Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sperm performance and fertilisation in the sea urchin Evechinus chloroticus under increasing pCO2

Ocean acidification (OA) is resulting from the large-scale changes in seawater carbonate chemistry caused by increasing atmospheric CO2. The biological implications include decrease in diversity, biomass, and trophic complexity, as well as a wide range of both positive and negative species responses. The physiological mechanisms underlying changes in species responses remain uncertain. Limited mechanisms to defend cellular homeostasis mean the early life stages of marine broadcast spawners are considered the most vulnerable to increasing pCO2. Here I examine the responses of sperm and fertilisation of a broadcast spawning sea urchin (Evechinus chloroticus) to OA. Sperm of New Zealand populations of four echinoids analysed by transmission electron microscopy conformed to the general echinoid sperm morphology with ultrastructure showing among species differences and E. chloroticus morphology to be the most variable. Evaluating sensitivity of sperm performance used paired analysis of internal pH (pHi) and swimming performance in nearto far-future pCO2 level waters (bubbled with pre-mixed gases to 1000 and 1800 μatm respectively) as predicted under Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5. With decreasing seawater pH (-0.32, 0.58) a respective stepwise decrease of E. chloroticus sperm pHi (-0.17, -0.21) corresponded with a lower % motility (-9, -19), a faster curvi-linear velocity swimming speed (VCL = 3.17, 2.82 μm.s-1), but lower straight line velocity (VSL = -20.16, -29.12 μm.s-1). Fertilisation trials across a ten-step gradient between control and far-future pCO2 levels precisely described the FS response of individual male:female crosses, informing on within-population variability, while nested half-sibling crosses examined gamete effects on variation of FS response. Beyond an overall general tolerance of FS response to nearfuture OA, proceeded by a slow population level decline to far-future OA (-13.4 and -28 % respectively), among-cross variability ranged from a rapid decline to no effect. Both males and females contributed to FS variability. This study shows OA is impacting E. chloroticus sperm performance and regulation of pHi in a non-linear way. Evidence of pCO2 induced sperm narcosis provides a plausible mechanism for lower FS. Variability in performance of sperm and FS response to OA indicate the possible adaptive potential to OA, with implications for long term species survival in the face of environmental change.
Glycerol Oxidation over Supported Gold Catalysts: The Combined Effect of Au Particle Size and Basicity of Support

Gold nanoparticles supported on various oxides (CeO2, CeO2/TiO2, MgO, MgO/TiO2, La2O3, La2O3/TiO2) (with 4 wt.% Au loading) were investigated in the liquid (aqueous) phase oxidation of glycerol by molecular oxygen under mild conditions, in the presence of alkaline earth (CaO, SrO and MgO) or alkaline (NaOH) bases. Full conversion and selectivity between 38 and 68% to sodium glycerate were observed on different Au supported catalysts (Au/MgO/TiO2, Au/La2O3/TiO2, Au/CeO2 and Au/CeO2/TiO2). The combined effect of Au particle size and basicity of the support was suggested as the determining factor of the activity. Agglomeration of gold nanoparticles, found after the reaction, led to the deactivation of the catalysts, which prevents the further oxidation of sodium glycerate into sodium tartronate. Promising results were obtained with the use of alkaline earth bases (CaO, SrO, MgO), leading to the formation of free carboxylic acids instead of salts, which are formed in the presence of the more usual base, NaOH.
Carotenoid‐based plumage colour saturation increases with temperature in Australian passerines

Birds are often coloured yellow, olive, orange or red by carotenoids, which are plant pigments that are ingested with food. Here we test whether there are consistent patterns of intraspecific geographic variation in male carotenoid‐based plumage coloration linked to latitude, temperature, precipitation and primary productivity. It has been suggested that patterns of geographic variation should be different for yellow, compared to the metabolically derived red carotenoid‐based coloration, but this has not been tested.
Corona Discharge in Wind for Electrically Isolated Electrodes

