Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in the Age Structure of Nearshore Adult Red Drum off West-Central Florida Related to Recruitment and Fishing Mortality

Abstract We examined the age structure of a population of adult red drum Sciaenops ocellatus in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to determine whether management-mediated changes in juvenile and subadult survival rates during the mid-1980s are now evident in the population's age structure. During 1996–1998, we sampled 908 adult red drum from seven different schools; six schools were sampled during September–October, and one was sampled during February. No significant difference was detected in year-class frequencies between schools. Red drum ranged in total length from 685 to 1,085 mm and in age from 3 to 29 years. Strong year-classes in 1986 and 1989 and weaker year-classes in 1987 and 1988 were observed in all samples. The increased abundance of adult red drum in observed age distributions correlated well with the abrupt decrease in juvenile red drum harvest in Florida that occurred during the mid- to late 1980s. Ever since the red drum harvest was reduced, the strong year-classes detected through age-0 sampli.
Physical composition of carcass and meat characteristics of beef cattle finished in feedlot with different diets

The effects of different diets on the carcass and meat characteristics of beef steers in feedlot were evaluated using the following: diet containing corn silage, with fixed formulation during the period of feedlot (CSF); diet containing corn silage, with variable formulation according to the phase of feedlot (CSV); diet containing sugar cane silage with fixed formulation (SCSF); diet containing sugar cane silage, with variable formulation (SCSV); CSV diet in initial half of feedlot and SCSV diet in final half (SCSV/CSV). A completely randomized experimental design with five treatments and three replicates (collective pens) was used. There was higher content of kidney-pelvic-inguinal fat (P=0.03), subcutaneous fat (P=0.06), and fat tissue (P=0.06) deposition in animals fed diets containing corn silage (6.7kg, 6.2mm, and 34.6%) as compared to those fed sugar cane silage (5.3kg, 4.8mm, and 31.7%). A higher (P=0.05) yield of strip loin and rostbiff (% of hindquarter) were measured in carcasses from animals fed diets containing corn silage (10% and 6.9%) than in carcasses from animals fed diets containing sugar cane silage (9% and 6.6%). No effects of the diets on yield of primary meat cuts of the carcass (P>0.1), cooking losses (P>0.3), and shear force (P>0.1), with averages of 23.4% and 4.4kgf/mIII. The adjustment of the diet formulation as the period of confinement and the exchange of silage did not affect the characteristics of carcass and meat. The use of sugar cane silage allowed carcasses with good finishing
Variation in Adult Female Body Size Related to Chromosome Polymorphism and Female Mating Success in Sinipta dalmani (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Abstract Sinipta dalmani Stal (Orthoptera: Acrididae) is an Argentinean grasshopper that shows considerable variation in adult male body size in natural populations at “El Palmar” National Park (Entre Rios, Argentina). Part of this variation is due to the M4 pericentric inversion polymorphism. A study of male mating success in competition cages showed that mated males are larger and have lower inversion dosage than unmated males. In the present work, body sexual dimorphism as well as the phenotypic influence of the M4 inversion on female body size and its possible association with mating success was analyzed. A notable body size sexual dimorphism was evident, with females being significantly larger than males. The phenotypic effect of M4 on female body size reported here is in agreement with the results mentioned above for males and suggests a significant genetic (chromosome) component in the determination of third tibia length in females. Female mating success was analyzed through both univariate and multivariate approaches. The analysis of selection differentials showed that third tibia length might be negatively selected during mating. The analysis of selection gradient, demonstrated that this trait might be considered as the most probable target of selection. The female differential mating success detected in S. dalmani suggests a significant male investment in offspring.
Ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer of indoor wood-decay fungi

