Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term evaluation of scientific-echosounder performance

Knudsen, H. P. 2009. Long-term evaluation of scientific-echosounder performance. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1335-1340.When scientific acoustic instruments are utilized for quantitative measurements of underwater biological resources, it is extremely important to know their overall performance, and it is imperative to measure their stability over time. Echosounders mounted on research vessels are therefore routinely calibrated several times annually, often immediately before, during, and after important resource-assessment surveys. In recent years, multifrequency systems for acoustic surveys requiring species identification and categorization based on the frequency response of targets have been introduced, further emphasizing the importance of monitoring instrument performance. In the 1970s, hydrophones and steel spheres were used as alternative references for calibrations. Substantial variations of system performance were observed, however, and gradually it was accepted that the use of hydrophones was inappropriate, because their performance varied more than that of the instruments being calibrated. Not until optimized reference targets were introduced in ca. 1980, was it possible to monitor the stability of acoustic-survey equipment with an acceptable degree of confidence. For the first time, the true, long-term stability of transducers, including ageing effects, could be accurately measured. This paper gives examples of calibration time-series for several Norwegian research vessels operating in various regions from Arctic to tropical waters.
Acute toxicity and sublethal effects of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid on the fitness of Helicoverpa armígera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The fitness of Helicoverpa armígera (Hübner) was determined using demographic studies on the F1 generation that survived after exposure to four sublethal doses (LC50, LC30, LC20 and LC10) of imidacloprid. The effects were assessed on the surviving individuals emerged from sixth-instar larvae that had ingested imidacloprid-treated chickpea pods. Age-specific parameters were found to be highest with the commencement of age and gradually decreased with the progression of age in both the treated and non-treated groups. Survivorship was reduced to 37 days after exposure to the sublethal dose of LC50 when compared with 42 days in groups not exposed to the insecticide. The highest number (17%) of unhatched eggs was recorded in insects treated with the LC50 dose of imidacloprid, whereas 98% of the eggs hatched in the unexposed group. The potential fecundity of the F1 generation females was reduced to 330 eggs/female/generation when treated with the LC50 dose compared with that of the unexposed females. The intrinsic rate of increase was found to be least in insects exposed to the LC20 dose (0.0355 females/ female/day) and highest (0.0470) in the unexposed group. It took 38.83 days for H. armígera to complete one generation in the unexposed population, while this was reduced to 33.94 days after exposure to the sublethal dose of LC50 The longevity of adults decreased when the larvae were exposed to the sublethal dose of imidacloprid. The developmental time of pre-pupae and pupae significantly decreased and was least when exposed to the highest sublethal dose of the insecticide. Thus, at sublethal doses, imidacloprid caused a significant reduction in the survival and fecundity as well as increased mortality of H. armígera in the subsequent generation after exposure to the insecticide. In conclusion, imidacloprid can be successfully incorporated into integrated pest management of H. armígera.
Heritability of Age at First Calving

Abstract High heritabilities of age at first calving reported by a number of researchers may be due to confounding of service sires and time heifers were bred. Heritabilities from paternal half-sister analyses of variance models which included the effects of period of birth were less than from models where these were not included. Heritabilities were . 22 and . 23 from data on Holstein cows in institutional herds in Ohio and herds in California.
Zooplankton growth rates: diel egg production in the copepods Oithona, Euterpina and Corycaeus from tropical waters

Clear diel periodicity in the timing of egg laying was observed in the tropical cyclopoid cope- pods Oithona plumifera, Oithona nana, Oithona simplex and Corycaeus amazomcus, and the harpacti- coid Euterpina acutifrons in waters surrounding Jamaica, West Indies. Individual females incubated under ambient food conditions for multiple clutches displayed remarkable constancy in their clutch durations (= egg or embryonic development time). All species exhibited clutch durations of 20-23 h and cycle durations (= sum of clutch and inter-clutch durations) of 24 h, except for the offshore species O.plumifera where the clutch duration was 36 h and the cycle duration 48 or 72 h. Egg laying appeared to be synchronized by photoperiod, occurring around dawn for most species. In order to avoid biases, diel periodicity must be accounted for in estimates of egg production rates, and future efforts should concentrate on the responses of clutch size and interclutch durations to natural food climates.
Diagnostic efficacy of FNAC by liquid based technique versus conventional smear in lung and mediastinal masses

