Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Population, diurnal activity patterns and feeding ecology of the Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis (Linnaeus, 1758)

1091 Received 5 December 2002; Revised received 5 March 2003; Finally accepted 15 March 2003 Abstract Population, diurnal activity pattern, roosting behaviour, and feeding ecology of the Indian Roller Coracias benghalensis (Linnaeus, 1758) was studied during January to March 1997 in the Mayiladuthurai and Sirkali taluks of Nagappattinam District, Tamil Nadu. Line transect surveys showed that the Indian Roller’s density was high in agricultural habitat (50 birds km-2), which suggested that they could play a role in controlling agricultural insect pests. Pellet analyses showed that insects were the principal food, which was also confirmed by focal observations. Studies on the diurnal activity pattern of the Indian Roller revealed that they feed mainly on ground insects. Their feeding activity was more in the evening hours, prior to roosting.
Valuing management flexibility : A basis to compare the standard DCF and MAP valuation frameworks

The value of a mining project is typically influenced by many underlying economic and physical uncertainties, a dynamic project risk structure built on top of these uncertainties, and the possibility of multiple an mutually exclusive project operation options. The discounted cash flow (DCF) valuation method is widely used in the mining industry to value projects even though it is ill suited to consider these influences on project ject value. Modern asset pricing (MAP) provides an alternative valuation technique. It was developed for use in markets for derivative securities, where these complexities are common. As a result, MAP is able to incorporate these influences on value more reliably and consistently than the DCF method. The authors have used both techniques to value a small copper property, where management has an option to exploit large lower grade reserves near the end of the project and an option to abandon the project at any time. The MAP method indicates that the project, in the absence of the options to abandon or forego development of the lower grade reserves, is attractive only if an initial decision is made not to develop the low-grade reserves. The DCF method, as implemented, also indicates this but gives less understanding as to why this is the case. Moreover, the MAP valuation technique can extend the valuation exercise further by examining the project with different combinations of management flexibility. This additional analysis indicates that the existence of the lower grade reserves is valuable when combined with either the option to forego their development or with the option to abandon the project, or both.
LES PLANTES MÉDICINALES DE LA RÉGION NORD DE MADAGASCAR : UNE APPROCHEETHNOPHARMACOLOGIQUE

Cette population représente 8,4 % de la population totale malgache qui est estimée à 1 200 000 habitants. La répartition de la population par classe d’âge suit la moyenne nationale, avec 44,30 % de la population de moins de 15 ans contre 15,49 % de plus de 60 ans. 50,21 % de la population est potentiellement active. La croissance démographique évolue à un taux moyen situé entre 2,5 et 3 % (Caradec M.L., 2005 ; PNUD, 2000, 2003) La démarche de l’ethnopharmacologie appliquée qui a déjà été présentée (Nicolas, 2005) peut se résumer en trois phases :
CHD1L promotes EOC cell invasiveness and metastasis via the regulation of METAP2

Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 1-like (CHD1L) gene has been proposed to play an oncogenic role in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Previously we reported that CHD1L overexpression is significantly associated with the metastasis proceeding of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), and may predict a poor prognosis in EOC patients. However, the potential oncogenic mechanisms by which CHD1L acts in EOC remain unclear. To elucidate the oncogenic function of CHD1L, we carried out a series of in vitro assays, with effects of CHD1L ectogenic overexpression and silencing being determined in EOC cell lines (HO8910, A2780 and ES2). Real-time PCR and Western blotting analyses were used to identify potential downstream targets of CHD1L in the process of EOC invasion and metastasis. In ovarian carcinoma HO8910 cell lines, ectopic overexpression of CHD1L substantially induced the invasive and metastasis ability of the cancer cells in vitro. In contrast, knockdown of CHD1L using shRNA inhibited cell invasion in vitro in ovarian carcinoma A2780 and ES2 cell lines. We also demonstrated that methionyl aminopeptidase 2 (METAP2) was a downstream target of CHD1L in EOC, and we found a significant, positive correlation between the expression of CHD1L and METAP2 in EOC tissues (P<0.05). Our findings indicate that CHD1L plays a potential role in the inducement of EOC cancer cell invasion and/or metastasis via the regulation of METAP2 expression and suggests that CHD1L inhibition may provide a potential target for therapeutic intervention in human EOC.
Deterrent Effect of Neem Seed Kernel Extract on Oviposition of the Oriental Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Guava

