Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution and community structure of araneocoenoses (Araneae) along an altitudinal gradient on Kozuf Mountain (North Macedonia)

The aim of this paper is to perform a biocoenological analysis of spiders and to follow their distribution along an altitudinal gradient on Kozuf Mountain. The research area extends from the foothill to the highest parts of the mountain (89–2080 m a.s.l.), covering 17 localities, characterized by a broad spectrum of habitats. The material was collected monthly, in the period of June–November 2016, with the use of pitfall traps. A bimodal increase in species richness was recorded as a consequence of more favourable conditions at an intermediate altitude in mountain ecosystems. The lowest abundance (0.77 ind. trap−1) was noted in the arid locality at the lowest altitude (89 m a.s.l.), while the highest values were registered in open habitats above 1500 m a.s. l. This is a result of the higher abundance of epigeic invertebrates in open areas in comparison to forests. The araneofauna can be divided into six araneocoenoses: an araneocoenosis inhabiting arid localities, a mygalomorph/Mediterranean araneocoenosis, a montane beech forest araneocoenosis, an araneocoenosis inhabiting damp localities, an araneocoenosis inhabiting open high-altitude localities and an araneocoenosis inhabiting high altitude forest habitats. A low degree of similarity between the araneocoenoses was detected due to the heterogeneity of habitats and altitudes. Both altitude and habitat type had strong effects on community structure and distribution with the latter having a stronger impact.
Autoxidation of Cholesterol in Aqueous Colloidal Dispersions with Different Detergents

Metal-free autoxidation of cholesterol (I) was examined at 70°for twenty hours in an aqueous colloidal dispersion which was made by sodium cholesteryl sulfate as a solubilizer and entirely freed of organic solvent. The products isolated and/or identified were cholest-5-ene-3β, 7α-diol (II), cholest-5-ene-3β, 7β-diol (III) (16.7% as the diols), 5α-cholestane-3β, 5, 6β-triol (IV ; 8.3%), 3β-hydroxycholest-5-en-7-one (V ; 14.5%), cholesta-3, 5-dien-7-one (VI ; 5.2%), and the unidentified compounds A (3.0%), B (1.4%), and C (0.7%) as shown in Table I. Autoxidation of I was also observed in the colloidal systems dispersed by four kinds of solubilizer, sodium stearate, sodium taurocholate, sodium cholesteryl hemisuccinate, and the sulfate as shown in Fig. 1. Effects of the detergent in higher concentration were noticeable in the hemisuccinate dispersions.
A role for growth hormone in neurorestoration and neurogenic processes in the brain

I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . II TABLE OF CONTENTS . IV LIST OF FIGURES . VII LIST OF TABLES . VIII LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . IX 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION . 2 1.1 OVERVIEW . 2 1.2 STROKE . 3 1.2.1 Incidence and prognosis . 3 1.2.2 Risk Factors . 4 1.2. 3 Etiology and subtypes . 4 1.2. 4 Animal models. 6 1.2. 5 Pathophysiology of ischemic stroke . 11 1.2. 6 Endogenous Response to Ischemic injury . 18 1.2. 7 Brain plasticity . 20 1.3 CURRENT TREATMENTS FOR ISCHEMIC STROKE . 31 1.4 GROWTH HORMONE . 35 1.5 PROLACTIN . 51 1.6 AIMS . 55 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS . 58 2.1 IN VIVO STUDIES . 58 2.1.1 Animals . 58 2.1.2 Rat growth hormone buffer (rGH buffer) . 58 2.1.3 Stereotactic Endothelin‐1 (ET1) infusion surgery . 59 2.1.4 Overview of the in vivo studies . 61 2.1.5 ICV Cannula and pump placement . 62 2.1.6 Behavioural Testing . 64 2.1. 7 Blood and CSF sampling . 66 2.1. 8 Catheter status at post‐mortem . 66 2.1. 9 Post‐mortem, tissue harvestation and processing . 67 2.1.10 Radioimmunoassay (RIA) for IGFI . 68 2.1.11 Corticosterone high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with mass spectrometry 69 2.1.12 Urea measurements . 70 2.1.13 Acid Fuschin‐Thionin Staining and measurement of tissue survival . 71 2.1.14 Immunohistochemistry: . 71 2.1.15 Quantification of GH and DCX labeling: dose response study . 72 2.1.16 Statistics . 73 2.2 IN VITRO STUDIES . 74 2.2.1 Cell culture . 74 2.2.2 Functional Assays . 77 2.2. 3 Molecular Biology . 80 2.2. 4 Statistics . 85 3 CENTRAL INFUSION OF GH POST‐ISCHEMIA IN THE ADULT BRAIN: BEHAVIOURAL AND ENDOCRINE EFFECTS 86 3.1 INTRODUCTION . 86 3.2 RESULTS . 87 3.2.1 Buffer formulation and testing . 87 3.2.2 Behavioural analysis . 88 3.2. 3 Plasma and CSF measurements . 91 3.2. 4 Body and brain weights. 92 3.3 DISCUSSION . 94 v 4 CENTRAL INFUSION OF GH POST–ISCHEMIA IN THE ADULT BRAIN: REGION AND CELL‐SPECIFIC TARGETING OF INFUSED GH . 98 4.1 INTRODUCTION . 98 4.2 RESULTS . 99 4.2.1 GH infusion after stroke may alter the tissue survival . 99 4.2.2 ICV GH following injury localises to neurogenic regions and the infarct penumbral area . 100 4.2. 3 Quantification of GH immunoreactive cells . 103 4.2. 4 GH immunopositive cells double‐label with DCX and GFAP . 106 4.2. 5 Quantification DCX staining . 108 4.3 DISCUSSION . 111 5 DELAYED AND CHRONIC TREATMENT WITH GH AFTER STROKE MAY BE BENEFICIAL . 116 5.1 INTRODUCTION . 116 5.2 RESULTS . 117 5.2.1 Delayed onset of GH‐treatment does not provide any neuroprotection .
The effect of housing system and storage time on egg quality characteristics.

