Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
USING VISUAL EVIDENCE OF MOGOLLON VOLES (MICROTUS MOGOLLONENSIS) TO PREDICT THEIR PRESENCE IN NORTHERN ARIZONA

Abstract Mogollon voles (Microtus mogollonensis) live in grassy areas primarily in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests. We evaluated effectiveness of measuring visual evidence of Mogollon voles to monitor their populations. We used presence of five types of visual evidence and a combined measure (Index of Visual Evidence) to examine relationships between rate of capture of voles, presence, and visual evidence. We conducted our study in six meadows in ponderosa pine forests in northern Arizona, comparing evidence of presence of voles and rate of capture in an area with high density to an area with low density of voles in each meadow. We used linear regression to determine associations between visual evidence of voles and rate of capture, and we used logistic regression to investigate which visual evidence of voles were best predictors of presence. Relative abundance of voles was correlated with all types of visual evidence of voles. Relative density of fresh feces was the best predictor of rate of capture, but the Index of Visual Evidence was the best predictor of presence of voles. To monitor Mogollon voles, resource managers could use the Index of Visual Evidence, or search for fresh fecal material on runways.
Dual purpose summer legumes and zinc fertilization for improving productivity and zinc utilization in aromatic hybrid rice (Oryza sativa)

Field experiments were conducted during 2007-08 at New Delhi, to study the effect of dual purpose summer le- gumes and zinc (Zn) fertilization on productivity and Zn-use efficiency of aromatic hybrid rice cv Pusa Rice Hybrid 10 (PRH 10). The experiment was carried out in split plot design with 3 treatments of legume residue in main plots and seven treatments of Zn fertilization in sub-plots. The tallest plant height, number of tillers/m2, dry matter accumulation/hill, leaf area index (LAI), yield attributes and grain yield of aromatic hybrid rice was recorded with incorporation of cowpea residue followed by mungbean residue. Zinc fertilization in aromatic hybrid rice increased growth parameters, yield attributes, grain and straw yields. Application of 2% ZEU (ZnSO .7H O) was found to be 4 2 the best in terms of all the yield attributes, grain yield of aromatic hybrid rice, 2% ZEU (ZnO) was found very close to it. In respect to Zn concentrations in grain and straw of aromatic hybrid rice, 2% ZEU (ZnSO .7H O) recorded 4 2 higher Zn concentrations in grain as well as in straw of aromatic hybrid rice. The highest agronomic efficiency (AE) was obtained with the application of 2% ZEU (ZnSO .7H O). Physiological efficiency (PE) and Zn harvest index 4 2 (ZnHI) of applied Zn were also significantly influenced due to dual purpose summer legumes and various Zn fertili- zation treatments applied in aromatic hybrid rice. Cooking quality parameters were significantly improved by le- gume residue incorporation and with the application of ZEU. The highest net returns and B:C ratios of the legume- rice sequence were recorded with the legume residue incorporation and with the application of ZEU in the aro- matic hybrid rice. Thus, growing of cowpea or mungbean as dual purpose summer legumes along with Zn fertiliza- tion as 2% ZEU either with ZnSO . 7H O or ZnO to aromatic hybrid rice led to higher productivity, cooking quality 4 2 and Zn-use efficiency in aromatic hybrid rice and higher net returns of this sequence.
Plumage color and food availability affect male reproductive success in a socially monogamous bird