In laboratory choice and no-choice tests, guava, Psidium guajava L. , fruits treated with neem seed kernel extracts resulted in reduction in ovipositional preference of the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel). In the choice test, the number of eggs laid in treated guava fruits at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 4.0% was reduced from 87.5 to 99.2% compared with eggs in untreated fruit. Flies were not habituated to neem-treated fruits at concentrations of 0.2% or higher in 7 d. When a yellow plastic oviposition container filled with guava juice was placed together with a fruit treated with 4.0 or 20.0% extracts in a cage, all eggs were laid in the former, and none in the latter. These results indicate that neem seed kernel extract is an ovipositional deterrent for the oriental fruit fly.
Digital Elevation Models By Laser Scanning

The TopoSys laser scanner system is designed to produce digital elevation models (DEMs) at a maximum accuracy of 0.5 m in x and y and 0.1 m in z. The regular scan pattern and the measurement frequency of 80 000 measurements per second (on average 5 measurements per m2) form the basis for high quality DEMs.
Event-based prospective memory and executive control of working memory

: In 5 experiments, the character of concurrent cognitive processing was manipulated during an event-based prospective memory task. High- and low-load conditions that differed only in the difficulty of the concurrent task were tested in each experiment. In Experiments 1 and 2, attention-demanding tasks from the literature on executive control produced decrements in prospective memory. In Experiment 3, attention was divided by different loads of articulatory suppression that did not ultimately lead to decrements in prospective memory. A high-load manipulation of a visuospatial task requiring performance monitoring resulted in worse prospective memory in Experiment 4, whereas in Experiment 5 a visuospatial task with little monitoring did not. Results are discussed in terms of executive functions, such as planning and monitoring, that appear to be critical to successful event-based prospective memory.
Encapsulation of embryonic axes of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (tea) and subsequent in vitro germination

Summary Zygotic embryonic axes of Camellia sinensis were coated with 3% and 4% sodium alginate matrices to select the best alginate concentration for the production of synthetic seeds. Germinability and plantlet development of encapsulated and non-encapsulated embryonic axes were evaluated under in vitro conditions. The results revealed that 3% (w/v) sodium alginate with 100 mM calcium chloride dihydrate provided the most suitable matrix of those tested, for encapsulation of embryonic axes. Naked and coated axes, cultured on Murashige and Skoog basal medium alone (MS1) or with 3 mg l–1 benzyl amino purine (BAP) and 0.5 mg l–1 indole butyric acid (IBA), (MS2), gave high rates of survival (100%) and germination (93–100%). However, they responded differently during germination and plant conversion. Somatic embryogenesis was observed in the hypocotyl region of coated and uncoated axes cultured on MS1 medium. Efficient plant recovery from non-encapsulated (73.3%) and encapsulated (42.2%) axes was achieved on MS2 medium. Further, shoot length and the number of leaves were significantly higher for non-encapsulated than for encapsulated embryonic axes after 8 weeks incubation. In this experiment, coating materials were prepared in distilled water alone. Therefore, plant recovery rate and shoot growth were statistically similar to those of nonembryonic axes cultured on MS1 medium. This study showed that incorporation of plant growth regulators into the culture medium is required for efficient conversion of normal plantlets from embryonic axes. This protocol is important for storing tea embryonic axes as synthetic seeds, to extend seed viability, and for germplasm exchange.
The island biogeography of Lake Manapouri, New Zealand

The vascular plant flora was determined for each of twentythree islands in the eastern half of Lake Manapouri, New Zealand. The islands range in area from 200 m2 to 2.7 kM2, and are 17 m to 2.3 km out from the mainland. It is shown that species lists for these islands are sufficiently complete for reliable conclusions to be drawn. Species richness is closely related to island area, and there is some evidence that this is due to habitat diversity. Multiple regressions of species richness against (1) isolation from the mainland and (2) isolation from the nearest large island, as well as the correlation of inter-island floristic dissimilarity with physical distance, showed only a limited role for isolation in determining island floras. Even the apparent effects of isolation can be explained by other factors. The richness of the relatively small exotic guild showed no relation to island area or isolation.
Psychological meaning of separation anxiety in mothers and fathers.

