dry season ends. Roots too grow in a rhythmic pattern similar to that of leaf flushes. Roots can reach depths of 1.5–2.0 m, but with a mass of roots in the top 0.2–0.4 m, and spread laterally >5 m from the stem. Stomata open in low light intensities and remain fully open in full sunlight in well-watered plants. Partial stomatal closure begins at a leaf water potential of about −1.5 MPa. Stomatal conductance is sensitive to dry air, declining as the saturation deficit increases from about 1.0 up to 3.5 kPa. Net photosynthesis and transpiration both consequently decline over a similar range of values. Little has been published on the actual water use of cocoa in the field. Measured ETc values equate to <2 mm d−1 only, whereas computed ETc rates of 3–6 mm d−1 in the rains and <2 mm d−1 in the dry season have also been reported. Despite its sensitivity to water stress, there is too a paucity of reliable, field-based published data of practical value on the yield responses of cocoa to drought or to irrigation. With the threat of climate change leading to less, or more erratic, rainfall in the tropics, uncertainty in yield forecasting as a result of water stress will increase. Social, technical and economic issues influencing the research agenda are discussed.
Relationship between Plant Size and Ant Associates in Two Amazonian Ant‐Plants 1

A survey of two Amazonian melastome ant‐plants, Maieta guianensis and Tococa bullifera, revealed a significant difference in plant size according to the species of ant inhabiting the plant. Plants with Crematogaster laevis, on average, were smaller than those with Pheidole minutula (in M. guianensis) and those with Azteca sp. (in T. bullifera). There is no evidence that these patterns were due either to the deterministic replacement of C. laevis by another ant species during host‐plant ontogeny or to a habitat effect on plant growth rates coupled with colony survival. More likely, the smaller size of C. laevis plants can be explained by its effects on host‐plant performance. Plants with C. laevis lost their associated ant colonies more frequently than plants with P. minutula and Azteca sp. Plants that lost their C. laevis either died, or more commonly, were severely defoliated. Defoliated plants, once sprouted, tended to become recolonized, but such recolonizations were not deterministic so as to favor one species over another. Plants with C. laevis showed similar, or only slightly greater, standing levels of herbivory than plants with P. minutula or Azteca sp. This suggests that when C. laevis is present, it confers some degree of protection to its hosts. It was found that early in colony development, queens of C. laevis moved off their host plants to build satellite nests in dead twigs on the ground, a behavior not seen in the other two species and one that possibly renders colonies more vulnerable to mortality from predation, flooding, or nest decay. Comparable 815N values in C. laevis and P. minutula indicate that the two species are equally dependent on food supplied by the host plant.
Characterisation of post-larval to juvenile stages, metamorphosis and recruitment of an amphidromous goby, Sicyopterus lagocephalus (Pallas) (Teleostei : Gobiidae : Sicydiinae)

Sicyopterus lagocephalus post-larvae migrating in Mascarene Archipelago rivers, La Reunion Island, provide an important food source to local populations and fishing activity has a socioeconomic impact. Improved knowledge of the life traits and the characterisation of post-larval stages should enable a better understanding of physiological changes triggering migratory behaviour. It would also help to explain the recruitment processes to managers and to implement conservation measures for stock management. Sicyopterus lagocephalus is an amphidromous fish: adults live in rivers, but larvae are carried to the sea after hatching. The present study characterised the metamorphosis and post-larval stages of Sicyopterus lagocephalus during river recolonisation on La Reunion Island. The results show that cranium reorganisation and pectoral fins transformation are part of the first and major transformations and are completed less than 2 weeks after freshwater colonisation (post-larval stages PL1 and PL2). These transformations, mobilising all the available calcium, seem to be critical for survival in their new environment. Individuals then progressively acquire pigmentation, complete scalation and the fork at the end of the caudal fin disappears (juvenile stages J1 and J2). The end of the recruitment phase takes place 21 to 28 days after entering the river mouth, when territorial behaviour appears.
Double-Crested Cormorant Feeding in Multiple Lake Environments: Intrinsic Markers Reveal Several Prey Sources and Frequent Site Switching by Breeding Birds

i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . iii POST DEFENSE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. iv DEDICATION . v TABLE OF CONTENTS . vi LIST OF TABLES . viii LIST OF FIGURES . ix LIST OF APPENDICES . xi
The first southern hemisphere prodoxid and the phylogeny of the Incurvarioidea (Lepidoptera)