Male reproductive success in socially monogamous birds is influenced to varying degrees by within-pair fertilization (WPF) and extrapair fertilization (EPF). In many species, males of higher phenotypic quality (e.g., plumage color) are more likely to obtain EPFs; however, predictors of WPF success have been less consistently identified. Moreover, few studies have examined the influence of ecological variables on patterns of paternity, even though environmental conditions are known to affect mating behavior of male and female birds. In this study, we examined phenotypic and ecological factors influencing patterns of paternity in broods of mountain bluebirds, Sialia currucoides. We show that brighter, bluer males were more likely to obtain EPFs in first broods but that plumage color did not predict the ability of males to maintain paternity in their own nest. We then examined the effect of food availability in first broods on the probability of males losing paternity in second broods within the same season. Females that were provided with supplemental food throughout first breeding attempts were less likely to produce extrapair offspring in second broods, and we suggest that supplemented females may have been less likely to seek extrapair mating opportunities because they perceived their social mates to be of higher quality under conditions of enhanced food availability. Our results demonstrate that ecological variables such as food availability can influence patterns of paternity and suggest that consideration of environmental context will be important for future research investigating mate choice and sexual selection in socially monogamous species. Copyright 2011, Oxford University Press.
Tissue Distribution of ACE2 Protein in Syrian Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) and Its Possible Implications in SARS-CoV-2 Related Studies

Recently, the Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) has been demonstrated as a clinically relevant animal model for SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, lack of knowledge about the tissue-specific expression pattern of various proteins in these animals and the unavailability of reagents like antibodies against this species hampers optimal use of these models. The major objective of our current study was to analyze the tissue-specific expression pattern of angiotensin□converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a proven functional receptor for SARS-CoV-2 in different organs of the hamster. We have adapted immunoblot analysis, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence analysis techniques to evaluate the ACE2 expression pattern in different tissues of the Syrian golden hamster. We found that kidney, small intestine, esophagus, tongue, brain, and liver express ACE2. Epithelium of proximal tubules of kidney and surface epithelium of ileum expresses a very high amount of this protein. Surprisingly, analysis of stained tissue sections for ACE2 showed no detectable expression of ACE2 in the lung or tracheal epithelial cells. Similarly, all parts of the large intestine (caecum, colon, and rectum) were negative for ACE2 expression. Together, our findings corroborate some of the earlier reports related to ACE2 expression pattern in human tissues and also contradicts some others. We believe that the findings of this study will enable the appropriate use of the Syrian golden hamster to carryout SARS-CoV-2 related studies.
RFLP and RAPD analysis of maize (Zea mays L.) local populations for identification of variability and duplicate accessions [Zea mays L. - Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism - Random Amplified polymorphic DNA]

The genebank in Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje maintains the collection of 2178 local populations of maize, characterised and classified using morphological markers. In this work 13 local populations, some of which were suspected to be duplicate accessions, were subjected to RAPD analysis with OPB 1-20 primers, as well as to RFLP analysis with 30 probes in combination with three restriction enzymes. Data thus obtained were used for calculation of Nei's genetic distances among populations and the resulting distance matrix was used for cluster analysis by UPGMA method. Genetic distances of analysed populations ranged between 0.1311 and 0.5075. Genetic distances calculated from RAPD and RFLP data were highly similar, leading to the conclusion that both markers revealed sufficient amount of genetic polymorphism among populations. Both methods showed a high degree of discrimination between populations, so they can be successfully used for polymorphism validation, genetic distance estimation among maize populations and screening of suspected duplicates in maize gene bank.
Characterization of the estrous cycle in Galea spixii ( Wagler , 1831 ) 1

