Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparative seabird diving physiology: first measures of haematological parameters and oxygen stores in three New Zealand Procellariiformes

Within breath-hold diving endotherms, procellariiform seabirds present an intriguing anomaly as they regularly dive to depths not predicted by allometric models. How this is achieved is not known as even basic measures of physiological diving capacity have not been undertaken in this group. To remedy this we combined time depth recorder (TDR) measurements of dive behaviour with haematology and oxygen store estimates for 3 procellariiform species (common diving petrels Pelecanoides urinatrix urinatrix; grey-faced petrels Pterodroma macro ptera gouldi; and sooty shearwaters Puffinus griseus) during their incubation phase. Among species, we found distinct differences in dive depth (average and maximal), dive duration and dives h �1 , with sooty shearwaters diving deeper and for longer than grey-faced petrels and common diving petrels. Conversely, common diving petrels dove much more frequently, albeit to shallow depths, whereas grey-faced petrels rarely dived whatsoever. Such differences in dive behaviour were reflected in haematological parameters, with sooty shearwaters having higher red blood cell counts and haematocrit (Hct) values compared to common diving and grey-faced petrels; whereas common diving petrels had significantly lower Hct but possessed higher haemoglobin concentrations per cell and greater respiratory oxygen stores than both sooty shearwaters and grey-faced petrels. Such results provide the first insights into the physiological traits underpinning procellariiform dive behaviour, and confirm the trend for deep-diving seabirds to have proportionally lower blood and respiratory oxygen stores than shallow divers.
Bilateral adrenalectomy worsens gastric mucosal lesions induced by indomethacin in the rat

Abstract The mechanism by which bilateral adrenalectomy worsens indomethacin-induced gastric lesions was investigated in rats. In sham-operated rats subcutaneously administered indomethacin produced gastric lesions at doses of 10 mg/kg body wt or greater, in association with lowering of blood glucose levels. In a parallel study, indomethacin induced gastric hypermotility at the same dose levels but had no effect on acid output or mucosal blood flow even at 25 mg/kg body wt. Adrenalectomy (2 wk) itself significantly reduced the blood glucose levels (~50%) and markedly potentiated the ulcerogenic and motility responses caused by indomethacin; the ED 50 values dropped to ~10 times lower than those in sham-operated rats. Both acid output and mucosal blood flow were significantly reduced by adrenalectomy, but these values were increased after indomethacin treatment (3 mg/kg body wt). The ulcerogenic and motility responses caused by indomethacin were significantly reduced by acute infusion of glucose (25% wt/wt, 1.2 ml/h) intravenously in both sham-operated and adrenalectomized rats, and by subcutaneous administration of hydrocortisone acetate (10 mg/kg body wt for 2 wk) in the latter group. When the motility and the ulcer score were determined in the same animals, a highly significant relationship was found between these two factors in both sham-operated and adrenalectomized rats. These results suggest that (a) the increased gastric motility may be a key element in the pathogenesis of indomethacin-induced lesions and in the mechanism for aggravation of the lesions by adrenalectomy, and (b) abrasion of adrenal glands by inducing hypoglycemia may sensitize the system to indomethacin and increase gastric motility.
Categorical perception of bird song: how do great tits (Parus major) perceive temporal variation in their song?

Des etudes realisees chez les mammiferes (l'homme en particulier) ont montre que la perception categorielle de variations continues est commune avec certains sons du discours. Chez la mesange charbonniere, certains chants ont ete classes par des chercheurs sur la base d'une variable continue: la longueur de la phrase. Cette experience teste si les sons qui presentent des variations de cette caracteristique sont percus categoriellement
Mixed risk-spreading strategies and the population dynamics of a Brazilian pasture pest, Deois flavopicta (Homoptera: Cercopidae).