Anxiety about separation from a child is highly salient to parents and, when studied in mothers, has been shown to relate to important personality attributes. This longitudinal study examined origins of separation anxiety, describing the course and significance of separation anxiety in parents of firstborn infants. Although no gender effects were found in mean levels of separation anxiety across the 1st 2 years of parenthood, regression analyses revealed different patterns of relations between separation anxiety and psychological and contextual variables for men and women. For men, only self-criticism and their wife's separation anxiety were significant; for women, separation anxiety was related to personality attributes (such as dependency and self-criticism), role-related beliefs, their spouse's anxiety about separation, and the unique health characteristics of their child.
Influence of oxygen tension on the differentiation of embryonic stem cells towards photoreceptors and other retinal phenotypes

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a genetically heterogeneous group of diseases together with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), are the leading causes of permanent blindness and are characterized by the progressive dysfunction and death of the light sensing photoreceptors of the retina. Due to the limited regeneration capacity of the mammalian retina the scientific community has invested significantly in trying to obtain retinal progenitor cells from embryonic stem cells (ESC). These represent an unlimited source of retinal cells, but it has not yet been possible to achieve specific populations, such as photoreceptors, efficiently enough to allow them to be used safely in the future as cell therapy of RP or AMD. In this study we generated a high yield of photoreceptors from directed differentiation of mouse ESC (mESC) by recapitulating crucial phases of retinal development. We present a new protocol of differentiation, involving hypoxia and taking into account extrinsic and intrinsic cues. These include niche-specific conditions as well as the manipulation of the signaling pathways involved in retinal development. Our results show that hypoxia promotes and improves the differentiation of mESC towards photoreceptors. Different populations of retinal cells are increased in number under the hypoxic conditions applied, such as Crx positive cells, S-Opsin positive cells and double positive cells for Rhodopsin and Recoverin, as shown by immunofluorescence analysis. For the first time this manuscript reports the high efficiency of differentiation in vivo and the expression of mature rod photoreceptor markers in a large number of differentiated cells, transplanted in the sub-retinal space of wild type mice.
Emergence of classicality for primordial fluctuations: Concepts and analogies

We clarify the way in which cosmological perturbations of quantum origin, produced during inflation, assume classical properties. Two features play an important role in this process: First, the dynamics of fluctuations which are presently on large cosmological scales leads to a very peculiar state (highly squeezed) that is indistinguishable, in a precise sense, from a classical stochastic process. This holds for almost all initial quantum states. Second, the process of decoherence by interaction with the environment distinguishes the field amplitude basis as the robust pointer basis. We discuss in detail the interplay between these features and use simple analogies such as the free quantum particle to illustrate the main conceptual issues.
Niche‐based host extinction increases prevalence of an environmentally acquired pathogen

G. E. García-Peña (gegp01@gmail.com), A. Garchitorena, K. Carolan, E. Canard and J.-F. Guégan, UMR MIVEGEC, Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, UMR 5290 CNRS-IRD-Université de Montpellier, Centre de Recherche IRD, 911 Avenue Agropolis, BP 64501, FR-34394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France. GEGP also at: Centre de Synthèse et d’Analyse sur la Biodiversité -CESAB. Bâtiment Henri Poincaré, Domaine du Petit Arbois, FR-13857 Aix-en-Provence Cedex 3, France. AG and JFG also at: Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique, Rennes, France. KV also at: UMR Territoires, Environnement, Télédétection et Information Spatiale (TETIS) CIRAD, FR-34093 Montpellier, France. – A. -H. Prieur-Richard, FutureEarth international programme, ecoHEALTH initiative, Montréal, Canada. – G. Suzán, Depto de Etología, Fauna Silvestre y Animales de Laboratorio, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria Zootecnia, Univ. Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, México, D.F. C.P. 04510, México. – J. N. Mills, Population Biology, Ecology and Evolution Program, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. – B. Roche, UMMISCO, UMR IRD-UPMC 209, Bondy, France.
Feature‐extraction from endopeptidase cleavage sites in mitochondrial targeting peptides

