Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial and temporal dynamics of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) in contrasting agricultural landscapes in northwestern China

The moth Helicoverpa armigera is a pest of worldwide agricultural importance, especially on cotton. The abundance of H. armigera adults was monitored throughout the spring and the summer (the flight period) for 4 years (2007 to 2010) using light traps in northern Xinjiang, China. Traps were placed in landscapes which varied in cropping complexity, to determine if such variability might influence the pest's population dynamics. Traps were located on commercial farms which varied in the relative amounts of cotton, tomatoes, sugar beet, corn and wheat that were grown. The type of agricultural landscape significantly influenced the abundance of H. armigera adults. The lowest numbers of moths were caught in simpler crop systems where cotton predominated, and the greatest numbers were caught where the proportions of tomatoes, corn and wheat amongst crops were highest. Although the data were collected from a region where transgenic (Bt) cotton is yet to be used, our results suggest that diverse landscape designs should assist the management of Bt resistance in H. armigera in regions employing such transgenic cotton, through the production of large numbers of moths from non-Bt plants, the provision being that Bt is deployed only in cotton, not other crops.
Phylogenetic trees do not reliably predict feature diversity

Phylogenetic trees provide a framework for understanding the evolution of features (properties, characters or traits) of species, where closely related species share many common or similar features. This property of phylogenetic trees has practical use in applications such as bio‐prospecting, where an optimal strategy exploits phylogenetic information to target closely related species to search for shared features of interest. The implicit corollary of this is that distantly related species share few features in common. This property of phylogenetic trees is thought to be useful for conservation evaluation in choosing sets of species that maximize the present utilitarian benefits of extant feature diversity (such as biologically active compounds or source systems for genetic engineering) as well as maximizing the range of evolutionary trajectories into the future.
Plant Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases

Abstract Plant systems utilize a diverse array of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) in their biosynthetic and detoxification pathways. The classic forms of these enzymes are heme-dependent mixed function oxidases that utilize NADPH or NADH and molecular oxygen to produce functionalized organic products. The nonclassical forms are monooxygenases that either do not utilize flavoproteins for dioxygen activation or fail to incorporate molecular oxygen into their final product. Biosynthetic P450s play paramount roles in the synthesis of lignin intermediates, sterols, terpenes, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, furanocoumarins, and a variety of other secondary plant products. Other catabolic P450s metabolize toxic herbicides and insecticides into nontoxic products or, conversely, activate nontoxic substances into toxic products. Biochemical and molecular characterizations on a number of plant P450s have indicated that the relationships between these heme proteins and their substrates are at least as complex as th.
Seeing the Unseen: Simple Reconstruction of Transparent Objects from Point Cloud Data

—Robot mapping, both indoor and outdoor, is typically based on sets of 3D measurements of the environment (point clouds) coming from either laser range ﬁnders or RGB-D cameras. While both of these sensors provide accurate data about objects within a relatively wide range, they fail to provide directly informative readings about transparent or highly reﬂective objects, which are commonly found in cluttered indoor environments such as homes and ofﬁces. This paper describes a method of recognising that there are transparent objects within a scene and reconstructing them from the limited information that is available. Our method is based on reconstructing geometric properties of the missing objects using inference from the shadows that are left. This provides an estimation of the volume of missing objects. We demonstrate the methods ﬁrst on regular measurable object to compare our estimation with measured data and present the reconstruction of two exemplary transparent objects.
Osteogenic differentiation potential and marker gene expression of different porcine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell subpopulations selected in different basal media