For various problems in atmospheric electricity it is necessary to understand the behavior of corona discharge in wind. Prior work considers grounded electrode systems, of relevance for earthed towers, trees, or windmills subjected to thunderstorms fields. In this configuration, the effect of wind is to remove the shielding ions from the coronating electrode vicinity strengthening the corona and increasing its current. There are a number of cases, such as isolated wind turbine blades or airborne vehicles, that are not completely represented by the available models and experiments. This paper focuses on electrode systems that are electrically isolated from their environment and reports on a wind tunnel campaign and accompanying theoretical work. In this configuration, there are two competing effects: the removal of the shielding ions by the wind, strengthening the corona; and the electrode system charging negatively (for positive corona) with respect to its environment, weakening the corona. This leads to three different operating regimes; namely, for positions that favor ion recapture, charging is limited and current increases with wind as in the classical scaling; for positions that favor ion transport by the wind, the system charges negatively and the current decreases with wind; for the later configuration, as wind increases, the current can vanish and the system potential saturates. The results from this work demonstrate that classical scaling laws of corona discharge in wind do not necessarily apply for isolated electrodes and illustrate the feasibility of using a glow corona in wind for controlled charging of a floating body.
Multi-Objective Pareto Optimization of Tensile Membrane Architecture for Energy Harvesting

With the global concern about rising greenhouse-gas emissions due to fossil-fuel-based power generation, electricity production using eco-friendly energy sources is becoming increasingly important. Conversion of vibration into electricity is characterized mainly by electrostatic, electromagnetic, or piezoelectric transduction mechanisms, which can be used to generate electricity through a variety of methods. The tensile membrane architecture (TMA)—the means of electricity production investigated in this study—is an architectural structure that is classified into the same category of vibration sources as buildings and bridges, but has not been utilized previously for vibration-generated electricity. The objective of this study is to determine which TMA geometry yields optimal electricity production and stability in a specific region. The developed optimization technique can help future researchers to select the TMA type and material for specific areas and evaluate the suitability of different areas for energy harvesting via the TMA.
Macro-TSH: A Diagnostic Challenge

Introduction: Analytical problems should be considered in case of a discrepancy between the results of biochemical tests and the clinical findings. Macro-hormones often artefactually elevate biochemical tests. Case Presentation: A young male was referred with persistently elevated TSH (148 mIU/L) measured by a sandwich electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, ECLIA (Cobas; Roche, Basel, Switzerland). The patient’s complaints were unspecific, and he appeared clinically euthyroid. The plasma levels of free T4 and free T3 were within the normal range, thyroid autoantibodies were negative, and thyroid ultrasonography was normal. During a short trial of thyroid hormone substitution, the level of TSH decreased to near-normal levels, but hyperthyroid symptoms emerged. TSH analysed by a different immunoassay (Architect; Abbott, Chicago, IL, USA) yielded similar results. In addition, serial dilutions were performed showing linearity, without detection of heterophilic antibody interference. Gel filtration chromatography confirmed the presence of macro-TSH. Conclusion: The patient harboured macro-TSH, which is a rare condition. The complex binding of TSH to other plasma proteins, most often immunoglobulins, results in elevated plasma TSH. However, the biologically active fraction of TSH is normal, reflected by clinical and biochemical euthyroidism.
Evaluation of genetic diversity and population structure of five yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco populations by microsatellite markers

Abstract Yellow catfish, Pelteobagrus fulvidraco, is an important commercial freshwater species in China. Knowledge about the genetic diversity of the yellow catfish is important to support the management and conservation programs, which would subsequently support the sustainable production of this species. To investigate the genetic diversity and the structure of yellow catfish in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, 125 individuals from five lakes were genotyped using 13 microsatellite markers. Moderate genetic diversity was determined in all populations, with the observed heterozygosity (HO) ranging from 0.42 to 0.49 and the expected heterozygosity (HE) ranging from 0.51 to 0.61. Low to moderate genetic differentiation among the populations was revealed from pairwise FST values (p < 0.05), as well as from analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA). The UPGMA dendrogram and Bayesian clustering analysis indicated a correlation between genetic differences and geographic distance – four populations from the lower reaches clustered together, whereas the Poyang Lake (PY) population formed a separate cluster. The present study would be helpful in the wild stock management and artificial propagation programs for yellow catfish in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Advertising persuasion in dual markets