Abstract Indoor wood-decay fungi are economically very important. Approximately half of the total damage caused by indoor fungi in Germany is caused by species of the Coniophoraceae. The sequence of the intergenic spacer (IGS) region of the ribosomal DNA was elucidated with the following fungi of this family: Serpula lacrymans (true dry rot fungus), S. himantioides (wild merulius), Meruliporia incrassata (North American dry rot fungus), Leuco-gyrophana pinastri (mine dry rot fungus), Coniophora puteana (brown cellar fungus), and C. marmorata (marmoreus cellar fungus). The IGS length ranges between 2584 and 3785 bp and consists of the short IGS 1 (253–440 bp), the 5S rDNA (118 bp) and the long IGS 2 (2193–3310 bp). IGS 1 is phylogenetically less informative for the investigated Coniophoraceae species. 5S rDNA is transcribed in the reverse direction. IGS 2 contains extended repeat blocks of copies of different length. Intraspecific length polymorphism as a result of different copy number occurs in M. incrassata and L. pinastri. In combination with previous results, the full-length sequence of the rDNA repeat unit is available for important indoor wood-decay fungi. The various rDNA regions can now be used for future identification of unknown sequences by BLAST and also for phylogenetic studies.
Direct Seeding to Restore Tropical Mature‐Forest Species in Areas of Slash‐and‐Burn Agriculture

After tropical lands have been abandoned from anthropogenic pressures, often forest structure and some species recover naturally. Studies suggest, however, that mature‐forest species are frequently slow to establish and an active management strategy may be necessary. We tested direct seeding of mature‐forest species as a restoration strategy in sites previously used for slash‐and‐burn agriculture in semi‐evergreen, seasonal forest in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, and evaluated when in the successional process this strategy had the highest success rate. We planted three mature‐forest species (Brosimum alicastrum, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, and Manilkara zapota) in three forest ages: recently abandoned (<5 years), young successional forest (8–15 years), and reference forest (>50 years). Overall, an average of 5–41% of planted seeds germinated, and 3–35% were present through the seedling stage. Only M. zapota had higher germination in the reference forest than in the other forest ages, whereas the other two species had similar percentage germination in all successional stages. Of the seeds that germinated in the 8–15 years sites and the reference forest, 58–95% of the seedlings survived through the end of the study, whereas survival in recently abandoned sites was less than 50% in most cases. Seedling height was generally similar across forest age categories. Our results suggest that direct seeding these mature‐forest species after the first few years of natural succession could be a successful strategy to accelerate and guarantee their establishment.
Genetic divergence in residual feed intake affects growth, feed efficiency, carcass and meat quality characteristics of Angus steers in a large commercial feedlot

Growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, and carcass and meat quality characteristics of 136 Angus steers differing in genetic merit for post-weaning residual feed intake (RFIp) were measured over 251 days in a large commercial feedlot. The steers were evaluated in two groups, low (Low-RFI) and high (High-RFI) genetic RFIp, measured by estimated breeding values for RFIp (RFIp-EBV). The difference in RFIp-EBV between the Low- and High-RFI groups was 1.05 kg/day (–0.44 vs 0.61 kg/day; P 0.05) in age (445 vs 444 days) and weight (435 vs 429 kg) at induction, and at the end of the feeding period (705 vs 691 kg). Average daily gain (ADG) over 251 days had a small negative association with variation in RFIp-EBV (P 0.05) between the Low- and High-RFI steers. Shear force was higher (P 0.05) from the High-RFI steers after 7 days of ageing. Compression values for meat samples aged for 1 day did not differ between the RFI groups but were higher in meat samples aged for 7 days from the Low-RFI steers. For these Angus steers, genetic superiority in RFI was associated phenotypically with superior weight gain, decreased rib fat depth, slightly less tender meat, and no compromise in marbling fat or other carcass and meat quality traits.
Prognostic factors for types I and II epithelial ovarian cancer in the elderly