Background: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) has proven to be less costly and less invasive procedure than biopsy for diagnosing benign and malignant lesions. Of the two methods liquid based cytology (LBC) and conventional cytology (CC), LBC has been standardized as more efficacious in reporting in Gynaecological cases. But, this is still lacking in non-gynaecological cases and many studies are now focusing on studying LBC due to its proven advantages in Pap smear evaluation. Methods: An observational study of 72 patients with lung mass and 11 with mediastinal mass was done for a period of six months in a tertiary care hospital in Gurugram to compare the diagnostic efficacy of LBC and CC in fine needle aspirates from lung/mediastinal mass. Results: Of the 83 cases, reporting of LBC was adequate in 75 cases and CC in only 53 cases. LBC was better when differentiating malignant and benign lesions than CC. CC smears had better cellularity in comparison to LBC smears (36%), but rest cytological features of cytoplasmic detailing, cell architecture, less background debris and blood were all more appreciable in LBC smears than CC preparations. Conclusions: LBC is a better method than conventional smear for smear preparation and processing of aspirates obtained from lung and mediastinal mass.
Challenges of DNA-Based Mark–Recapture Studies of American Black Bears

Abstract We explored whether genetic sampling would be feasible to provide a region-wide population estimate for American black bears (Ursus americanus) in the southern Appalachians, USA. Specifically, we determined whether adequate capture probabilities (p > 0.20) and population estimates with a low coefficient of variation (CV < 20%) could be achieved given typical agency budget and personnel constraints. We extracted DNA from hair collected from baited barbed-wire enclosures sampled over a 10-week period on 2 study areas: a high-density black bear population in a portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a lower density population on National Forest lands in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. We identified individual bears by their unique genotypes obtained from 9 microsatellite loci. We sampled 129 and 60 different bears in the National Park and National Forest study areas, respectively, and applied closed mark–recapture models to estimate population abundance. Capture probabilities and precision of the population estimates were acceptable only for sampling scenarios for which we pooled weekly sampling periods. We detected capture heterogeneity biases, probably because of inadequate spatial coverage by the hair-trapping grid. The logistical challenges of establishing and checking a sufficiently high density of hair traps make DNA-based estimates of black bears impractical for the southern Appalachian region. Alternatives are to estimate population size for smaller areas, estimate population growth rates or survival using mark–recapture methods, or use independent marking and recapturing techniques to reduce capture heterogeneity.
Extreme seascape drives local recruitment and genetic divergence in brooding and spawning corals in remote north‐west Australia

Management strategies designed to conserve coral reefs threatened by climate change need to incorporate knowledge of the spatial distribution of inter‐ and intra‐specific genetic diversity. We characterized patterns of genetic diversity and connectivity using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in two reef‐building corals to explore the eco‐evolutionary processes that sustain populations in north‐west Australia. Our sampling focused on the unique reefs of the Kimberley; we collected the broadcast spawning coral Acropora aspera (n = 534) and the brooding coral Isopora brueggemanni (n = 612) across inter‐archipelago (tens to hundreds of kilometres), inter‐reef (kilometres to tens of kilometres) and within‐reef (tens of metres to a few kilometres) scales. Initial analysis of A. aspera identified four highly divergent lineages that were co‐occurring but morphologically similar. Subsequent population analyses focused on the most abundant and widespread lineage, Acropora asp‐c. Although the overall level of geographic subdivision was greater in the brooder than in the spawner, fundamental similarities in patterns of genetic structure were evident. Most notably, limits to gene flow were observed at scales <35 kilometres. Further, we observed four discrete clusters and a semi‐permeable barrier to dispersal that were geographically consistent between species. Finally, sites experiencing bigger tides were more connected to the metapopulation and had greater gene diversity than those experiencing smaller tides. Our data indicate that the inshore reefs of the Kimberley are genetically isolated from neighbouring oceanic bioregions, but occasional dispersal between inshore archipelagos is important for the redistribution of evolutionarily important genetic diversity. Additionally, these results suggest that networks of marine reserves that effectively protect reefs from local pressures should be spaced within a few tens of kilometres to conserve the existing patterns of demographic and genetic connectivity.
The Nigeria Parkinson Disease Registry: Process, Profile, and Prospects of a Collaborative Project