Many firms operate in ‘dual’ markets by selling the same products and services to both individual and institutional customers. Can they also persuade both with the same advertising content? The authors investigate this issue by examining a unique database including information on institutional and individual mutual fund flows, advertising frequency, and (persuasive and informative) advertising content. They find that the effects of persuasive advertising content on institutional and individual fund flows are similar and sizeable in terms of elasticity. In addition, they find that only the individual market responds to informative advertising content. Hence, dual-market firms can use persuasive content to achieve advertising economies.
Forecasting Daily Room Rates on the Basis of an LSTM Model in Difficult Times of Hong Kong: Evidence from Online Distribution Channels on the Hotel Industry

Given the influence of the financial-economic crisis, hotel room demand in Hong Kong has experienced a significant drop since June 2019. Given that studies on the room rate aspect remains limited, this study considers the demand for hotel rooms from different categories and districts. This study makes forecast attempts for room rates from mid-October of 2019 to mid-June of 2020, which was a difficult period for Hong Kong owing to the onset of the social unrest and novel coronavirus outbreak. This study develops an approach to the short-term forecasting of hotel daily room rates on the basis of the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model by leveraging the key properties of day-of-week to improve accuracy. This study collects a data set containing 235 hotels of the period from various online distribution channels and generates different time series data with the same day-of-week. This study verifies the proposed model through three baseline models, namely, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), support vector regression (SVR), and Naïve models. Findings shed light on how to lessen the impact of violent fluctuations by combining a rolling procedure with separate day-of-week time series for the hospitality industry. Hence, theoretical and managerial areas for hotel room demand forecasting are enriched on the basis of adjusting room pricing strategies for hoteliers in improving revenue management and making appropriate deals for customers in booking hotel rooms.
Predation by polyphagous carabid beetles on eggs of a pest slug: Potential implications of climate change

Harpalus rufipes and Poecilus cupreus are two widespread polyphagous carabids which are known to destroy eggs of the pest slug Deroceras reticulatum in the laboratory. To examine the effect of temperature on the predation of the eggs of D. reticulatum by H. rufipes and P. cupreus, a laboratory experiment with different temperatures and a semi‐field experiment including simulated warming were performed. In both experiments, H. rufipes killed more eggs than P. cupreus, and the predatory activity of the former increased significantly with increasing temperature. To our knowledge, this is the first study on predatory activity of polyphagous carabids on the eggs of a pest slug performed under a climate warming scenario. Results suggest that biological pest control performed by polyphagous carabids such as H. rufipes upon pest slugs may be enhanced under predicted climate warming conditions.
Stone diversity in wild and cultivated olive trees (Olea europaea L.)

The olive tree is represented in Tunisia by two varieties: var. sylvestris (wild olive trees) and var. europaea (cultivated olive trees including diverse cultivars). Seed (stone) size and shape analysis may provide the basis for relationships between varieties and cultivars as well as to study the responses to environmental conditions. A semi-automated method of image analysis allows to obtain data related with magnitudes descriptive of stone size and shape and to compare between wild and cultivated olives. Also, the effect of bioclimate on size and shape was analyzed in some cultivars. Stone size and shape presents high variability. In cultivated trees stones are larger. Mean seed image area is 0.38 and 0.75 cm2 for wild and cultivated plants respectively. Roundness and circularity were compared as to their potential to define seed shape. Mean values were higher for circularity, but roundness is more variable reaching higher values in some individuals and varieties. Roundness is more useful to compare seed shape variations. In addition, climate factors affect the stone characteristics in cultivars; those of sub-humid region having larger stones. Phenotypic parameters of stone are discriminating parameters for the analysis of intra-specific, intra-varieties and intra-cultivars variability in Olea europaea.
Microbiological Quality Assessment of Marketed Broiler Meat in Different Markets of Dhaka City