The effect of housing system (conventional cages and litter) and storage time (0, 7, 14 and 21 days) on egg quality was investigated. The housing system and storage time significantly (P < 0.001) influenced egg weight. The fresh eggs from litter were heavier (64.5 g) in comparison with eggs from cages (63.3 g). The egg weight decreased about 3.3 g within 21 days of storage in both housing systems. The storage time markedly (P < 0.001) affected all characteristics of internal quality, whereas housing system had significant impact on eggshell quality. Higher eggshell quality was recorded in eggs from litter. Furthermore, albumen quality of fresh eggs was higher in eggs from litter: Haugh Units (87.2 versus 85.0), albumen index (10.0% versus 9.5%), albumen share (61.7% versus 60.6%) and albumen pH (8.32 versus 8.34). On the other hand, higher yolk share (27.2% versus 26.7%) and yolk index (44.2% versus 43.4%) were ascertained in eggs from cages. Greater deterioration in albumen quality characteristics was occured in eggs from litter. Presumably, this deterioration related to higher pore count of egg shell from litter eggs.
Kinetic analysis of Zygosaccharomyces bailii inactivation by high hydrostatic pressure

Abstract High hydrostatic pressure inactivation kinetics of Zygosaccharomyces bailii in food model systems of pH 3.5 and water activities ( a w ) of 0.98 and 0.95 were evaluated at 21 °C and pressures from 241 to 517 MPa. The come-up time to reach a pressure exerts an important effect on the survival fraction of Z. bailii . Yeast inactivation followed first order reaction kinetics, with inactivation rates and decimal reduction times that varied from 0.176 to 2.833 min −1 and from 13.1 to 0.8 min, respectively. The pressure dependence of the yeast inactivation rates can be described by the apparent activation volume and by a ‘pressure z value’, revealing in both cases a greater pressure dependence for systems with a w 0.98.
Nutritive value and availability of commonly used feed ingredients for farmed nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) and African catfish (Clarias gariepinus, Burchell) in Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania