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies in the United States and Europe [1–3]. Approximately 41,000 cases and a estimated 27,000 women die from this disease every year in China [4]. The peak incidence of EOC is over 70 years of age, and these elderly patients account for approximately two-thirds of cancer-related deaths [5–9]. With the improvement in population age and life expectancy, the increasing number of patients has altered the demographics of EOC. Therefore, age-oriented factors related to prognosis in ovarian cancer should be determined [10, 11]. At present, the standard care for patients with advanced stage EOC is maximal surgical debulking to achieve complete tumor resection and six to eight cycles of systemic adjuvant administration every three weeks. Over the past decades, chemotherapy regimens have evolved from cyclophosphamide-based regimens to a combination regimen of carboplatin plus paclitaxel. With the improvement of surgery and chemotherapy, the mortality rate of ovarian cancer has continuously decreased, but the age-specific mortality rate has increased in the elderly population. Elderly patients are at an increased risk of death by at least twofold, although its independence remains controversial and related mechanisms are unclear [12–15]. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this survival disparity in elderly patients with EOC. Elderly ovarian cancer was demonstrated to be of aggressive historical subtype, advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and inherent drug resistance. The poor prognosis of elderly patients with EOC was biased by the skewed distribution of these characteristics [16–22]. Moreover, management biases toward the elderly patients with more adverse concurrent medical problems [23] may lead to more suboptimal surgery [24– 26]; inadequate chemotherapy, including delay, and dose reduction [27–28], and lower enrollment in clinical trials. In
Limnological Characteristics of 70 Lakes Spanning Arctic Treeline from Coronation Gulf to Great Slave Lake in the Central Northwest Territories, Canada

Latitudinal transects across subpolar ecozones display striking changes in lakewater chemistry reflecting steep gradients in vegetation, climate, and other variables. This paper explores the relationships among chemical and physical lakewater characteristics of 70 lakes spanning arctic treeline in Canada's Central Northwest Territories. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to examine trends and relationships among environmental variables and these 70 sites. In general, lakes in this data set were dilute, slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, and nutrient-poor. However, a strong trend toward more concentrated lakewater conditions in densely forested areas was observed relative to tundra regions. Interrelationships among measured limnological variables appear to be strongly influenced by catchment characteristics associated with proximity of sites to treeline.
Production of Shiga toxin and a cytolethal distending toxin (CLDT) by serogroups of Shigella spp.

56 strains of Shigella including 12 Shigella dysenteriae (serotypes 1, 2, 9, 11 and 12), 23 Shigella flexneri (serotypes 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, var. X and var. Y), 19 Shigella boydii (serotypes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 18), and 2 Shigella sonnei were screened for their ability to produce both classic Shiga toxin and a new heat-labile cytolethal distending toxin (CLDT). Whereas extracellular Shiga toxin was only detectable in filtrates of five S. dysenteriae type 1 strains, CLDT was produced by four strains of S. dysenteriae type 2 and an isolate of S. boydii type 7. No cytotonic enterotoxins similar to Escherichia coli LT were observed in this study. None of the S. flexneri or S. sonnei isolates tested were found to produce extracellular cytotoxic factors. The Shiga toxin produced by the S. dysenteriae type 1 was neutralizable by anti-toxin to verotoxin 1 of E. coli O157 : H7. The Shigella CLDT was neutralizable by antisera prepared to a CLDT-producing E. coli O55 : H4.
Distribution and life history of the longtailed mealy bug, Pseudococcus longispinus (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae), in Auckland vineyards

Abstract Pseudococcus longispinus Targioni-Tozzetti was studied from 1977 to 1979 in two commercial vineyards near Auckland. It was found to develop through rhree generations a year, the first two of which were synchronous. First-instar larvae moved on to the foliage at bud-burst and developed to the third instar or early adult stage before seeking shelter to reproduce. Most females reproduced under the flaking bark on the trunk of the vine, but as the season progressed many also reproduced within the vine canopy and grape bunches. Two generations were completed between mid December and leaf fall. The third generaition was born under the bark in autumn and moved on to young foliage in spring. During winter, numbers of mealybugs on the vine declined substantially. Although few corpses were found, the decline was attributed to mortality, presumably from starvation, rather than to movement to alternative host plants such as ground cover. Six predators and two parasitoids of the mealy bugs were recorded, but .
Suitability of five cross validation methods for performance evaluation of nonlinear mixed-effects forest models – a case study

