Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seasonal variations of CO2 and water vapour exchange rates over a temperate deciduous forest

Long-term and direct measurements of CO3 and water vapour exchange are needed over forested ecosystems to determine their net annual fluxes of carbon dioxide and water. Such measurements are also needed to parameterize and test biogeochemical, ecological and hydrological assessment models. Responding to this need, eddy covariance measurements cf CO2 and water vapour were made ever a dedduous forest growing near Oak Ridge^ TN, between April 1993 and April 1994. Periodic measurements were made of leaf area index, stomatal resistance, soil moisture and pre-dawn leaf water potential to characterize the gas exchange capacity of the canopy. Four factors had a disproportionate influence on the seasonal variation of CO2 flux densities. These factors were photon flux densities (during the growing season), temperature (during the dormant season), leaf area index and the occurrence of drought The drought period occurred during the peak of the growing season and caused a significant decline in daily and hourly CO2 flux densities, relative to observations over the stand when soil moisture was plentifuL The annual net uptake of carbon was calculated by integrating flux meastirements and filling missing and spurious data with the relations obtained between measured CO2 fluxes and environmental forcing variables. The net flux of carbon for the period between April 1993 and April 1994 was -525 g C m"̂ y^'. This value represents a net flux of carbon from the atmosphere and into the foTest The net annual carbon exchange of this southern temperate broadleaved forest exceeded values measured over a northem temperate forest (which experiences a shorter growing season and has less leaf area) by 200 g C m-̂ y-' (cf. Wofsy et al 1993). The seasonal variation of canopy evaporation (latent heat flux) was controlled mostly by changes in leaf area and net radiation. A strong depression in evaporation rates was not observed during the drought Over a broadleaved forest l^rge vapour pressure deficits promote evaporation and trees in a mixed stand are able to tap a variety of deep and shallow water sources.
Maturation and Fecundity of Pacific Herring (Clupea harengus pallasi): An Experimental Study with Comparisons to Natural Populations

Approximately 3 mo before spawning, Pacific herring (Clupea harengus pallasi) were captured and transferred to experimental netpens varying in fish density, cover, and feeding regimes. Fecundity decreased as the fish ripened. Concurrently, ovary weight and egg weight increased and somatic weight decreased. Length-specific fecundities of fed and unfed fish were similar, but the unfed fish had higher weight-specific fecundities, corresponding to a greater loss of somatic tissue during impoundment. Feeding accelerated the rate of maturity, and fed fish spawned earlier with heavier eggs than unfed fish. Relative fecundity (eggs per gram) was highest among the unfed fish. Reduction in preovulatory egg number probably was a consequence of follicular atresia (observed but not quantified here). Age-, length-, and weight-specific fecundity of impounded herring varied within the range observed for naturally maturing populations (1974 and 1980). Fecundity in impounded fish varied no more than observed in nature: the.
REDEFINING APPROPRIATE THERMAL COMFORT STANDARD FOR NATURALLY VENTILATED BUILDINGS IN TROPICS (SINGAPORE AND INDONESIA PERSPECTIVE)

In naturally ventilated buildings (NVB) located in tropical regions, thermal comfort prediction based on PMV standard has shown some deviation from observed results. Hot and humid environmental conditions throughout the year and personal adaptation make the people in tropics expect and perceive thermal comfort differently. The proposed thermal comfort standard based on adaptive modeling approach is still not convincing enough for application since it sometimes rely on one environmental parameter for prediction. This study has collected more than 1000 data through extensive field survey in Singapore and Indonesia. The potential of combining the fundamental thermoregulation with the adaptive approach that considers behavioral adaptation has been explored. The reciprocal effects from environmental parameters and occupant’s behavioral adaptation were investigated. In tropical free running buildings where the air temperature and humidity can not be modified without mechanical means, the people were observed to prefer substantially higher wind speed. INDEX TERMS Adaptive behavior, Thermal comfort, Tropical climate INTRODUCTION In the past twenty years, the percentage of household in Singapore which installed AirConditioner (AC) unit, has increased significantly from only 7.8 % in 1978 to 57.7% in 1998 (Singstat 2000). The increment of AC availability more than seven times indicates an interesting phenomenon of how a higher standard of living requires a better comfortability in living environment. To do so, the occupants actually play active roles in ensuring their living environment is as comfortable as possible. In comparison with other buildings such as offices, occupants in residential NVB have more freedom to control their environment in the form of clothing adjustments, taking bath more frequently, getting more drink, opening windows, switching on fan or AC etc (Wong NH et.al 2002). It is rather complicated to comprehend the whole mechanism of human thermal perception and control as well as to provide criteria for thermal comfort assessment in NVB. In some publications, it has been presented that it is unreasonable to apply directly thermal comfort standards developed for mechanically controlled (AC) buildings to NVB (Fountain et.al 1996, Brager et.al 2000). Firstly, this inapplicability is due to large differences in environmental controllability. For example, in the tropics, uniformly high air temperature inside and outside spaces and constantly high humidity cannot be modified easily by passive cooling strategies. Secondly, the inapplicability could be due to differential living context which is particularly important in the context of those countries where only a small percentage of buildings are * Contact author email: bdgwnh@nus.edu. sg Proceedings: Indoor Air 2002
A Near-Chromosome Level Genome Assembly of Anopheles stephensi