Commonly utilized feed ingredients for culture of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) and Africa n catfish ( Clarias gariepinus ) from Kenya , Tanzania and Rwanda were collected over a period of six months (January - June 2010) and evaluated for their nutritive composition through proximate analysis. Most of the fish feed ingredients were found in all the three countries except a few that were unique to one or two countries as detailed in the results . Feed ingredients of animal origin exhibited significantly (P <0.05) higher crude protein levels (407 - 635 g/kg DM ) compared to the feed ingredients of plant based origin . Freshwater shrimp s ( Caridina nilotic a ) contained the highest crude protein levels of 635 g/kg DM. Feed ingredients of animal origin had low ether extracts (EE) with an exception of Omena fish ( Rastrineobola argentea ) . Crude fibre (CF) was generally higher on feed ingredients of plant origin and ranged between 55 - 368 g/kg DM while Nitrogen Free Extract s (Nf E) and ash content were higher in the feedstuff s of plant origin with an exception of maize bran which had the lowest value. Omena fish and freshwater shrimp had higher ash content of 182 and 228 g/kg DM compared to other feed ingredients of animal origin, which may indicate contamination with soil particles during drying process . Based on the feed ingredient availability, potential competition with other human uses, content of crude protein and crude fibre and the feasibility of removal of anti -nutritional factors, C . nilotica , blood meal, meat and bone meal , were identified as most promising sources of animal based protein. Cotton (Gossypium spp) and sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) seed cakes provided the best option as source of processed plant based protein. L eaves of gallant soldier ( Galiso nga parviflora ) , sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatus ), cassava ( Manihot esculenta ) and papaya ( Papaya carica ) were identified as high potential feedstuffs of plant origin either processed or in raw form for small -scale fish farming . We recommend that in well fertilized semi- intensive ponds , maize ( Zea mays ) , wheat ( Triticum aestivum ) and rice ( Oryza sativa ) bran may be utilized where available to supplement natural pond food
New statistical genetic methods for elucidating the history and evolution of human populations

In the last few decades, the study of human history has been fundamentally changed by our ability to detect the signatures left within our genomes by adaptations, migrations, population size changes, and other processes. Rapid advances in DNA sequencing technology have now made it possible to interrogate these signals at unprecedented levels of detail, but extracting more complex information about the past from patterns of genetic variation requires new and more sophisticated models. This thesis presents a suite of sensitive and efficient statistical tools for learning about human history and evolution from large-scale genetic data. We focus first on the problem of admixture inference and describe two new methods for determining the dates, sources, and proportions of ancestral mixtures between diverged populations. These methods have already been applied to a number of important historical questions, in particular that of tracing the course of the Austronesian expansion in Southeast Asia. We also report a new approach for estimating the human mutation rate, a fundamental parameter in evolutionary genetics, and provide evidence that it is higher than has been proposed in recent pedigree-based studies. Thesis Supervisor: Bonnie Berger Title: Professor of Applied Mathematics
Gender variation and primary succession in a tropical woody plant, Antirhea borbonica (Rubiaceae)

1 Ecological context can significantly affect plant reproduction: in particular, differences in the relative allocation of resources to male and female function can contribute to gender variation. 2 We quantified variation in sex expression among populations of Antirhea borbonica, a sexually dimorphic woody pioneer species found both on young lava flows and in later stages of primary succession on the volcanic island of La Réunion. We also tested whether environmental conditions influence maternal fertility by experimentally manipulating resource levels in natural populations. 3 The polliniferous morph showed significant gender variation, from almost zero fruit production in pioneer populations to high fruit set, albeit of less than females, in late‐succession. Repeated observations over 4 years showed that, even in pioneer populations, most polliniferous plants are capable of producing fruits. 4 A significant increase in fruit production by the polliniferous morph was observed after 2 years of resource supplementation in a pioneer population. 5 Sex ratios were close to 1 : 1 in all but one of 12 populations. Seeds and seedlings produced by the polliniferous morph in a late‐succession population had significantly lower viability than those from females. These results indicate that there is strong selection against the maternal offspring produced by polliniferous plants and that, regardless of successional status, A. borbonica possesses a functionally dioecious sexual system. 6 The combination of multi‐year surveys and experimental manipulation of resource availability provides evidence of phenotypic gender plasticity. This provides a novel illustration of how the heterogeneous environment of primary succession can influence trait variation.
Study of the LOFAR radio self-trigger and single-station acquisition mode

The LOw Frequency ARay (LOFAR) observatory is a multipurpose radio antenna array aimed to detect radio signals in the frequency range 10 - 240 MHz. Radio antennas are clustered into over 50 stations, and are spread along Central and Northern Europe. The LOFAR core, where the density of stations is highest, is instrumented with the LOfar Radboud air shower Array (LORA), covering an area of about 300 m diameter centered at the LOFAR core position. Since 2011 the LOFAR core has been used for detecting radio-signals associated to cosmic-ray air showers in the energy range $10^{16}-10^{18}$ eV. Data acquisition is triggered by the LORA scintillator array, which provides energy, arrival direction, and core position estimates of the detected air shower too. Thus only the core of the LOFAR array is currently used for cosmic-ray detection. In order to extend the energy range of the detected cosmic rays, it is necessary to expand the effective collecting area to the whole LOFAR array. On this purpose, a detailed study about the LOFAR potentialities of working in self-trigger mode, i.e. with the cosmic-ray data acquisition trigger provided by the radio-antenna only, is presented here. A new method based on the intensity and the frequency spectrum for determining the air shower position to be implemented on LOFAR remote stations is presented too.
Artropodofauna associada às lavouras de soja