Five cross validation methods, thek-fold, leave one plot out (LOP), leave one tree per plot out (LOT), 0.632 and 0.632+ bootstrap methods, were examined in this study for their suitability for performance evaluation of seven nonlinear mixed models based on a height–diameter relationship. Thek-fold, LOP, 0.632 and 0.632+ methods used plot as the basic unit for data resampling, and applies to situations where predictions are needed for all trees in a new plot not used for model development. All four methods were suitable for evaluating the predictive performance of the selected model(s), and the 0.632 and 0.632+ methods were better than the k-fold and LOP methods. The LOT method used tree as the basic unit for data resampling, and applies to situations where predictions are needed for a portion of trees in a plot not used for model development, while the remaining trees of the plot are used for model development. The LOT method was not suitable for performance evaluation of the selected model(s).
Development and N2‐Fixing Activity of the Benthic Microbial Community in Transplanted Spartina alterniflora Marshes in North Carolina

Growth and maturation of transplanted salt marshes is often limited by the availability of nitrogen (N). We examined the role of N2‐fixing benthic microbial assemblages (microalgae and associated bacteria) in two restored marshes (1‐year‐old and 6‐year‐old marsh) and a natural salt marsh in the Newport River Estuary, North Carolina. Benthic N2 fixation (nitrogenase activity, NA), chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration, Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) stem counts, and sediment organic matter content were determined in the three marshes. Significant differences were observed between sites for both Chl a and NA. The 1‐year‐old marsh always exhibited the highest levels of NA and Chl a. Sediment organic matter content was lowest in the 1‐year‐old marsh (∼2%), intermediate in the 6‐year‐old marsh (∼5%), and highest in the natural marsh (∼10%). Carbon and nitrogen analyses were also performed on the 1‐year‐old marsh sediments, which were depleted in N. A positive correlation was observed between surface sediment N and Chl a. Remineralized, microbially derived N may provide growth‐limiting inorganic N to Spartina transplants. N2‐fixing microbial assemblages in the 1‐year‐old marsh may also be an important food source for marsh infauna. Benthic N2‐fixing microbial assemblages play a key role in the N economy of restored salt marshes.
P2 receptors on macroglial cells: Functional implications for gliosis

The present review summarizes data about the expression of P2 receptors in two types of macroglial cells, i.e., in astrocytes of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and Müller glial cells of the retina. Changes in the expression of these receptors during pathological conditions may indicate an involvement in the induction and/or maintenance of reactive astrogliosis. In fact, astrocytic proliferation was induced in the NAc by the application of different P2X and P2Y receptor agonists, such as 2‐methylthio ATP (2‐MeSATP), α,β‐methylene adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (α,β‐meATP) and adenosine 5′‐O‐(2‐thiodiphosphate (ADP‐β‐S). An increased content of glial fibrillary acidic protein, astrocytic hypertrophy, and proliferation as indicated by enhanced incorporation of 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine (BrdU) was found under these conditions; an enhanced BrdU incorporation signalizes a higher rate of DNA synthesis. Müller glial cells of the human retina express both metabotropic P2Y and ionotropic P2X7 receptors. Application of the P2X7 receptor agonist benzoyl‐benzoyl ATP (BzATP) evoked a cationic conductance increase that led to the depolarization of cells and to Ca2+ entry from the extracellular space. Long‐lasting application of BzATP, however, did not cause the formation of pores permeable for large molecules, excluding the presence of classic P2X7 receptors. Müller glial cells of the human retina show increased P2X7 receptor‐mediated cationic currents during proliferative gliosis. A role of P2X7 receptors in glial proliferation is also indicated by the observation that the DNA synthesis rate of cultured Müller cells is enhanced in the presence of BzATP, as shown by the measurement of BrdU incorporation. The data indicate that activation of P2 receptors may exert both short‐ and long‐term effects in macroglial cells, and that these receptors may be involved in glial responses to pathological conditions. Drug Dev. Res. 53:140–147, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Multiple pericentric inversions and chromosomal divergence in the reef fishes Stegastes (Perciformes, Pomacentridae)