Abstract. The first southern hemisphere representative of the otherwise exclusively northern hemisphere incurvarioid family Prodoxidae, Prodoxoides asymmetra gen.n. , sp.n. , is described from southern Argentina and Chile. The new taxon is diurnal and crepuscular and is found in temperate rain forests. Its host plant is unknown but is assumed to be a Myrtaceae. The monophyly of the superfamily Incurvarioidea is discussed. The monophyly of each of the six recognized families (Heliozelidae, Adelidae, Crinopterygidae, Incurvariidae, Cecidosidae and Prodoxidae) is demonstrated and their phylogeny discussed. The primary dichotomy within the superfamily lies between the Heliozelidae and the remaining families. The constituent genera of the Prodoxidae are listed and discussed. The primary dichotomy within the family lies either between Prodoxoides and all remaining genera or between Lampronia and Prodoxoides + the remaining genera. Tanysac‐cus Davis, 1978, is a new synonym of Lampronia Stephens, 1829.
Algae alleviate carbon limitation of heterotrophic bacteria in a boreal peatland

In most high‐latitude wetlands, carbon accumulation as peat represents a balance between plant net primary productivity and heterotrophic decomposition. We hypothesized that this assessment of ecosystem metabolism is incomplete as it does not include information on energy inputs from microalgae, which form complex biofilms with heterotrophic micro‐organisms on the peat surface. To investigate the potential for algae (and associated exudates) to support heterotrophic metabolism under ambient and elevated nutrient levels, we conducted a factorial enrichment of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and carbon (glucose) in mesocosms with and without the presence of algae (using light‐transparent and dark treatments, respectively) in an Alaskan fen. We measured respiration rates and changes in bacterial biomass to characterize the response of heterotrophic bacteria to our experimental treatments. During incubation assays, algae released up to 38% of their net productivity as exudates and there was a positive relationship between algal production and concentrations of dissolved organic carbon inside mesocosms. Elevated algal productivity in the presence of nutrient enrichment stimulated heterotrophic bacterial respiration and biomass. These responses did not occur with nutrient enrichment in the dark (without algae). The response of bacteria to algae was similar in magnitude to bacterial responses to glucose enrichment. Synthesis. We conclude that bacteria in this boreal fen were primarily limited by labile carbon, and this constraint was alleviated in the presence of elevated algal production. Consequently, algae may facilitate hotspots of microbial activity in northern peatlands, especially in conditions of greater nutrient availability associated with more variable hydrology expected for this region with ongoing climate change.
Functional diversity affects decomposition processes in experimental grasslands

Summary 1. A number of biodiversity experiments have shown that plant diversity plays a significant role for ecosystem functioning. However, diversity effects on processes involving multi-trophic interactions such as litter decomposition are rather rare. In these experiments, plant diversity is usually categorized into taxonomic units or functional groups. Continuous measures of functional diversity that are based on measurable traits, in contrast, may be a more flexible way to analyse the functional significance of biodiversity. 2. Litter decomposition is a key process in ecosystem biogeochemistry. To understand the consequences of altered biodiversity for ecosystem functioning, it is thus crucial to quantify any potential diversity effects on decomposition processes. 3. I performed several complementary decomposition trials within the BIODiversity and Ecological Processes in Terrestrial Herbaceous ecosystems (BIODEPTH) experiment, which established a gradient of plant species richness and number of functional groups. I hypothesized that decomposi tion rates increase with increasing plant diversity due to non-additive litter mixing effects and more favourable microenvironmental conditions. 4. Decomposition rates of both standard materials and community-specific litter increased with the number of functional groups and with a continuous measure of functional diversity. Species richness, in contrast, had no or rather small positive effects on decomposition. Presence of nitrogen fixing legumes strongly enhanced decomposition, via effects on both litter quality and on the decomposition microenvironment. 5. The predominance of functional diversity rather than of species richness effects suggests that profound knowledge on functional attributes of plant species is the key to understand and to predict biodiversity-decomposition relationships.
Comparison of macro-morphological and physiological methods for Monilinia species identification in Paraná State, Brazil