O objetivo desse trabalho foi estudar a artropodofauna associada a cultura da soja, Glycine max (L.) Merrill, no municipio de Chapeco, SC. As amostragens foram realizadas nas safras 2005/06, 2006/07 e 2007/08, aplicado semanalmente o metodo do "pano-de-batida" em oito pontos distribuidos pelas lavouras, entre os estadios V4 e R8 das plantas. As amostras foram triadas em laboratorio e os dados foram organizados por data e taxon. Houve captura de 5.728 insetos fitofagos e 2.203 inimigos naturais. Os percevejos Nezara viridula (L.) e Piezodorus guildinii (West.) (ambos Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) enquadraram-se como pragas "chave", incidindo principalmente na fase reprodutiva das plantas. Anticarsia gemmatalis Huebner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) e Diabrotica speciosa Germar (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) sao as pragas "secundarias" mais "frequentes", infestando as plantas na fase vegetativa e no inicio da fase reprodutiva. Lebia concinna Brulle (Coleoptera: Carabidae), percevejos Geocoris spp. (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), formigas-predadoras e aranhas sao predadores "constantes" e com maior "frequencia" nas lavouras.
PENGARUH GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE DAN KARAKTERISTIK PERUSAHAAN TERHADAP KINERJA PERUSAHAAN DAN IMPLIKASINYA TERHADAP NILAI PERUSAHAAN

M aximizing firm value are influenced by several factors, including firm performance and corporate characteristics. T h is study examines the effect of good corporate governance, growth, leverage, and firm size on firm value by using firm performance as intervening variable. Firm performance is measured by using Return on Assets (ROA) and firm value is measured by using Tobins'Q. The population of this research is registered companies in CGPI ranking by IICG in 2009-2015. Sampling was conducted using purposive sampling and there are 31 companies that qualified as a sample. This research used linear regression by using Ordinary Least Square method to know the influence of independent variable consist of CGPI, growth, leverage, and firm size to firm value by using firm performance as intervening variable. The result of the research shows that CGPI variable has a significant positive effect on company performance, firm growth variable has positive effect not significant to firm performance, leverage variable has negative significant effect, and firm size variable has negative and insignificant effect, and firm performance is only able to mediate the relationship between CGPI and leverage to firm value. Thus, only CGPI and leverage have an indirect effect on firm value of CGPI rating companies listed on the BEI in 2009-2015.
Histochemical characterization of glycoproteins in the gills of the carp

The characteristics of the mucous cells located in gills of the fish Cyprinus carpio were investigated. Mucous cells were determined from gill arc, gill body, primary and secondary lamellae. Mostly mucous cells had oval-globular shape throughout all regions. Histochemical analysis of the gill of Cyprinus carpio showed that mucous content included glycogene and/or oxidizable dioles (PAS +), neutral or acid-rich (PAS/AB pH 2.5 +), sialic acid residues (KOH/PAS +) and strong acid sulphated (AF +) glycoproteins (GPs). Except these mucosubstances, carboxyl groups and/or with sulphate esters (AB pH 2.5 +) strong sulphate (AB pH 0.5 +) (AF/AB pH 2.5 +), O-sulphate esters (AB pH 1+) glycoproteins were also determined.
Disclosure of Mutual Fund Holdings and Insider Trading Profitability

We show that the 2004 SEC regulation requiring more frequent disclosures from active mutual funds unintendedly increased the profitability of trading by another set of informed investors, namely insiders. Cross-sectional analyses suggest that this increase in insiders’ profits is due to mutual funds’ reduced incentives to collect costly long-term information. We do not find evidence that this effect is driven by either liquidity changes or changes in the opportunities for insiders to learn from fund disclosures. While the greater profitability could reflect insiders’ opportunism, it could potentially relieve firms from short-term pressures exerted by myopic investors affected by the regulation.
An Hereditary Tumor in the Fruit Fly, Drosophila