Deois flavopicta (Stal) is a predominant species of grass-feeding spittle bug in Central Brazil. The climate in this region is a humid/dry cycle with year-long mild temperatures. We investigated the population dynamics, diapause, and voltinism of this insect. D. flavopicta has 3 population peaks during the rainy season, and it diapauses in the egg stage during the dry season. The proportion of offspring entering diapause varies, with few or no diapausing eggs in the beginning of the rainy season and up to 100% eggs in diapause by the season end. Diapausing eggs hatched in 61-360 d. Fifty-two percent of the eggs, however, end diapause in September and October, the most probable period for the 1st heavy rains of the season. High local populations of D. flavopicta may severely damage a host plant, making it unsuitable for the development of future generations of the insect. Apparently, this species migrates to other feeding sites when faced with low nutritional quality food.
Research Note Genetic variability study in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. for green fodder yield and related traits

A field experiment was carried out in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. ) with 30 genotypes including three check varieties, to study genetic variability for green fodder yield and its related characters. The observations were recorded on individual plant basis for five randomly selected plants of each genotype for each replication for plant height, leaf length, leaf width, stem thickness, internode length and spike length. Days to 50% flowering, number of tillers per meter row length, dry matter per cent, dry matter yield, leaf area, green fodder yield and ash content were observed on plot basis. The results revealed that the genotypes were significantly different for all the 13 characters, indicating sufficient variability in the experimental material. The characters dry matter yield, leaf: stem ratio, green fodder yield, leaf area, spike length and number of tillers per meter row length showed high GCV and PCV. High estimates of heritability along with high genetic advance (% of mean) were observed for number of tillers per meter row length, leaf stem ratio, spike length, green fodder yield, dry matter yield and leaf area. Therefore, selection for these characters will be more effective.
Oviposition Marking Pheromone of Two Bean Weevils, Callosobruchus chinensis and Callosobruchus maculatus

アズキゾウムシ, ヨツモンマメゾウムシは寄主アズキへ均等に産卵するが, これは卵とBCS (生物的条件づけ物質) による条件づけが少ないほうのアズキを選び, 雌が産卵していくためである. このBCSは雌雄が分泌しアズキに付着するが, 雌からのものが主な役割を果たしている. これらのマメゾウムシはBCSの多少を判別するが, 産卵阻止活性はなかった. また両種からのBCSは相互に働き, 類似の物質と考えられる. 以上よりBCSは産卵目印フェロモンといえる.
Confirmatory factor analytic procedures for assessing change during organizational entry

Des procedures d'analyse factorielle confirmatoires estimant les changements survenus au niveau des constructs lies au travail (ex: implication organisationnelle) et leur reconstitution par les individus lors de leur entree en organisation sont appliquees a 101 programmes de doctorat de nouveau-venus. Applications possibles de ces procedures a d'autres domaines
Coins Are Cold and Cards Are Caring: The Effect of Pregiving Incentives on Charity Perceptions, Relationship Norms, and Donation Behavior

Charities often include low-value monetary (e.g., coins) and nonmonetary (e.g., greeting cards) pregiving incentives (PGIs) in their donation request letters. Yet little is known about how donors respond to this marketing strategy. In seven studies, including two large-scale field experiments, the authors demonstrate that the effectiveness of PGIs depends on the organization’s goals. People are more likely to open and read a letter containing a monetary PGI (vs. a nonmonetary PGI or no PGI). In addition, monetary PGIs increase response rates in donor acquisition campaigns. However, the return on investment for direct mail campaigns drops significantly when PGIs are included. Furthermore, average donations for appeals with a nonmonetary PGI or no PGI are similar, while those with a monetary PGI are actually lower than when a nonmonetary PGI or no PGI is included. This is because monetary PGIs increase exchange norms while decreasing communal norms. This effect remains significant when accounting for alternative explanations such as manipulative intent and the anchoring and adjustment heuristic.
A Novel Dried Blood Spot Detection Strategy for Characterizing Cardiovascular Diseases