Clinical disease registries are useful for quality improvement in care, benchmarking standards, and facilitating research. Collaborative networks established thence can enhance national and international studies by generating more robust samples and credible data and promote knowledge sharing and capacity building. This report describes the methodology, baseline data, and prospects of the Nigeria Parkinson Disease Registry.
Contrasting seed germination responses to red and far-red light in Leptospermum scoparium and Melicytus ramiflorus

Effects of red light (R) and far-red light (FR), and selected photon flux densities (PFD) of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) on seed germination in the photoblastic, primary colonising species Leptospermum scoparium J. R. et G. Forst. and the late secondary successional Melicytus ramiflorus J. R. et G. Forst. were studied. A continuous R dose response curve forL. scoparium germination was developed, unifying data from experiments using long-term exposure to PAR with those following short-term exposure to R. The threshold R dose needed to effect germination was ~0.1 mmol m –2 , and the response was saturated at 1000 mmol m –2 . Stimulation of germination by R was reversed by a subsequent exposure to FR. These features are consistent with a low-fluence response mediated by phytochrome B. FR reversal of germination was achieved at a dose two orders of magnitude lower than that of R required to induce initial germination. However, when both R and FR were provided simultaneously, the FR dose needed to even partially inhibit germination (34% compared to > 95% in controls) was two orders of magnitude higher than the R dose (R:FR ratio = 0.007). Germination in L. scoparium was also stimulated in up to 12% of seed upon diurnal exposure to FR, or by green light (~2 mol m –2 ), indicating a very-low-fluence response mediated by phytochrome A also operating in this species. In contrast, seed germination in M. ramiflorus was relatively unresponsive to R, and secondary dormancy was induced by high PFD (515 mol m –2 s –1 ).
The Effects of Temperature and Light Integral on the Phases of Photoperiod Sensitivity inPetunia×hybrida

Abstract Flowering in petunias is hastened by long days, but little is known about when the plants are most sensitive to photoperiod, or how light integral or temperature affect such phases of sensitivity. The effects of these factors on time to flowering was investigated using reciprocal transfer experiments between long (16 h d -1 ) and short days (8 h d -1 ). The effect of light integral on the phases of photoperiod sensitivity was examined using two sowing dates and a shading treatment (53% transmission). The effects of temperature were investigated by conducting reciprocal transfer experiments in glasshouse compartments at five temperature regimes (means of 13.7, 19.2, 22.3, 25.0 and 28.7 °C). The length of the photoperiod-insensitive juvenile phase of development, when flowering cannot be induced by any environmental stimulus, was sensitive to light integral; low light integrals prolonged this phase, from 23 d at 2.6 MJ m -2 d -1 to 36 d at 1.6 MJ m -2 d -1 (total solar radiation). The length of this development phase was shortest (12.5 d) at 21 °C; it was longer under cooler (21 d at 13.5 °C) and warmer temperatures (17.6 d at 28.3 °C). After this phase, time to flowering was influenced greatly by photoperiod, with long days hastening flowering by between 28 and 137 d, compared with short days. Plants also showed some sensitivity to both temperature and light integral during this phase, but the duration of the final phase of flower development, during which plants were photoperiod-insensitive, was dependent primarily on the temperature at which the plants were grown; at 14.5 °C, 33.9 d were required to complete this phase compared with 11.4 d at 25.5 °C. The experimental approach gave valuable information on the phases of sensitivity to photothermal environment during the flowering process, and could provide the basis of a more physiologically-based quantitative model of flowering than has hitherto been attempted. The information is also useful in the scheduling of lighting and temperature treatments to give optimal flowering times of high quality plants.
Field measurements and wind tunnel experimental investigations of wind effects on Guangzhou West Tower