In the fruit-fly Drosophila melanogaster ( ampelophila ) there have been found by various workers certain factors called “lethals,” the observed effect of which is to kill the fly at some pre-adult stage. There was, however, little direct evidence to show how these factors produced their lethal effect until the discovery by C. B. Bridges of a lethal, lethal 7, which causes the development of one or several black granules within the body of the larvae (Bridges, Genetics , Jan., 1916). Bridges observed that in the cultures of lethal 7, about a quarter of the larvae showed these intense black “spots” and further that these larvae behaved very differently from normal larvae, frequently crawling out of the food and wandering about upon the walls of the culture bottle. These black-spotted larvae died in great numbers either upon the walls of the culture bottle or in the food. From the definite mode of occurrence of these black-spotted larvae throughout many and varied experiments made to test the mode of inheritance and the location of the: factor involved in lethal 7, he concluded that these black-granuled larvae were the males having the lethal 7 factor, and that their death was probably connected with the development of the black bodies. The lethal 7 stock was turned over to the author to find out (1) the nature of the black body found in the larvae that die; (2) whether it is in itself the cause of death or only a by-product of the condition of the larvae; (3) whether by removal of the black body the life of the larva would be prolonged; (4) whether the transfer of the black body to normal larvae would cause their death; (5) the effects of x -rays upon the black body; (6) in what tissues the black body develops.
Molluscan Diversity in River Barak and its Tributaries, Assam, India

A total of 16 molluscan taxa belonging to 2 classes, viz., Gastropoda and Bivalvia, 4 orders, 5 families and 9 genera were recorded from 12 different sites on R. Barak and its tributaries like Chiri, Sonai, Rukni, Ghagra and Katakhal. Of the 16 species, 5 gastropods and 2 bivalves were recorded in a few sites only and appeared to be sensitive to anthropogenic disturbances. The snail, Brotia costula episcopalis ( Lea) , and the bivalve Lamellidens marginalis (Lamark) were the most ubiquitous species in the river system. The study indicates that the molluscan community could be explored for possible use as biomonitors of pollution in the Barak river system.
Modelling mid-Pliocene climate with COSMOS based on PlioMIP2 boundary conditions

The mid-Pliocene warm period has been suggested as an analog to a future warmer climate (Jansen et al., 2007), due to its similarity to present day in terms of land-sea distribution as well as CO2. The Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project (PlioMIP), established by Haywood et al. (2010, 2011), is an internationally coordinated effort to identify strengths and weaknesses of climate models in simulating of mid-Pliocene climate. PlioMIP is currently in its second phase, due to advances in the understanding of palaeogeography, ocean, terrestrial and cryosphere of the Pliocene epoch. Boundary conditions have been updated from PlioMIP1 and experiments were prescribed accordingly for PlioMIP2. In this study, a detailed description of the different components of the utilized Community Earth System Models (COSMOS, version: COSMOS-landveg r2413, 2009) as well as experimental procedures prescribed for PlioMIP2 (Haywood et al., 2016) are provided. Furthermore, the procedures applied to transfer the Pliocene Research, Interpretation and Synoptic Mapping (PRISM) Project mid-Pliocene reconstruction into model forcing is documented. The mid-Pliocene, as simulated by COSMOS and the PlioMIP2 prescribed boundary conditions is warmer than the PI-control simulation by 2.15 K in the global mean, corresponding to -0.08 K colder than the PlioMIP1 simulation by the same model. Higher-latitude warming, which is supported by the proxy evidences is still underestimated in the model outputs. The state of the Bering Strait, which is unknown during the mid-Pliocene (Gladenkov et al., 2002) was opened for PlioMIP1 and closed for PlioMIP2 simulations. This study show that a closed Bering Strait leads to better agreement of COSMOS simulation with the reconstruction in North Atlantic region that is very warm during the MPWP. Data-model discrepancies are not fully resolved even with the closure of the Bering Strait, this study show that uncertainty in the concentration of atmospheric CO2 contributes to the disagreement in various Ocean regions. Furthermore, climate sensitivity is estimated for climate states with two different background geographies, and the results confirmed that the response of global temperature to the doubling of CO2 is dependent on the background climate.
The pathology of fungi isolated from eucalypt cankers in south-eastern Australia

Recherche sur les champignons qui sont a l'origine du chancre des forets d'Eucalyptus et des plantations du Sud-Est Australien. Etude des differentes experiences, des differentes reactions suivant l'espece (14 especes) et en fonction de l'origine du boisement