The present research work was undertaken to assess the bacterial quality and to know the prevalence of zoonotic bacteria from broiler meat samples sold in Krishi market, Bihari camp market, Agargaon market, Taltola market and SAU (Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University) mini bazar, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January to May 2018. After processing of samples primary culture was done in nutrient broth and nutrient agar media then pure culture was obtained from different selective media. Total Viable Count (TVC), Total Coliform Count (TCC) and Total Salmonella Count (TSC) in broiler meat of different broiler markets were determined. Mean of TVC, TCC and TSC for the Krishi market, Agargoan market, Taltola market, Bihari camp market and SAU Mini market were 5.67, 4.32, 2.96 log10 CFU/g, 5.88, 4.64, 3.56 log10 CFU/g, 6.10, 4.68, 3.78 log10 CFU/g, 6.68,4.87, 3.84 log10 CFU/g and 5.84, 4.25, 3.13 log10 CFU/g respectively. The prevalence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Were 74% and 42% respectively. E. coli isolates were showed sensitive to Ciprofloxacin (91.6%), Gentamycin (87.5%), Azithromycin (66.66%), and Tetracycline (58%) and resistant to Penicillin (79.16%) then Amoxycillin (75%), Streptomycin (75%) and Ampicillin (58.3%). Highest resistant pattern was showed by Tetracycline (58%), Streptomycin (72.72%), Penicillin (72.72%) and Amoxycillin (63.63%). Highest resistant pattern showed by Amoxycillin (71.42%) and Penicillin (71.42%). This study revealed that broiler meat sold at some local markets of Dhaka city were contaminated with multiple species of multidrug resistant bacteria which may risk for human health. Res. Agric. , Livest. Fish.7(2): 261-266, August 2020
Perineal Endometriosis: What to Do in These Cases - Analysis of 13 Patients

Objective: To analyse the clinical features of perineal endometriosis (PEM), its treatment and outcome. Methods: Prospective, single-centre study with 13 patients with PEM who were treated between 2011-2018 at Domingo Luciani Hospital and mean followed up for 58.4 months. Results: Mean age was 32,2 years. All cases had a history of vaginal delivery with an episiotomy. All complained of perineal pain related to the menstrual cycle; the perineal mass progressively increased in size and was tender during menstrual periods. Mean VAS was 7. 69,2% with rectal bleeding. The mean size of the lesion was 3.42 cm. CA125 levels were measured in all patients, 3 (23,1%) with abnormal range; all patients were subjected to transvaginal, endoanal ultrasonography (EUS) and FNAB before surgery. Anal sphincter (AS) involvement was demonstrated by EUS in 46.2% (6). Mean EUS pre-treatment volume 18.98 ml. First, these 6 patients received hormonal therapy based on GnRH and evaluated response. Mean EUS post-treatment volume 10.21 ml p < 0.05. Complete local excision was performed on all cases. Mean CCFIS preoperative was 2.46 and postoperative 3.01 p=0.01. No major complications or recurrences were noted. Conclusion: PEM presents with typical clinical features when it involves the AS, it could benefit from first a hormonal therapy before surgery. EUS is a useful preoperative tool to decide what we should do. The main idea at the time of surgery is performed a complete local excision with non-touch AS, and in cases where these aren’t possible, a sphincteroplasty is mandatory with good continence results, minor complications and no recurrences.
Low morbidity and mortality with COVID‐19 in sickle cell disease: A single center experience