The wind‐induced acceleration responses at the top of the Guangzhou West Tower (GZWT; 432 m) and the wind speed and direction at the top of Guangzhou Tower (532 m), which is located across the GZWT, were measured during the passage of Typhoon Mangkhut. The two buildings are separated by a river. The variation characteristics of the first two natural frequencies and damping ratios of the GZWT under strong vibrations are obtained by using random decrement technique (RDT) and modified Bayesian spectral density approach (MBSDA). Finally, field measurements of the maximum peak accelerations are compared with wind tunnel test results. The damping ratios identified by MBSDA are found to be greater than the results obtained by RDT. The natural frequencies decrease with increasing maximum acceleration of the corresponding acceleration segment. Besides, they decrease firstly and then increase with time elapses, reaching a minimum value at the maximum mean wind speed. The damping ratios are completely discrete, and no obvious linear correlation exists between the damping ratios and maximum acceleration of the corresponding acceleration segment. The peak accelerations at the top of the GZWT obtained from wind tunnel experiment agree well with that of full‐scale measurements.
Unique aspects of cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration in Brassica napus

Two male sterile cytoplasms, nap and pol, are found in the oilseed rape species Brassica napus. As with many other forms of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), the mtDNA regions implicated in specifying the two forms of male sterility contain novel open reading frames (ORFs). Unlike other CMS-associated ORFs, however, a high level of sequence similarity extends over the entire length of the nap and pol CMS-associated ORFs. Moreover, in other plant species where more than one form of CMS is found, the nuclear genes that restore fertility to various male sterile cytoplasms represent distinct genes that map to different nuclear loci. The restorers for the nap and pol cytoplasms (Rfn and Rfp, respectively), however, represent different alleles or haplotypes of a single nuclear locus. Both alleles specify factors that influence mtRNA processing events, but the specific processing events conditioned by the two alleles are different, suggesting that the factors encoded by these genes recognize distinct RNA structural features. Finally, unlike other nuclear genes that affect mitochondrial gene expression, Rfn is capable of modifying the expression of multiple mtDNA regions, some of which are not associated with CMS. Findings made based on this observation are consistent with the view that new alleles of a restorer locus arise in response to natural selective pressures generated by the appearance of new male sterile cytoplasms.
Dendrochronology of a Rare, Long-Lived Mediterranean Shrub

ABSTRACT Ceanothus verrucosus (CEVE) is a globally rare, long-lived, chaparral shrub endemic to coastal southern California (CA) and northern Mexico. There is concern for CEVE persistence because of habitat loss, fire, and climate change, yet little is known about basic features of the plant, including whether it contains annual rings, plant age, and climate–growth response. Growth-ring analysis was challenging because of semi-ring-porous structure, false, and missing rings. We successfully crossdated CEVE annual rings, primarily from Cabrillo National Monument, CA, using a nearby Pinus torreyana chronology. The oldest living individual had 116 rings; the oldest inner-ring date was 1873; and most of the plants established between 1894 and 1905, all older than previous estimates. CEVE mortality occurred during a dry period from the late 1940s through the early 1960s. Correlations between age and stem measurements were weak to moderate (r = 0.10 to 0.56) posing challenges for field-based estimates of plant ages, which are important for population modeling. Variability in CEVE ring width had a strong positive correlation with prior cool-season (October–April) precipitation, yet 2- to 7-day warm-season precipitation events were recorded as rare false rings in multiple years, indicating extreme plasticity in cambial phenology and growth response to moisture.
Effects of body size and prey quality on the reproductive attributes of two aphidophagous Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) species