Damselfishes (Pomacentridae, Perciformes) occur in all major oceans of the world and, with approximately 320 species, represent one of the most diverse families of marine Teleostei. The taxonomy of these reef fishes is problematic because of the large number of complex species and the range of color patterns they display, which vary among individuals and populations of the same species. In this study, we examined the cytogenetic composition of four species of Stegastes (S. pictus, S. fuscus, S. variabilis and S. leucostictus) found along the coast of Brazil. Stegastes pictus had a chromosomal number of 2n = 48 (14m+28sm+2st+4a, fundamental number (FN) = 92), S. fuscus had 2n = 48 (20m+22sm+6a, FN = 90), S. variabilis had 2n = 48 (18m+22sm+8a, FN = 88), and S. leucostictus had 2n = 48, (18m+22sm+8a, FN = 88). The nucleolar organizing regions were single and homologous in all of the species, and were located in the interstitial region on the short arm of the first submetacentric pair. The heterochromatin segments were reduced in size and were distributed conservatively over the centromeric and pericentromeric regions of most of the chromosomes. The marked divergence in the number of chromosomal arms, compared to other perciformes (2n = 48, FN = 48), indicated that varying degrees of multiple pericentric inversions had occurred during the karyotypic evolution of the Pomacentridae. Subtle karyotypic differences between S. variabilis and S. leucostictus suggested a recent divergence or that their karyotypes were less susceptible to changes. These results indicate that cytogenetic analyses could provide important complementary data for the characterization of populations and species of Stegastes and damselfishes in general.
Genetic polymorphism of the interferon‐γ gene in cervical carcinogenesis

Beyond human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, host genetic factors may contribute to cervical carcinogenesis. This study aims to test the hypothesis that CA‐dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the first intron of the interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) gene is associated with HPV‐initiated cervical carcinogenesis. A hospital‐based case‐control study including patients with low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSILs; n = 93), high‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs; n = 123) and invasive carcinomas (n = 153) of the uterine cervix, as well as 1:1 age‐matched controls, was conducted. The IFN‐γ genotype was determined by PCR and capillary electrophoresis with internal standards. HPV genotype was determined by consensus PCR and reverse line blot hybridization. Genotypes containing the 12 or 14 allele (12 or 14 CA repeats) were significantly more common in patients with HSILs than in controls (46% vs. 22%; OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.7–5.2; p < 0.0001). In contrast, genotypes containing 13 and 18 were significantly more common in controls than in patients with HSILs (76% vs. 53%; OR = 0.3; 95% CI = 0.2–0.6; p = 0.0001) or squamous cell carcinomas (74% vs. 63%; OR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.4–1.0; p = 0.037). The frequency of the 12 and 14 genotypes increased significantly in accordance with the severity of cervical carcinogenesis (ptest for trend = 0.0002), whereas the 13 and 18 genotypes showed the opposite trend (ptest for trend = 0.007). Comparing IFN‐γ genotype and HPV status, 18‐containing genotypes were more frequently found in HPV+ LSILs, and 12‐containing genotypes were less frequently found in HPV+ HSILs. Compared with non‐13 genotypes, 13 genotype HSILs were more frequently infected with HPV58 (70% vs. 45%) and less frequently infected with HPV18 (0% vs. 16%; p= 0.007). Genetic polymorphism of the IFN‐γ gene is associated with individual susceptibility to cervical carcinogenesis. This polymorphism correlates with HPV infection in a disease‐ and type‐specific manner. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Persuasive Lobbying with Allied Legislators

Why do interest groups lobby allied legislators if they already agree? One possibility is that allies are intermediaries who help persuade unconvinced legislators. To study the role and value of intermediaries, I develop a formal model of persuasive lobbying where interest groups use public cheap talk and provide verifiable information to a strategically selected coalition of legislators. Interest groups face a trade-off: Lobbying aligned legislators is advantageous as they are more willing to endorse the group's preferred policy, but those who are too aligned cannot persuade a majority of their peers. The model illustrates how intermediaries are especially valuable if interest groups cannot persuade a majority themselves. Counter to previous work, the results demonstrate how a legislature's ideological composition determines the use of intermediaries. Groups may lobby intermediaries even if access to legislators is free and unrestricted.
Selection of beer‐spoilage lactic acid bacteria and induction of their ability to grow in beer

There are significant differences between lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus spp., Leuconostoc spp., Lactococcus spp.) in their resistance to hopderived constituents of beer. Resistance to such compounds is a stable character, both phenotypically and genetically, associated only with lactic acid bacteria capable of spoiling beer. Such bacteria can be induced to grow in beer if they are first grown in the presence of a sub‐inhibitory concentration of isohumulone.