Malaria remains a major healthcare risk to growing economies like India and a chromosome-level reference genome of Anopheles stephensi is critical for successful vector management and an understanding of vector evolution. We report a chromosome-level assembly of an Indian strain from draft genomes of two strains using a homology-based iterative approach. The resulting assembly with an L50 of 9 had long enough scaffolds for building 90% of the three chromosomes using physical markers. The sequencing of individuals reveals a genetic diversity ten times higher than what is reported. Based on the developmental transcriptome and orthology of the 54 olfactory receptors (ORs) to those of other Anopheles species, we identify olfactory receptors with the potential for host recognition in the genus Anopheles. A comparative analysis of the genomes suggests limited inter-chromosomal gene flow and chromosomal arm switching with a potential role in adaptive radiation within the genus Anopheles.
Morphological variations in a new species of Entophlyctis. I. The species concept

A new endobiotic fungus Entophlyctis variabilis is described. This fungus exhibits morphological variations which cut across recognized taxonomic lines. The relationship of the thallus to the substratum can be epi-endobiotic, interbiotic, or endobiotic. During thallus development, the wall of the encysted zoospore remains as a discharge tube, as an appendage on the zoosporangium, or as a part of the enlarging zoosporangium. These morphological variations result from three developmental patterns for zoosporangial differentiation. In type I development, the zoosporangium develops from the germ tube, and the cyst remains as a discharge tube. In type II development, the cyst is incorporated into a portion of the enlarging germ tube which becomes the zoosporangium. In type III development, the zoosporangium develops directly from the enlargement of the cyst. In each type of development, the zoosporangium develops from the region of the thallus where the nuclei are located.
Defensive compound concentration in boreal lichens in response to simulated nitrogen deposition

Nitrogen (N) deposition is expected to increase in northwestern Europe the next 50–100 years. The effects of higher N availability on lichens will presumably depend on their capacity to acquire carbon (C), that is, of the timing and duration of the wet and active state. If lichens respond like plants, their C and N status may affect their concentration of carbon‐based secondary compounds (CBSCs), and thus their defence against herbivores, detrimental radiation, pathogens and parasites. In the present study we have manipulated N availability and timing and duration of the metabolically active state by spraying lichen transplants in an old spruce forest with rainwater or rainwater with added N corresponding to 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1. The spraying was applied either at night, in the morning or at noon to also investigate the effect of timing and duration of the active state. Concentrations of N, chlorophyll a (Chl a) and CBSCs were measured before and after one summer's spraying of 10 thalli in each of four different lichen species; Alectoria sarmentosa, Lobaria scrobiculata, Platismatia glauca, and Xanthoria aureola. The added N was readily taken up by all the lichen species. A. sarmentosa, P. glauca, and X. aureola increased their Chl a concentration in response to increased N, while L. scrobiculata increased Chl a in response to increased active time. None of the studied species reduced their concentration of secondary compounds during the experimental period, but in P. glauca the concentration of all compounds were significantly lower in N‐treated thalli compared with those that got only rainwater. The results are consistent with a high degree of constitutive defence in three of four species, and we conclude that all the investigated lichens seem to have rather robust chemical defence systems despite considerable manipulation of the environmental conditions.
Non-bursting non-rhythmic neurons of the ventral pallidum form cell assemblies and respond to reward and punishment during Pavlovian conditioning