Abstract In the present study, effects of body size and prey quality on reproductive attributes and longevity of two aphidophagous Coccinellidae (Coleoptera), Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus) and Coccinella transversalis Fabricius, have been investigated in laboratory conditions. Higher fecundity, egg fertility, and longevity were obtained in larger females of C. septempunctata on pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and in C. transversalis on bean aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Males of C. septempunctata survived longer than those of C. transversalis on both prey. Number of clutches was lower and clutch size was higher in early and late reproductive phase; the reverse was observed in the middle of the reproductive phase. Larger females of C. septempunctata and C. transversalis laid higher number of clutches than the smaller ones. Thus, both body size and prey quality affect reproductive performance in Coccinellidae, though size variation did not change the prey preference. Résumé Dans notre étude, nous examinons les effets de la taille corporelle et de la qualité des proies sur les caractéristiques reproductives et la longévité chez deux Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) aphidophages, Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus) et Coccinella transversalis (Fabricius), dans des conditions de laboratoire. On observe une fécondité, une fertilité des œufs et une longévité plus élevées chez les femelles de plus grande taille de C. septempunctata nourries de pucerons du pois, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), et de C. transversalis nourries de pucerons de la gourgane, Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Les mâles de C. septempunctata survivent plus longtemps que ceux de C. transversalis lorsqu'alimentés des deux proies. Le nombre de pontes est plus petit et la taille des pontes plus grande tôt et tard durant la phase areproductive et l'inverse se produit au milieu de la phase reproductive. Les femelles plus grandes de C. septempunctata et de C. transversalis déposent un plus grand nombre de pontes que les femelles plus petites. Ainsi, la taille corporelle et la qualité des proies affectent la performance reproductive chez les Coccinellidae, bien que la variation de la taille ne modifie pas la préférence des proies.
Improving Surface PM2.5 Forecasts in the United States Using an Ensemble of Chemical Transport Model Outputs: 1. Bias Correction With Surface Observations in Nonrural Areas

This work is the first of a two‐part study that aims to develop a computationally efficient bias correction framework to improve surface PM2.5 forecasts in the United States. Here, an ensemble‐based Kalman filter (KF) technique is developed primarily for nonrural areas with approximately 500 surface observation sites for PM2.5 and applied to three (GEOS‐Chem, WRF‐Chem, and WRF‐CMAQ) chemical transport model (CTM) hindcast outputs for June 2012. While all CTMs underestimate daily surface PM2.5 mass concentration by 20–50%, KF correction is effective for improving each CTM forecast. Subsequently, two ensemble methods are formulated: (1) the arithmetic mean ensemble (AME) that equally weights each model and (2) the optimized ensemble (OPE) that calculates the individual model weights by minimizing the least‐square errors. While the OPE shows superior performance than the AME, the combination of either the AME or the OPE with a KF performs better than the OPE alone, indicating the effectiveness of the KF technique. Overall, the combination of a KF with the OPE shows the best results. Lastly, the Successive Correction Method (SCM) was applied to spread the bias correction from model grids with surface PM2.5 observations to the grids lacking ground observations by using a radius of influence of 125 km derived from surface observations, which further improves the forecast of surface PM2.5 at the national scale. Our findings provide the foundation for the second part of this study that uses satellite‐based aerosol optical depth (AOD) products to further improve the forecast of surface PM2.5 in rural areas by performing statistical analysis of model output.
Flowering, pollination and seed production of Acacia nilotica

Acacia nilotica flowers during the rainy season in Kenya. The flowers shed their pollen between 07.30 and 12.00 hours. Average pollen production is 1.1 million grains per inflorescence. Pollination is by native solitary bees of the genera Creightonella, Chalicodoma, Megachile, Anthophora, Nomia and Xylocopa. Less than 1/3 of the flowers are hermaphroditic and the pod set per hermaphroditic flower is 0.3 percent. The ovary contains 16 ovules, and the average seed set per pod is 10.8. One tree can produce more than 30000 seeds in one fruiting season.