Abstract The aim of this study was to characterize 93 isolates of Monilinia from stone fruit orchards of Paraná State Brazil, and make inferences concerning their physiological aspects. A synoptic key was utilized at 10 days after incubation for morphological characterization, which allowed us to identify three Monilinia species (M. laxa, M. fructigena and M. fructicola). Molecular analysis was later performed for isolates representative of the morphological species. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed only M. fructicola to be present for all isolates collected in Paraná State and contradicted the synoptic key identification. Additionally, isolates were tested physiologically in order to support Monilinia segregation. However, no significant differences were found among the isolates for optimum growth temperature and lesion size of inoculated pear fruit. We concluded that the synoptic key cannot segregate isolates of Monilinia species from southern Brazil and that PCR with specific primers was the best approach.
Northern Distribution of the Seaweed Limpet Lottia insessa (Mollusca: Gastropoda) along the Pacific Coast1

Abstract: The marine seaweed limpet Lottia insessa (Hinds) is a habitat specialist on the kelp Egregia menziesii along the northeastern Pacific coast. The geographic range of L. insessa is commonly reported to extend from Alaska to Baja California, Mexico, but the northern distribution of this limpet has been poorly documented. We examined L. insessa specimens from museum collections and surveyed distribution of this species in the field. Results indicate that this species is common in California but is rarely found farther north. Some museum specimens collected from northern localities were misidentified individuals of other limpet species. The northern limit to continuous distribution of persistent L. insessa populations ends at Cape Arago in southern Oregon, a known biogeographic boundary for a variety of marine species. We suggest that individuals occasionally found in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska may have been vagrants that were transported to those locations during anomalous oceanographic events such as El Niño-Southern Oscillations, a phenomenon that has also been observed in other marine organisms. This study clarifies location of the northern range boundary of L. insessa and provides baseline data on its current distributional patterns, which are important for assessing effects of climate change on potential range shifts in the future.
The effects of mitochondrial dysfunction in schizophrenia

Mitochondria are unique and important organelles in terms of energy production for the eukaryotic cell. Through complexes of the electron transport chain embedded in the mitochondrial membrane, the cell is able produce large amounts of ATP. Mitochondria posses their own genome, some of which encodes for the subunits of these protein complexes. From the comorbidity of psychotic symptoms seen in those with mitochondrial disorders, the change in efficiency of cellular respiration has started to emerge as a target for research for understanding the mechanisms and potential therapeutic approaches in mental disorders. Schizophrenia is the hallmark of psychotic diseases and its diverse symptoms have been implicated to have its primary effects in the mesolimbic and mesocortical pathways in the brain. Mitochondrial concentrations in these areas and mutations within the mitochondrial genome are an active area of research. Additionally, the effects of mood stabilizers and antipsychotics in terms of oxidative phosphorylation have been examined in proteomics, DNA and RNA microarray technology, and neuroimaging to name a few. In this article, we make an attempt to discuss and analyze the effects of mutations in the mitochondrial genome with respect to electron transport chain and cellular respiration in individuals affected with schizophrenia. Key words: Mitochondria, schizophrenia, electron transport chain, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers.
Short-term effects of lime application on soil properties and fine-root characteristics for a 9-year- old Sitka spruce plantation growing on a deep peat soil

Summary Short-term effects of lime application on a 9-year-old Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. )) stand planted on a deep blanket peat soil were investigated. Ground limestone was applied at three rates: 7.5 (L1), 15.0 (L2) and 22.5 t ha ‐1 (L3) plus a control (L0). The peat was sampled on the first and second growing seasons after lime application. Soil properties were examined for the litter layer and three depths of the peat profile at 5 cm intervals, while fine root ( 1 cm in length) in the litter layer compared with the L0 plots at the first growing season, while
A critical analysis of durable resistance

Durable resistance to a disease is resistance that remains effective during its prolonged and widespread use in an environment favorable to the disease (22, 23). The test for durable resistance must include two elements, time (long) and area (large). Resistance in a cultivar cannot justifiably be described as durable if the cultivar has been grown only in small-scale experiments, even if such tests are repeated at many locations and over several or many years. Experience shows that resistance that survives such tests may nevertheless not survive widespread use under agricultural conditions (see below). Nor can resistance be described as durable if it has only been used briefly, even though on a large area. Based on this definition, it is not correct to argue that the resistance of a cultivar can be made more durable by growing it less, as in its use in cultivar mixtures or multilines. Discussions on extending the usefulness of resistance by using cultivar mixtures or multilines, or by gene deployment, are based on exploitation of the whole system, one purpose of whlch is to avoid elCposing the individual cultivars to a powerful test of the durability of their resistance. This is a distinct topic that has been widely discussed (3, 65) and will not be considered here. This review is therefore restricted to aspects of disease resistance and its genetic control in relation to durable resistance in individual cultivars.
Size distribution of fat globules in cow's milk during milking, measured with a Coulter counter