The ventral pallidum (VP) is a major hub interfacing striatopallidal and limbic circuits, conveying information about salience and valence crucial to adjusting behavior. However, how neuron populations of the VP with different firing properties represent these variables is not fully understood. Therefore, we trained mice on auditory Pavlovian conditioning and recorded the activity of VP neurons while mice were performing the task. Many VP neurons responded to punishment (51%) and reward (44%), either by firing rate increase or decrease. Additionally, 20% of cells responded to outcome-predicting auditory stimuli, showing larger responses to reward-predicting cues compared to those that signaled likely punishment. We found that a large subset of VP neurons showed burst firing based on their auto-correlograms, while a small population exhibited fast rhythmic discharge in the beta/gamma frequency range. Some bursting neurons exhibited distinct response properties of their bursts and single spikes, suggesting a multiplexed coding scheme in the VP. However, non-bursting, non-rhythmic neurons were the most sensitive to reward and punishment. Finally, we demonstrate the presence of synchronously firing neuron assemblies in the VP. Neurons participating in such assemblies were particularly responsive to reinforcing stimuli. This suggests that a synchronous, non-bursting, non-rhythmic neuron population of the VP is responsible for the lion’s share of ventral pallidal salience representation, likely important for reinforcement learning. Significance statement The ventral pallidum (VP) is a subcortical brain area that participates in regulating motion and emotion by processing information related to appetitive and aversive stimuli. However, how these stimuli are represented by VP neural circuits is not well understood. Therefore, we investigated how VP neuron populations defined by their firing properties respond to reward and punishment during Pavlovian conditioning. We found that a distinct, non-bursting-non-rhythmic group of neurons was responsible for most responses to reward and punishment in the VP. Neurons of this group formed co-active cell assemblies and multiplexed different types of information via different firing patterns, revealing flexible and plastic neuronal representation strategies in the VP during associative learning.
The joint evolution of diapause and insecticide resistance: a test of an optimality model.

J.-P. DELAND Post Office Box 165, MacDonald Campus, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X 3V9 Abstract. The goal of this study was to assess whether selection for insecticide resis- tance resulted in evolutionary change in diapause propensity in the obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana. Caterpillars that diapause under bark in midsummer were as- sumed to escape exposure to insecticides. Estival larval diapause was modeled as a bet- hedging strategy that reduces the risk of reproductive failure in a stochastic seasonal en- vironment and decreases mortality due to insecticides. The proportion of larvae entering estival diapause in populations within a local geographic area was predicted to increase in orchards treated with insecticides after midsummer. As predicted, insects from populations exposed to insecticides evolved a higher propensity to diapause than individuals from insecticide-free populations. A second prediction of the model was that the proportion of diapause in a population should be negatively correlated with survival of the non-diapausing larvae to insecticides applied after midsummer. This prediction was not supported; there was a positive correlation between diapause propensity and the estimated survival to the insecticides. A simulation model indicated that this unexpected correlation did not result from a non-equilibrium situation in which diapause propensity and physiological resistance evolved at different rates across orchards exposed to different insecticide regimes. A positive across-population correlation between physiological resistance and diapause suggests pleio- tropic effects of the resistance allele(s). Such pleiotropic effects could result in a correlated response of diapause following strong directional selection for physiological resistance and may explain the inadequacy of the optimality model to predict the evolutionary trajectory of diapause propensity across the insecticide-treated populations.
Chronic Environmental or Genetic Elevation of Galanin in Noradrenergic Neurons Confers Stress Resilience in Mice

The neuropeptide galanin has been implicated in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders in humans and rodent models. While pharmacological treatments for these disorders are ineffective for many individuals, physical activity is beneficial for stress-related symptoms. Galanin is highly expressed in the noradrenergic system, particularly the locus coeruleus (LC), which is dysregulated in stress-related disorders and activated by exercise. Galanin expression is elevated in the LC by chronic exercise, and blockade of galanin transmission attenuates exercise-induced stress resilience. However, most research on this topic has been done in rats, so it is unclear whether the relationship between exercise and galanin is species specific. Moreover, use of intracerebroventricular (ICV) galanin receptor antagonists in prior studies precluded defining a causal role for LC-derived galanin specifically. Therefore, the goals of this study were twofold. First, we investigated whether physical activity (chronic wheel running) increases stress resilience and galanin expression in the LC of male and female mice. Next, we used transgenic mice that overexpress galanin in noradrenergic neurons (Gal OX) to determine how chronically elevated noradrenergic-derived galanin, alone, alters anxiogenic-like responses to stress. We found that three weeks of ad libitum access to a running wheel in their home cage increased galanin mRNA in the LC of mice, which was correlated with and conferred resilience to stress. The effects of exercise were phenocopied by galanin overexpression in noradrenergic neurons, and Gal OX mice were resistant to the anxiogenic effect of optogenetic LC activation. These findings support a role for chronically increased noradrenergic galanin in mediating resilience to stress. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying behavioral responses to stress is necessary to improve treatments for stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. Increased physical activity is associated with stress resilience in humans, but the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this effect are not clear. Here, we investigate a potential causal mechanism of this effect driven by the neuropeptide galanin from the main noradrenergic nucleus, the locus coeruleus (LC). We show that chronic voluntary wheel running in mice increases stress resilience and increases galanin expression in the LC. Furthermore, we show that genetic overexpression of galanin in noradrenergic neurons causes resilience to a stressor and the anxiogenic effects of optogenetic LC activation. These findings support a role for chronically increased noradrenergic galanin in mediating resilience to stress.
Australian Immigration Theory – NEW