Multipotent porcine mesenchymal stem cells (pMSC) are indispensable for research and therapeutic use. Derivation and culture media might affect the selection of MSC subpopulation and thus the differentiation potential of cells. In this study we evaluated the effects of αMEM, aDMEM, M199, αMEM/M199, aDMEM/M199 and αMEM/aDMEM media on porcine bone marrow MSC derivation; pre-differentiation expression of ALP, COL1A1, SPP1 and BGLAP osteogenic marker genes at passage 5 and 10 pMSC; and differentiation potential of passage 5 pMSC. Morphological changes and matrix formation in osteogenic cells were evaluated by microscopical examination and calcium deposit in osteocytes was confirmed by Alizarin Red S staining. Results indicated media independent selection of different bone marrow MSC subpopulations with different surface marker gene expressions. Many pMSC subpopulations in different media had CD14+ expressing cells. We also observed basal media dependent changes in osteogenic markers expression and differentiation potential of pMSC. The αMEM/aDMEM media grown pMSC showed best osteogenic differentiation potential. We thus recommended the testing of αMEM/aDMEM mixed media in other species for pre-differentiation MSC culture that are intended for better osteogenic differentiation. Summary Pre-differentiation basal media influence osteogenic differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC). Among the tested media, αMEM/aDMEM was the best for pre-differentiation porcine MSC culture intending to use in osteogenesis.
The Bcl-2-Beclin 1 interaction in (-)-gossypol-induced autophagy versus apoptosis in prostate cancer cells

Bcl-2 is a key dual regulator of autophagy and apoptosis, but how the level of Bcl-2 influences the cellular decision between autophagy and apoptosis is unclear. The natural BH3-mimetic (-)-gossypol preferentially induces autophagy in androgen-independent (AI) prostate cancer cells that have high levels of Bcl-2 and are resistant to apoptosis, whereas apoptosis is preferentially induced in androgen-dependent or -independent cells with low Bcl-2. (-)-Gossypol induces autophagy via blocking Bcl-2-Beclin 1 interaction at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), together with downregulating Bcl-2, upregulating Beclin 1 and activating the autophagic pathway. Furthermore, (-)-gossypol-induced autophagy is Beclin 1- and Atg5-dependent. These results provide new insights into the mode of cell death induced by Bcl-2 inhibitors, which could facilitate the rational design of clinical trials by selecting patients who are most likely to benefit from the Bcl-2-targeted molecular therapy.
Temporal partitioning of carcasses by mammalian scavengers in Etosha National Park, Namibia

The mechanisms behind the partitioning of sympatric species’ ecological niches are highly debated, and few studies have explored how a community temporally partitions a single resource. My study investigated how a mammalian scavenger community in Etosha National Park (ENP) temporally partitioned carcasses that died from natural causes, hypothesizing that the presence of a dominant scavenger (lions (Panthera leo)) will affect the probability of observing subordinate scavenger species (spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) and black-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas)). Remote camera trap data was collected at 32 carcass sites in ENP from February to June 2010, and histograms of the general activity patterns for each species over 24hour time periods were created. The parameters of day versus night, lion presence within six hours and the state of carcass degradation were included in a logistic regression model used to predict the probability of observing a species on a smaller, interaction-based time scale. When qualitatively comparing the general activity patterns of each species, all species had similar nocturnal activity patterns. However, when analyzing specific interactions on a smaller time scale, lion presence negatively affected the probability of observing hyenas and positively affected the probability of observing jackals. The results confirm that lion presence does affect the probability of observing hyenas and jackals at a carcass site. Temporal partitioning of a resource like carcasses that occur heterogeneously in space and time should be considered in terms of individual-level interactions rather than comparing generalized activity patterns of sympatric species.
AGRISPACE – a state-of-the-art recursive-dynamic regionalized Partial Equilibrium model for Norway presenting the full farm population