Santos A.C. , Viana D.C., Bertassoli B.M. , Oliveira G.B. , Oliveira D.M. , Bezerra F.V. F. , Oliveira M.F. & Assis-Neto A.C. 2015. Characterization of the estrous cycle in Galea spixii (Wagler, 1831). Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 35(1):89-94. Setor de Anatomia dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, São Paulo, SP 05508-030, Brazil. E-mail: antonioassis@usp.br The Galea spixii inhabits semiarid vegetation of Caatinga in the Brazilian Northeast. They are bred in captivity for the development of researches on the biology of reproduction. Therefore, the aim of this study is characterize the estrous cycle of G. spixii, in order to provide information to a better knowledge of captive breeding of the species. The estrous cycle was monitored by vaginal exfoliative cytology in 12 adult females. After the detection of two complete cycles in each animal, the same were euthanized. Then, histological study of the vaginal epithelium, with three females in each phase of the estrous cycle was performed; five were paired with males for performing the control group for estrous cycle phases, and three other were used to monitor the formation and rupture of vaginal closure membrane. By vaginal exfoliative cytology, predominance of superficial cells in estrus, large intermediate cells in proestrus, intermediate and parabasal cells, with neutrophils, in diestrus and metestrus respectively was found. Estrus was detected by the presence of spermatozoa in the control group. By histology, greater proliferation of the vaginal epithelium in proestrus was observed. We conclude that the estrous cycle of G. spixii lasts 15.8 ± 1.4 days and that the vaginal closure membrane develops until complete occlusion of the vaginal ostium, breaking after few days. Future studies may reveal the importance of this fact for the reproductive success of this animal.
Changes in Organic Acids During Malolactic Fermentation at Different Temperatures in Yeast‐Fermented Apple Juice

Organic acids were analyzed during controlled malolactic fermentation conducted by a selected Leuconostoc oenos strain, performed at different temperatures (15 °C, 22 °C and 27 °C). The apple juice had been previously fermented by a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, at 15 °C and major organic acids were also monitored during this phase. The aim of this work was to study the effect of fermentation temperature on organic acid composition and on the main reactions that take place during malolactic fermentation, applicable to improving the cider making process at the industrial level.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men in Côte d’Ivoire: a quantitative study of acceptability

ABSTRACT This cross sectional study was conducted in 2018 in Côte d’Ivoire to assess PrEP acceptability among men who have sex with men (MSM). Two hundred and one men were asked on their intention to use PrEP if made available. Logistic regression accounting for the sampling design was used to analyze associations between high PrEP acceptability and different independent variables including barriers and facilitators. Participants were mostly young (mean age = 25 years), educated (82% with secondary/postsecondary education) and single (95.5%). On average, 3.4 episodes of anal sex were reported monthly and 37.8% of men did not use a condom at last sex. Most MSM (72.6%) had heard of PrEP before enrollment. Overall, 35.3% reported that they would use PrEP very probably if made available. In multivariate analysis, factors associated with high PrEP acceptability were condom use at last sexual intercourse (Odds ratio (OR) = 2.51; 95%Confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.45–4.33); insertive sex as compared to versatile sex (OR = 2.56; 95%CI = 1.14–5.67); free PrEP delivery (OR = 2.45; 95%CI = 1.07–5.59), concerns about side effects (OR = 0.66; 95%CI = 0.48–0.90), and being preoccupied by the fact that post-PrEP antiretroviral therapy could be inefficient (OR = 0.25; 95%CI = 0.14–0.44). PrEP implementation among MSM in Côte d’Ivoire should be accompanied by awareness raising campaigns explaining its utility.
Weighted Brain Network Metrics for Decoding Action Intention Understanding Based on EEG

Background: Understanding the action intentions of others is important for social and human-robot interactions. Recently, many state-of-the-art approaches have been proposed for decoding action intention understanding. Although these methods have some advantages, it is still necessary to design other tools that can more efficiently classify the action intention understanding signals. New Method: Based on EEG, we first applied phase lag index (PLI) and weighted phase lag index (WPLI) to construct functional connectivity matrices in five frequency bands and 63 micro-time windows, then calculated nine graph metrics from these matrices and subsequently used the network metrics as features to classify different brain signals related to action intention understanding. Results: Compared with the single methods (PLI or WPLI), the combination method (PLI+WPLI) demonstrates some overwhelming victories. Most of the average classification accuracies exceed 70%, and some of them approach 80%. In statistical tests of brain network, many significantly different edges appear in the frontal, occipital, parietal, and temporal regions. Conclusions: Weighted brain networks can effectively retain data information. The integrated method proposed in this study is extremely effective for investigating action intention understanding. Both the mirror neuron and mentalizing systems participate as collaborators in the process of action intention understanding.
Unbiased metabolic flux inference through combined thermodynamic and 13C flux analysis