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in China. Conventional diagnostic methods are dependent on advanced instruments, which are expensive, inaccessible, and inconvenient in underdeveloped areas. To build a novel dried blood spot (DBS) detection strategy for imaging CVDs, in this study, a total of 12 compounds, including seven amino acids [homocysteine (Hcy), isoleucine (Ile), leucine (Leu), valine (Val), phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), and tryptophan (Trp)], three amino acid derivatives [choline, betaine, and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)], L-carnitine, and creatinine, were screened for their ability to identify CVD. A rapid and reliable method was established for the quantitative analysis of the 12 compounds in DBS. A total of 526 CVD patients and 200 healthy volunteers in five provinces of China were recruited and divided into the following groups: stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis (OPLSDA) model was used to characterize the difference between each CVD group. Marked differences between the groups based on the OPLSDA model were observed. Based on the model, the patients in the three training sets were mostly accurately categorized into the appropriate group. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and logistic regression of each metabolite chosen by the OPLSDA model had an excellent predictive value in both the test and validation groups. DBS detection of 12 biomarkers was sensitive and powerful for characterizing different types of CVD. Such differentiation may reduce unnecessary invasive coronary angiography, enhance predictive value, and complement current diagnostic methods.
Antipsychotic Treatment Failure: A Systematic Review on Risk Factors and Interventions for Treatment Adherence in Psychosis

Objective: Antipsychotic medication non-adherence has detrimental effects on patients' clinical outcome. It is unclear which risk factors affect adherence most and which interventions are effective at improving adherence to antipsychotic medication. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize evidence exploring risk factors of non-adherence to antipsychotic treatment and effectiveness of intervention to improve adherence in patients with psychotic spectrum disorders. Methods: We conducted a systematic search in PubMed from 1994 to 2019 using a structured search strategy. Studies were quality assessed, and studies reporting on possible risk factors and intervention strategies were synthesized. Results: We reviewed 26 studies on factors related to antipsychotic medication adherence and 17 studies on interventions to improve adherence in patients with psychosis spectrum disorders. Risk factors of non-adherence included younger age, poor illness insight, cannabis abuse, and the presence of severe positive symptoms. Antipsychotic medication adherence was associated with positive attitude toward medication of both patients and their family, family involvement, and illness insight. Somewhat consistent evidence was found for interventions involving family and technology-based interventions and strategies combining depot medication with psychoeducation. However, given the wide range of heterogeneous interventions and methodological limitations, findings must be interpreted with caution. Conclusion: Despite much effort invested in the research area of antipsychotic medication adherence, the heterogeneity in study design and outcome, adding to confounding effects and possible biases, and methodological restraints complicate comparability of the results. Future research in this field should therefore be conducted on patient-tailored interventions, considering risk factors affecting the patient and implementing well-validated, standardized assessment methods. Accordingly, this systematic review seeks to facilitate endeavors improving adherence to antipsychotic treatment by identifying modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors, outlining effective intervention strategies, and proposing recommendations to enhance adherence strategies.
Using three-dimensional geometric morphometric and dental topographic analyses to infer the systematics and paleoecology of fossil treeshrews (Mammalia, Scandentia)

Abstract. Treeshrews are small, Indomalayan mammals closely related to primates. Previously, three-dimensional geometric morphometric analyses were used to assess patterns of treeshrew lower second molar morphology, which showed that the positions of molar landmarks covary with intraordinal systematics. Another analysis used dental topographic metrics to test patterns of functional dental morphology and found that molar curvature, complexity, and relief were an effective means for examining patterns of variation in treeshrew dietary ecology. Here, we build on these analyses by adding two fossil taxa, Prodendrogale yunnanica Qiu, 1986 from the Miocene of China and Ptilocercus kylin Li and Ni, 2016 from the Oligocene of China. Our results show that Pr. yunnanica had a dental bauplan more like that of a tupaiid than that of a ptilocercid, but that the extant tupaiids, including Tupaia and Dendrogale, are more similar to one another in this regard than any are to Prodendrogale. This is contrary to our expectations as Prodendrogale is hypothesized to be most closely related to Dendrogale. Ptilocercus kylin, which has been proposed to be the sister taxon of Pt. lowii Gray, 1848, is characterized by dental morphology like that of Pt. lowii in crest and cuspal position but is interpreted to have been more frugivorous. It has been claimed that Ptilocercus has undergone little morphological change through time. Our results suggest that Pt. kylin was more ecologically distinct from Pt. lowii than previously proposed, providing a glimpse into a more complex evolutionary history of the group than had been inferred.
Comparative Proteomics Analysis of LCM Purified Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Normal Nasopharyngeal Epithelial Tissue