Introduction There is growing recognition that formal economic quantitative analysis can contribute to evidencebased policy making (Podhora et al. 2013). The EU, to give an example, now requires for any larger legislative project a formal impact assessment, and for policy arenas such as the Common Agricultural Policy, the application of economic modeling is explicitly recommended in the related guideline (EU 2009). Up-to-date, there was limited use of economic model results in agricultural policy design in Norway, which partly reflects the way policy instruments are decided about. But it might also be that available tools which could inform policy processes might have lacked features which render their use inviting, such as a state-of-the-art methodology, easy ways to explore results and salient outcomes matching the information needs of stakeholders. The AGRISPACE project financed by the Norwegian Research Council now offers the unique opportunity to build a new tool whose design reflects from the beginning desired properties to inform policy processes.
Freshwater planktic Chroococcales (Cyanoprokaryota) from North-Eastern Australia: a morphological evaluation

Planktic cyanoprokaryotes of the order Chroococcales are described from 192 sites in north-eastern Australia. Despite the diversity of freshwater biotopes, and increasing evidence of seasonal cyanoprokaryote dominance in planktic habitats, particularly man made reservoirs, this is the first detailed study documenting the cyanoprokaryote microflora from this region. Over five thousand samples were observed from which 54 Chroococcalean species were recorded representing four families. Sampling locations included natural lakes, man made reservoirs and weir pools, rivers and streams. The majority of the taxa could be regarded as cosmopolitan, followed by tropical/ subtropical taxa and temperate taxa. The most common genera recorded included Aphanocapsa, Cyanodictyon, Myxobaktron, Merismopedia, and Microcystis. The highest taxon richness occurred in man-made lakes and reservoirs, followed by natural lakes, and streams and rivers. Fifty three taxa including three newly described species (Aphanocapsa annulata sp. nova, Gloeothece lacustris sp. nova, Gloeocapsa planctonica sp. nova) are presented including information on their morphological variability, ecology and distribution.
Anal Canal Squamous Cell Cancer; Pattern of Recurrence and Survival, 25 Years Experience

Malignant tumors of the anal canal are considered to be a rare neoplasm represents 0.43% of all malignancies and 2% of the digestive tract malignant tumors [1,2]. Overall, the most common cancer of the anal canal is squamous cell carcinoma (85%), followed by adenocarcinomas (10%). The other rare types such as melanoma, basaloid carcinoma and lymphoma represent less than 5% of all diagnosed tumors of the anal canal [2].
Ovulatory Rhythm and a Method to Determine the Stage of Spawning in Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua)

The size frequency distribution of the vitellogenic oocytes in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) changes in a predictable manner as spawning progresses. This change was studied by sampling successive batches of eggs from reared cod kept in the laboratory. The shape of the vitellogenic oocyte mode was described by measuring the diameter, standard deviation, and skewness and kurtosis. Linear regressions were derived which related the portion of the total number of eggs spawned per season (PES) to the number of vitellogenic oocytes per gram of the ovary and in relation to the standard deviation of the distribution. This method which allows the PES in a spawning fish to be estimated has the following applications. For fish stock assessment purposes fecundity estimates can be made on spawning rather than prespawning fish and residence times on spawning grounds can be calculated. In addition successive batches of eggs can be identified and studied. This is important in hormonal and larval studies. A detailed descript.
Regional variation in the origin, extent and composition of Scottish Woodland

Summary Results from the Nature Conservancy Council's Inventory of Ancient Woodland show regional variations in the extent, origin and composition of Scottish woods and the degree to which they are recognized as important sites for nature conservation. Around 14.5% of Scotland is forested but not more than 2% of the land area is ancient woodland. Nearly half of the ancient area has been replanted, mainly with introduced conifers. Thus the area retaining ancient semi-natural woodland covers just 1 % of Scotland. Woodland within Sites of Special Scientific Interest or nature reserves covers 38,154 ha. The majority of this is ancient semi-natural woodland, but 68% of the total ancient semi-natural woodland area is not so protected. The value for nature conservation of many ancient sites has declined because of the extent of replanting and overgrazing. Recent beneficial changes in land use policies and practices need to be continued to prevent further decline in the nature conservation value of these importan.
Preparation and scheduling system of emergency supplies in disasters