Quantification of cellular metabolic fluxes, for instance with 13C-metabolic flux analysis, is highly important for applied and fundamental metabolic research. A current challenge in 13C-flux analysis is that the available experimental data are usually insufficient to resolve metabolic fluxes in large metabolic networks without making assumptions on flux directions and reversibility. To infer metabolic fluxes in a more unbiased manner, we devised an approach that does not require such assumptions. The developed three-step approach integrates thermodynamics, metabolome, physiological data, and 13C labelling data, and involves a novel method to comprehensively sample the complex thermodynamically-constrained metabolic flux space. Applying our approach to budding yeast with its compartmentalised metabolism and parallel pathways, we could resolve metabolic fluxes in an unbiased manner, we obtained an uncertainty estimate for each flux, and we found novel flux patterns that until now had remained unknown, likely due to assumptions made in previous 13C flux analysis studies. We expect that our approach will be an important step forward to determine metabolic fluxes with improved accuracy in microorganisms and possibly also in more complex organisms.
Sex differences in the effect of acute fasting on excitatory and inhibitory synapses onto ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons

Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are important for energizing goal directed behaviour towards food and are sensitive to changes in metabolic states. Fasting increases the incentive motivation for food, mobilization of energy stores and have sex-dependent effects. However, it is unknown how acute fasting alters excitatory or inhibitory synaptic transmission onto VTA dopamine neurons. An acute 16h overnight fast induced increased food seeking behaviour that was more predominant in male mice. Fasting increased miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) frequency and amplitude in male, but not female mice. This effect was not due to altered release probability as there was no change in the paired pulse ratio, nor was it due to an altered postsynaptic response as there was no change in the AMPAR/NMDA ratio or response to glutamate uncaging. However, this effect was consistent with an increase in the number of release sites. In addition, depolarization-induced-suppression of excitation (DSE), a measure of short-term endocannabinoid-mediated plasticity, was enhanced in female but not male fasted mice. There were no fasting-induced changes at inhibitory synapses onto dopamine neurons of male or female mice. Taken together, these results demonstrate that fasting influences excitatory synapses differentially in male and female mice, but preserves inhibitory synapses onto dopamine neurons, indicating that the mesolimbic circuit of male and female mice respond differently to acute energy deprivation. Key Points Fasting can increase motivation for food and can energize reward-seeking. Ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons respond to motivationally relevant information and fasting can influence mesolimbic dopamine concentration. An acute overnight fast differentially alters food approach behaviours and excitatory synaptic transmission onto VTA dopamine neurons of male or female mice. While inhibitory synapses onto VTA dopamine neurons are not altered by fasting in male or female mice, male mice had strengthened excitatory synapses whereas female mice had increased endocannabinoid-mediated short term plasticity at excitatory synapses. These results help us understand how fasting differentially influences excitatory synaptic transmission onto dopamine neurons and may inform different strategies for fasting-induced food seeking by male and female mice.
Diagnostic and prognostic value of serum NfL and p-Tau181 in frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Objective To assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of serum neurofilament light (NfL) and serum phospho-Tau181 (p-Tau181) in a large cohort of patients with frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Methods In this retrospective study, performed on 417 participants, we analysed serum NfL and p-Tau181 concentrations with an ultrasensitive single molecule array (Simoa) approach. We assessed the diagnostic values of serum biomarkers in the differential diagnosis between FTLD, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and healthy ageing; their role as markers of disease severity assessing the correlation with clinical variables, cross-sectional brain imaging and neurophysiological data; their role as prognostic markers, considering their ability to predict survival probability in FTLD. Results We observed significantly higher levels of serum NfL in patients with FTLD syndromes, compared with healthy controls, and lower levels of p-Tau181 compared with patients with AD. Serum NfL concentrations showed a high accuracy in discriminating between FTLD and healthy controls (area under the curve (AUC): 0.86, p<0.001), while serum p-Tau181 showed high accuracy in differentiating FTLD from patients with AD (AUC: 0.93, p<0.001). In FTLD, serum NfL levels correlated with measures of cognitive function, disease severity and behavioural disturbances and were associated with frontotemporal atrophy and indirect measures of GABAergic deficit. Moreover, serum NfL concentrations were identified as the best predictors of survival probability. Conclusions The assessment of serum NfL and p-Tau181 may provide a comprehensive view of FTLD, aiding in the differential diagnosis, in staging disease severity and in defining survival probability.
Key controls on the seasonal and interannual variations of the carbonate system and air-sea CO2 flux in the Northeast Atlantic (Bay of Biscay)