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, which evolved into a global pandemic within a short time. Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) suffer from underlying cardiopulmonary comorbidities and are at risk of severe complications such as pneumonia, acute chest syndrome, thrombosis, stroke, and multiorgan failure. Whether COVID‐19 poses a high risk of morbidity and mortality in SCD patients remains unclear. Patients with SCD and COVID‐19 can present with overlapping clinical features such as respiratory symptoms with ground‐glass infiltrates, hyperinflammatory state, and increased risk of thromboembolism. This highlights the need to maintain a low threshold for testing for COVID‐19 infection among symptomatic and hospitalized SCD patients. We report a case series of nine hospitalized SCD patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 from March 18, 2020 to April 30, 2020 at a tertiary medical center in New York City. The mean age of the study population was 27.9 years, and interval since onset of symptoms and hospital presentation was 1–2 weeks. All patients in our series improved and were discharged home. This limited study shows that SCD patients, who are perceived to be high risk, maybe somehow protected from severe symptoms and complications of COVID‐19 infection.
Business techniques as an explanation of the autonomy-performance link in corporatized entities: evidence from Dutch Municipally owned corporations

Abstract Public services are often corporatized with the expectation that corporatization brings more business-like service delivery. However, the actual usage of business techniques is rarely studied as a factor that influences corporatization’s success. We study the mediating effect of business techniques on the autonomy-performance link among Dutch municipally owned corporations. We find that while the direct effect of autonomy on performance is statistically non-significant or negative, business techniques are both directly helpful for performance in MOCs and (partially) mediate the relationship between autonomy and performance.
Assessing inorganic arsenic in rice and its health risk to consumers in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

PurposeThe consumption of rice that contains high levels of inorganic arsenic may cause human health risk. This study aims to determine As species concentrations, particularly iAs, in raw rice in Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City and its health risks.Design/methodology/approachA total of 60 polished raw composite samples of rice were purchased from traditional markets and supermarkets in HCM City. All samples were analyzed by HPLC-ICPMS for As species determination.FindingsMean concentrations of inorganic arsenic in all samples, which were purchased from supermarket and traditional market, were 88.8 µg/kg and 80.6 µg/kg, respectively. Overall, inorganic arsenic level was 84.7 µg/kg and contributed the highest proportion of arsenic species in rice with 67.7%. The proportion profiles for arsenic species were: As (III) (60 %); dimethylarsinic acid (32.2 %); As (V) (7.7 %) and methylarsonic acid (0.1 %). Inorganic arsenic level in raw rice was below the recommendation of World Health Organization. Using the benchmark dose recommended by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), all exposure doses were lower than BMDL05. However, as the doses ranged from 3.0 to 8.6 of Margin of Exposure (MOE), the health risk of iAs from rice consumption remains public health concern.Originality/valueThe study results report on the surveillance data of the presence of inorganic arsenic in raw rice products, which are available in the supermarkets and traditional markets, and its health risk to consumers in a metropolitan city in Vietnam.
Predatory Behavior is Primary Predictor of Movement of Wildland-Urban Cougars

While many species have suffered from the detrimental impacts of increasing human population growth, some species, such as cougars (Puma concolor), have been observed using human-modified landscapes. However, human-modified habitat can be a source of both increased risk and increased food availability, particularly for large carnivores. Assessing preferential use of the landscape is important for managing wildlife and can be particularly useful in transitional habitats, such as at the wildland-urban interface. Preferential use is often evaluated using resource selection functions (RSFs), but RSFs do not adequately account for the habitat available to an individual at a given time and may mask conflict or avoidance behavior. Contemporary approaches to incorporate landscape availability into the assessment of habitat preference include spatio-temporal point process models, step-selection functions, and continuous-time Markov chain (CTMC) models; in contrast with the other methods, the CTMC model allows for explicit inference on animal movement. We used the CTMC framework to model speed and directionality of movement by a population of cougars inhabiting the Front Range of Colorado, U.S.A. , an area exhibiting rapid population growth and increased recreational use, as a function of individual variation and time-varying responses to landscape covariates. The time-varying framework allowed us to detect temporal variability that would be masked in a generalized linear model. We found evidence for individual- and daily temporal-variability in cougar response to landscape characteristics. Distance to nearest kill site emerged as the most important driver of movement at a population-level. We also detected seasonal differences in average response to elevation, heat loading, and distance to roads. Motility was also a function of amount of development, with cougars moving faster in developed areas than in undeveloped areas.