Purpose – After the occurrence of a disaster, emergency supplies should arrive at disaster area in the shortest possible time. Therefore, it is of pivotal importance to speed up the preparation and scheduling process. In other words, only when the preparation process and scheduling process coordinate well, could the emergency supplies arrive at disaster area in time. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to explore a method that can strengthen the coordination in various kinds of situations. Design/methodology/approach – The paper first elaborates the preparation and scheduling process of emergency supplies in disasters. Then, it establishes a workflow simulation system of the emergency supplies preparation and scheduling based on Petri Net. Afterward, the paper proposes a simplified simulation system of emergency supplies preparation and scheduling which can be employed in actual emergency response. Finally, the paper takes China Lushan Earthquake for a case study. Findings – By employing the simula.
Alternative methods for predicting species distribution: an illustration with Himalayan river birds

Summary 1. Current emphasis on species conservation requires the development of specific distribution models. Several modelling methods are available, but their performance has seldom been compared. We therefore used discriminant analysis, logistic regression and artificial neural networks with environmental data to predict the presence or absence of six river birds along 180 Himalayan streams. We applied each method to calibration sites and independent test sites. With logistic regression, we compared performance in predicting presence–absence using map-derived predictors (river slope and altitude) as opposed to detailed data from a standardized river habitat survey (RHS). 2. Using the entire calibration data, overall success at predicting presence or absence was only slightly greater using artificial neural networks (89–100%) than either logistic regression (75–92%) or discriminant analysis (81–95%), and on this criterion all methods gave good performance. 3. When applied to independent test data, overall prediction success averaged 71–80%, with logistic regression marginally but significantly out-performing the other methods. Encouragingly for researchers with limited data, model performance in jack-knife tests faithfully represented performance in more rigorous validations where calibration (n = 119) and test sites (n = 61) were in separate geographical regions. 4. All three methods predicted true absences (83–92% success) better than true presences (31–44%). Results from logistic regression were the most variable across species, but positive prediction declined with increasing species rarity in each method. 5. Applications with logistic regression illustrated that significant habitat predictors varied between data sets within species. Hypotheses about causal effects by habitat structure on distribution were thus difficult to erect or test. Logistic regression also showed that detailed data from the river habitat survey substantially improved positive prediction by comparison with prediction using slope or altitude alone. 6. We conclude that discriminant analysis, logistic regression and artificial neural networks differ only marginally in performance when predicting species distributions. Model choice should therefore depend on the nature of the data, on the needs of any particular analysis, and on whether assumptions for each method are satisfied. All three methods share drawbacks due to systematic effects by species rarity on performance measures. They also share limitations due to the correlative nature of survey data often used for model development at the spatial scales required in macro-ecology and conservation biology. Tests with independent data, using a wider range of performance measures than those used traditionally, will be important in examining models and testing hypotheses for such applications.
A comparative study of hesperetin and methyl anthranilate as markers of the floral origin of citrus honey

Methyl anthranilate (MA) and hesperetin have been compared as markers for the floral origin of citrus honey. In the present work the contents of MA and hesperetin have been determined by GC and HPLC respectively in 18 honey samples produced in Mediterranean Spain. There was no correlation between the contents of MA and hesperetin. The concentration of MA ranged between 1.44 and 3.60 mg kg−1 while hesperetin ranged between 0.28 and 0.84 mg kg−1. These results support the hypothesis that hesperetin could be used as an additional marker in the determination of citrus honey origin.
In vitro Fertilization with Hormonally Induced Sperm and Eggs from Sharp-Ribbed Newts Pleurodeles waltl