[1] Biogeochemical variations of surface water in the Northeast Atlantic (Bay of Biscay) were examined using high-frequency underway measurements combined with monthly sampling of carbon-related variables. The mechanisms controlling seasonal CO2 variability were investigated by distinguishing the contributions of biological and physical processes to the monthly changes in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2). The seasonality of DIC (47–81 µmol kg−1) had a single peak with a winter maximum primarily driven by vertical mixing and a summer minimum driven by spring biological removal. Non-Redfield C:N uptake was observed in the nutrient-depleted summer but not during the spring bloom. In the North Atlantic, pCO2 seasonality shows a latitudinal transition: from the temperature-dominated oligotrophic subtropical gyre to the subpolar region where pCO2 is dominated by changing concentrations of DIC. In the midlatitude Bay of Biscay, the annual cycle of pCO2 (61–75 µatm) showed a double-peak distribution. The summer pCO2 peak was mainly driven by temperature increase, while the winter peak resulted from the dominant effect of entrainment of subsurface water. Interannual variations of DIC were more pronounced in winter and were driven by the changes in the strength of winter mixing. Higher wintertime concentrations and seasonal amplitudes of DIC were observed in cold years when the mixed-layer depths were deeper, which appears to be associated with negative phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation. The Bay of Biscay shows a decrease of CO2 uptake in 2008–2010 (−0.97 and −0.75 mol m−2 yr−1) compared to 2002–2004 (−1.47 and −1.68 mol m−2 yr−1).
Home Literacy Activities and Children’s Reading Skills, Independent Reading, and Interest in Literacy Activities From Kindergarten to Grade 2

According to the Home Literacy Model (Sénéchal and LeFevre, 2002, 2014), young children can be exposed to two distinct types of literacy activities at home. First, meaning-related literacy activities are those where print is present but is not the focus of the parent–child interaction, for example, when parents read storybooks to their children. In contrast, code-related literacy activities focus on the print, for example, activities such as when parents teach their children the names and sounds of letters or to read words. The present study was conducted to expand the Home Literacy Model by examining its relation with children’s engagement in literacy activities at home and at school as Finnish children transitioned from kindergarten to Grades 1 and 2. Two facets of children’s engagement were examined, namely, children’s independent reading at home and their interest in literacy activities. Children (N = 378) were tested and interviewed at the ends of kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Mothers completed questionnaires on their home literacy activities at each test time, and they reported the frequency with which their children read independently twice when children were in grade school. Tested was a longitudinal model of the hypothesized relations among maternal home literacy activities (shared reading and teaching of reading), children’s reading skills, independent reading, and their interest in literacy activities/tasks as children progressed from kindergarten to Grade 2. Stringent path analyses that included all auto-regressors were conducted. Findings extended previous research in four ways. First, the frequency of shared reading and teaching of reading at home predicted the frequency of children’s independent reading 1 year later. Second, children with stronger early literacy skills in kindergarten read independently more frequently once they were in Grade 1. Third, parents adapted, from kindergarten to Grade 1, their teaching behaviors to their children’s progress in reading, whereas shared reading decreased over time. Fourth, children’s own reports of interest in literacy activities were mostly not linked to other variables. Taken together, these results add another layer to the Home Literacy Model.