The main aim of this paper is to provide, for the past 55 odd years, an overview of the trends in theoretical approaches and the areas researched within the broad area of Australian immigration and ethnic relations. This review reveals a high degree of national specificity with regard to theoretical and methodological approaches as well as underlying assumptions on the relationship between migration, the state and society. It appears that Australian social scientists are heavily influenced by national traditions and historical experiences–such as colonialism, previous migration experience and assumptions on race, ethnicity and culture. Social scientists are also influenced by disciplinary fashions of the times in which they research and write, though the disciplinary fashions bring an international logic to the analyses. Moreover, policy makers in Australia have tended to structure research-funding mechanisms to select and privilege the types of research seen as politically or administratively desirable.
Membrane-binding peptides for extracellular vesicles on-chip analysis

ABSTRACT Small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) present fairly distinctive lipid membrane features in the extracellular environment. These include high curvature, lipid-packing defects and a relative abundance in lipids such as phosphatidylserine and ceramide. sEV membrane could be then considered as a “universal” marker, alternative or complementary to traditional, characteristic, surface-associated proteins. Here, we introduce the use of membrane-sensing peptides as new, highly efficient ligands to directly integrate sEV capturing and analysis on a microarray platform. Samples were analysed by label-free, single-particle counting and sizing, and by fluorescence co-localisation immune staining with fluorescent anti-CD9/anti-CD63/anti-CD81 antibodies. Peptides performed as selective yet general sEV baits and showed a binding capacity higher than anti-tetraspanins antibodies. Insights into surface chemistry for optimal peptide performances are also discussed, as capturing efficiency is strictly bound to probes surface orientation effects. We anticipate that this new class of ligands, also due to the versatility and limited costs of synthetic peptides, may greatly enrich the molecular toolbox for EV analysis.
Analysis of Geotextile Reinforced Embankment on Difficult Subsoil Condition

The behavior of geotextile reinforced embankment (GRE) on difficult subsoil condition was analyzed in this study. The embankment were backfilled with flyash(80%) & clay(20%) soil and the safety factors obtained from general limit equilibrium and finite element analysis. To compare with the analysis results from the GRE, variable geotextile stiffness of 50 to 2000 kN/m were taken as reinforcement and series of finite element method (FEM) analyses were carried out with GEO5-FEM software. The FEM analysis results showed that failure plane of stress counter for different model with variable stiffness was more or less consistent with each other. Modeling results such as the maximum horizontal and vertical displacements in GRE have a good agreement with the measured data by other researchers. In addition, maximum horizontal displacements and vertical settlement have not noteworthy influence while decreasing vertical spacing of 0.5m to 0.4 m for geotextile. Based on this study, it could be concluded that beyond 500 kN/m strength of geotextile reinforcement is not effective to reduce the displacement of the embankment face and/or the deformation of the backfill soil even if the mobilized tensile stress after construction is very small.
The hemolymph of Biomphalaria snail vectors of schistosomiasis supports a diverse microbiome

The microbiome – the microorganism community that is found on or within an organism’s body – is increasingly recognized to shape many aspects of its host biology and is a key determinant of health and disease. Microbiomes modulate the capacity of insect disease vectors (mosquitos, tsetse flies, sandflies) to transmit parasites and disease. We investigate the diversity and abundance of microorganisms within the hemolymph (i.e. blood) of Biomphalaria snails, the intermediate host for Schistosoma mansoni, using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the bacterial 16S V4 rDNA. We sampled hemolymph from 5 snails from 6 different laboratory populations of B. glabrata and one population of B. alexandrina. We observed 279.84 ± 0.79 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) per snail. There were significant differences in microbiome composition at the level of individual snails, snail populations and species. Snail microbiomes were dominated by Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes while water microbiomes from snail tank were dominated by Actinobacteria. We investigated the absolute bacterial load using qPCR: hemolymph samples contained 2,784 ± 339 bacteria per μL. We speculate that the microbiome may represent a critical, but unexplored intermediary in the snail-schistosome interaction as hemolymph is in very close contact to the parasite at each step of its development.