To address the urgent need for the perpetuation of amphibian genetic variation, particularly in Conservation Breeding programs, we developed reproduction technologies for the hormonal induction and sampling of viable sperm and eggs from the sharp-ribbed newt Pleurodeles waltl , followed by successful in vitro fertilization. We also tested the capacity for the short-term refrigerated storage of spermatozoa at +4°C. We used two gonadotropic hormones, Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) and Luteinising Hormone Releasing Hormone analogue (LHRHa). The osmolality of P. waltl urinal sperm varied from 23 mOsmol/kg with 6 × 10 3 spermatozoa/ml to 58 mOsmol/kg with 22 × 10 3 spermatozoa/ml with a mean osmolality of 34 ± 4 mOsmol/kg. The volumes of urinal sperm collected at 3, 24, and 48 h after injection of chorionic gonadotropin were higher than the volumes collected within the same time intervals after injection of surfagon. However, concentrations of spermatozoa in urinal sperm collected over the first 48 hrs after injection of surfagon (~15.0 × 10 6 /ml) were higher than after injection of chorionic gonadotropin (~0.4 × 10 6 /ml). Therefore the total amount of spermatozoa collected with the use of surfagon was higher than the total amount collected with the use of chorionic gonadotropin. Spermatozoa maintained motility up to 120 h, with 18% still motile after 72 h. We achieved 76% fertilization of eggs and survival of these to hatch of 67%.
Reguladores de crescimento na frutificação efetiva e qualidade de frutos partenocárpicos de atemoia 'Gefner'

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of plant growth regulators on the effective fruit set and quality of atemoya 'Gefner' parthenocarpic fruit. The experiment was carried out in an orchard of atemoya 'Gefner' in Homestead, Florida, USA. A randomized complete block design was carried out with four treatments, five replicates, and six flowers per plot. Treatments were composed of: T1, 450 mg L-1 naphthaleneacetic acid and 1,000 mg L-1 gibberelic acid; T2, 100 mg L-1 promalin and 1,000 mg L-1 gibberelic acid; T3, 1,000 mg L-1 gibberelic acid; and T4, artificial pollination (control). Effective fruit set, and fruit growth and quality were evaluated. The application of naphthaleneacetic and gibberelic acids on flowers of atemoya 'Gefner' provided high fruit set, similar to that of artificial pollination. Gibberelic acid application, associated or not with naphthaleneacetic acid or promalin, results in later and smaller atemoya 'Gefner' fruit than those obtained by artificial pollination, but with good proportion of pulp, excellent soluble solids content and, mainly seedless fruit (parthenocarpic fruit).
Forecasting Tax Expense: New Evidence from Analysts

Using recently available pre-tax earnings forecast data from 2003 to 2012, we infer analysts’ income tax expense and effective tax rate (ETR) forecasts and provide the first large-sample evidence on their dispersion and accuracy. Even though managers provide annual ETR estimates each interim quarter, management’s estimates are not equal in information content and analysts do not merely mimic these estimates, consistent with analysts providing incremental information. Analysts’ forecasts are more disperse and less accurate when management’s interim ETR estimate include discrete items, consistent with more uncertainty and greater difficulty in understanding the tax environment when accounting standards require exceptions to the integral method. Taken together, our results suggest management interim ETR estimates are critical to the market’s understanding of tax expense.
Significance of carry over inoculum, flower infection and latency on the incidence of Botrytis cinerea in berries of grapevines at harvest in New South Wales

The incidence of Botrytis cinerea was monitored at different stages in the growth of 7 grapevine cultivars in 14 vineyards in New South Wales, Australia, over a period of 10 years. The incidence of B. cinerea fluctuated during the growing season. While carry over infection from the previous season explained 70% of variation in flower infection, it only accounted for 26% of berry infection. Infection of flowers explained 78% of berry infection. Latent infection resulted in 58% of inoculum carried over to the following season. Disease prediction models were developed on the basis of these quantitative relationships so that growers can use them to measure disease risk and respond by rational application of fungicides. For instance, based on the model, a 50% incidence of B. cinerea monitored on grapevine tissues carried over from previous season can predict a 30% primary infection of flowers in the new season. This will require fungicide application during flowering so as to reduce the predicted risk of 22% berry infection at harvest.