To search for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) biomarkers,laser capture microdissection (LCM) was used to purify the target cells from NPC and normal nasopharyngeal epithelial tissues (NNET). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) was performed to separate the total proteins of microdissected NPC and NNEC,PDQuest software was applied to analyze 2-DE images,and the differential protein spots between the two types of tissues were identified by both MALDI-TOF-MS and ESI-Q-TOF-MS. The expression of cytokeratin 8(CK8),one of the differential proteins,in the microdissected NPC and NNEC as well as 4 NPC cell lines with different differentiated degrees and/or metastatic potentials was detected by Western blot. Immunohistochemistry was also used to detect the expression of CK8 in paraffin-embedded tissues including 63 cases of primary NPC,28 cases of NNET and 20 cases of cervical lymphonode metastasis. In the present study,2-DE patterns of microdissected NPC and NNEC were established,and 29 differential proteins in the above two tissues were identified,of which 15 only expressed or up-regulated in NPC and 14 only expressed or up-regulated in NNET. The expression level of differential protein CK8 between the NPC and NNET was selectively confirmed,and was found to be related to the differentiation and/or metastasis of NPC cell lines. Significant down-regulation of CK8 was observed in NPC compared with NNET,and significant up-regulation of CK8 was also observed in lymphonode metastasis compared with primary NPC. The data suggest that CK8 may be related to the differentiation and lymphonode metastasis of NPC,and may serve as molecular biomarkers for metastasis and differentiation of NPC.
Effects of Inter-organizational Justice on Dimensions of Organizational Citizenship Behaviours: A Study on Kuwait Ministries’ Employees

The aim of this article is to model the relationships between three different dimensions of inter-organizational justice (procedural, interactional and distributive) and their influence on five dimensions of organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) (altruism, sportsmanship, conscientiousness, courtesy and civic virtue) in public sector organizations. The partial least square (PLS) path method was used to explore the nature of the relationships. The survey was self-administered to 573 employees working in nine different government ministries in Kuwait, with a response rate of 373. The results indicate that employees’ perceptions of interactional justice positively influence their perceptions of procedural justice, distributive justice, altruism, civic virtue, conscientiousness, courtesy and sportsmanship. In addition, the results showed the perceived interactional justice of employees has an indirect effect on all dimensions of OCBs through their distributive justice perceptions. The results also revealed that interactional justice has only an indirect effect on altruism, sportsmanship, and courtesy through procedural fairness. Directors of public organizations should pay particular attention to offering a higher level of interactive justice that can strongly improve employee perception of distributive and procedural justice. This, in turn, may show high degrees of civic virtue, sportsmanship, altruism, courtesy, and conscience behavior among employees.
Feeding habits of Eucinostomus entomelas and Micropogonias megalops in Las Guasimas lagoon Gulf of California

The trophic spectrum of both Eucinostomus entomelas and Micropogonias megalops, the two most abundant fish species in Laguna Las Guásimas, Sonora, México is described in our study. A total of 21 types of prey were identified belonging to seven taxonomic groups (Crustacea, Mollusca, Annelida, Rhodophyta, Copepoda, Echinodermata and Chordata) to analyse the feeding spectra and diet breadth. The preferred prey items of Eucinostomus entomelas (Dark-spot mojarra) were Polichaeta (index of relative importance = 46.7%), followed by bivalves (36.6%), and Luidia columbia (5.6%), while those of Micropogonias megalops (Bigeye croaker) were Portunidae (22.8%) followed by Gammaridae (20.55%) and Crustacea (18.37%). The trophic spectrum for male E. entomela was composed of Bivalvia and Polychaeta. Both predators showed low values in diet breadth (E. entomelas (Levin's index Bi = 0.14) and M. megalops (Levins's index Bi = 0.43)). The low trophic overlap (Cλ = 0.14) between predators suggests that both fish are not competing with each other for food resources in Laguna Las Guásimas.
Biogeographical and ecological factors associated with kill rates of an apex predator