Summary A Coulter counter was used to measure the diameters and numbers of fat globules in serial samples taken during a single milking of each of 8 cows. Milk fat percentages of samples were estimated by the Babcock method. The average globule diameter, globule number and fat percentage all increased during milking. Regression analyses indicated that fat percentage was a stronger function of fat globule diameter than of globule number. The results are discussed with relation to the rise in fat percentage that occurs during milking.
The 'viability' and resilience of communities and settlements in desert Australia

There is a continuing policy debate about whether it is possible to have sustainable small settlements in outback regions of Australia, where there is low and variable primary production and a sparse and mobile population. This debate is focused largely on Aboriginal settlements, but applies equally to all desert dwellers. In this contribution, we review the sources of economic flows through settlements occupied by different communities with common livelihood sources, whether based on mining, grazing, tourism, cultural resources, welfare or services, concluding that most desert livelihoods depend directly or indirectly on temporally variable inputs. Individual remote settlements tend to be dominated by one such ‘community of livelihood’, and differ in nature according to the source of that livelihood. These create types of settlement and service aspirations which are alien to more densely settled regions. Settlement ‘viability’ is a measure of the short-term balance between aspirations for services (technical, social, but also for livelihoods and well being) and the costs of fulfilling these aspirations, and consequently is not a simple on/off switch – the community can adjust both its aspirations and the cost factors involved in meeting them. We define a resilient settlement as one that is viable in the long term in the face of its variable inputs. Thus, we determine that the concepts of settlement viability and resilience must be analysed differently according to the strategy adopted by different resident communities. In particular, Aboriginal (and pastoral) communities are particularly dependent on social and natural capital, yet these are not monitored. The whole analysis emphasises the importance of taking a demand- rather than supply-driven approach to services in desert settlements. Our conclusion is that, if top-down solutions continue to be imposed without appreciating the fundamental drivers of settlement in desert regions, then those solutions will continue to be partial, and ineffective in the long term.
To die or not to die: early warnings of tree dieback in response to a severe drought

Some disturbances can drive ecological systems to abrupt shifts between alternative stages (tipping points) when critical transitions occur. Drought‐induced tree death can be considered as a nonlinear shift in tree vigour and growth. However, at what point do trees become predisposed to drought‐related dieback and which factors determine this (tipping) point? We investigated these questions by characterizing the responses of three tree species, silver fir (Abies alba), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis), to a severe drought event. We compared basal area increment (BAI) trends and responses to climate and drought in declining (very defoliated and dying) vs. non‐declining (slightly or not defoliated) trees by using generalized additive mixed models. Defoliation, BAI and sapwood production were related to functional proxies of tree vigour measured at the onset and end of the drought (non‐structural carbohydrate concentrations, needle N content and C isotopic discrimination, presence of wood‐inhabiting fungi). We evaluated whether early warning signals (increases in synchronicity among trees or in autocorrelation and standard deviation) could be extracted from the BAI series prior to tree death. Declining silver fir and Scots pine trees showed less growth than non‐declining trees one to three decades, respectively, before the drought event, whereas Aleppo pines showed growth decline irrespective of tree defoliation. At the end of the drought period, all species showed increased defoliation and a related reduction in the concentration of sapwood soluble sugars. Defoliation was constrained by the BAI of the previous 5 years and sapwood production. No specific wood‐inhabiting fungi were found in post‐drought declining trees apart from blue‐stain fungi, which extensively affected damaged Scots pines. Declining silver firs showed increases in BAI autocorrelation and variability prior to tree death. Synthesis. Early warning signals of drought‐triggered mortality seem to be species specific and reflect how different tree species cope with drought stress. Highly correlated declining growth patterns during drought can serve as a signal in silver fir, whereas changes in the content of sapwood soluble sugars are suitable vigour proxies for Scots and Aleppo pines. Longer growth and defoliation series, additional vigour parameters and multi‐species comparisons are required to understand and predict drought‐induced tree death.