Kill rates and functional responses are fundamental to the study of predator ecology and the understanding of predatory-prey dynamics. As the most widely distributed apex predator in the western hemisphere pumas (Puma concolor) have been widely studied yet a biogeographical synthesis of their kill rates is currently lacking. We reviewed the literature and compiled data on sex- and age-specific kill rate estimates of pumas on ungulates, and conducted analyses aimed at understanding ecological factors explaining the observed variation across their range. Kill rate studies on pumas, while numerous, were primarily conducted in Temperate Conifer Forests (< 10% of puma range), revealing a dearth of knowledge across much of their range, especially from tropical and subtropical habitats. Across studies, kill rates in ungulates/week were highest for adult females with kitten(s) (1.24 ± 0.41 ungulates/week) but did not vary significantly between adult males (0.84 ± 0.18) and solitary adult females (0.99 ± 0.26). Kill rates in kg/day did not differ significantly among reproductive classes. Kill rates of adult pumas increased with ungulate density. Ungulate species richness had a weak negative association with adult male kill rates. Neither scavenger richness, the proportion of non-ungulate prey in the diet, nor regional human population density had a significant effect on ungulate kill rates. Our results had a strong temperate-ecosystem bias highlighting the need for further research across the diverse biomes pumas occupy in order to make species level inferences. Data from more populations would also allow for multivariate analyses providing deeper inference into the ecological and behavioural factors driving kill rates and functional responses of pumas, and apex predators in general.
Experimental Analysis of Interactions Among Saprotrophic Fungi from A Phosphorous-Poor Desert Oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert

Abstract Fungal ecological interactions play a key role in structuring community assemblages. These associations may involve both antagonistic and synergistic relationships, which are commonly influenced by abiotic factors such as nutrient conditions. However, information for extreme, oligotrophic systems remain poor. Herein, interactions among key members of the aquatic transient fungal community (Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium sp., and Coprinellus micaceus) of a low-nutrient freshwater system in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin, Mexico were studied. Pairwise interaction bioassays were explored in vitro under different nutrient conditions, including carbohydrates-rich, carbohydrates and amino peptides-rich, and low nutrients. Our results indicated that antagonistic patterns prevail among the studied taxa. However, nutrient-dependent changes were observed in Cladosporium sp. shifting to synergy under carbohydrates-rich conditions, suggesting changes in the fungal community composition as a result of nutrient enrichment. Remarkably, our findings contrast with previous work demonstrating mainly synergistic interactions between our tested fungal isolates and co-occurring autochthonous bacteria (Aeromonas spp. and Vibrio sp.) under low-nutrient conditions. This observation may indicate that bacteria and fungi exhibit distinct community-level responses, driven by nutrient conditions. This contributes to the knowledge of fungal community dynamics and interspecific interactions in an oligotrophic ecosystem, highlighting the relevance of nutrient-based shifts and antagonistic interactions in ecosystem dynamics.
Revision of the African Ants of the Bothroponera talpa Species Complex (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae)

ABSTRACT The B. talpa species complex includes 8 valid species and 4 synonyms, including: Bothroponera cribrata, B. fugax, B. pachyderma (= B. pachyderma var. attenata syn. nov., = B. pachyderma var. postsquamosa syn. nov., = B. pachyderma var. funerea syn. nov.), B. rubescens, B. sanguinea, B. sculpturata (= B. mlanjiensis syn. nov.), B. talpa (= Psalidomyrmyx clavicornis) and B. zumpti. These species share similar characters such as the shape of the clypeus, the relative length of the antennal scape, mandibular shape and sculpture. The anterior medial margin of the clypeus is convex or straight with a slightly concave anterior border. The scape does not reach or barely reaches the posterior lateral corner of the head. The mandibles are triangular with striae and 6–7 teeth. There is no metatibial gland on the distal anterior surface of the posterior tibia. Diagnoses, descriptions, comparisons, illustrations, distributions, photographs and other ecological and biological information are provided. A taxonomic key is provided for the worker caste. Key words: Afrotropical, ants, Formicidae, biodiversity