Cleavage sites in nuclear‐encoded mitochondrial protein targeting peptides (mTPs) from mammals, yeast, and plants have been analysed for characteristic physicochemical features using statistical methods, perceptrons, multilayer neural networks, and self‐organizing feature maps. Three different sequence motifs were found, revealing loosely defined arginine motifs with Arg in positions −10, −3, and −2. A self‐organizing feature map was able to cluster these three types of endopeptidase target sites but did not identify any species‐specific characteristics in mTPs. Neural networks were used to define local sequence features around precursor cleavage sites. Proteins 30:49–60, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
IN SITU MEASUREMENTS OF pH USING RETRIEVAL OF TGN38 AND FURIN FROM THE CELL SURFACE

-Golgi network (TGN). The pH within the TGN is thoughtto be an important determinant of these functions. How-ever, studies of the magnitude and regulation of the pHof the TGN have been hampered by the lack of appropri-ate detection methods. This report describes a noninva-sive strategy to measure the luminal pH of the TGN inintact cells. We took advantage of endogenous cellularmechanisms for the specific retrieval of TGN residentproteins, such as TGN38 and furin, that transit briefly tothe plasma membrane. Cells were transfected with chi-meric constructs that contained the internalization andretrieval signals of TGN resident proteins, and a luminal(extracellular) epitope (CD25). Like TGN38 and furin,the chimeras were shown by fluorescence microscopy toaccumulate within the TGN. During their transient ex-posure at the cell surface, the chimeras were labeledwith extracellular anti-CD25 antibodies conjugatedwith a pH-sensitive fluorophore. Subsequent endocyto-sis and retrograde transport resulted in preferential la-beling of the TGN with the pH-sensitive probe. Contin-uous, quantitative measurements of the pH of the TGNwere obtained by ratio fluorescence imaging. The rest-ing pH, calibrated using either ionophores or the “nullpoint” technique, averaged 5.95 in Chinese hamsterovary cells and 5.91 in HeLa cells. The acidification wasdissipated upon addition of concanamycin, a selectiveblocker of vacuolar-type ATPases. The counterion con-ductance was found to be much greater than the rate ofH
"Personality" in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata): A correlational study of exploratory behavior and social tendency.

Differences in the exploratory behavior and social tendencies of 29 guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in 2 domains of situations involving novelty and conspecincs were investigated. Consistent individual differences were found in most behavior patterns. Two behavioral dimensions (Activity Exploration and Fear Avoidance) were identified in the novelty situations. Likewise, 2 dimensions (Sociability and Locomotion) were found in the social situations. An analysis of relationships between these 2 test domains revealed the existence of even broader behavioral dimensions (Approach, governing exploration and social attraction, and Fear Avoidance, governing responses to aversive stimulation). Thus, it was shown that "personality" may represent an important behavioral category in the guppy provided it is defined precisely and objectively.
Somatoform dissociative symptoms as related to animal defensive reactions to predatory imminence and injury

: The authors hypothesized that there would be a similarity between animal defensive responses to variable predatory imminence and injury and certain somatoform dissociative symptoms of trauma-reporting patients who have dissociative disorder. As a first test of this hypothesis, 12 somatoform symptom clusters consisting of clinically observed somatoform dissociative phenomena were constructed. All clusters discriminated between patients with dissociative disorders (n = 50) and patients with other psychiatric diagnoses (n = 50). Those expressive of the hypothesized similarity--freezing, anesthesia-analgesia, and disturbed eating--belonged to the 5 most characteristic symptoms of dissociative disorder patients. Anesthesia-analgesia, urogenital pain, and freezing symptom clusters independently contributed to predicted presence of dissociative disorder. Using an independent sample, it appeared that anesthesia-analgesia best predicted presence of dissociative disorder after controlling for symptom severity. The results were largely consistent with the hypothesized similarity.
RX J1914.4+2456: the first double-degenerate polar?

RX J1914.4 + 2456 exhibits a light curve with a strong modulation at 569 s: this period is characteristic of the white dwarf spin period in intermediate polar (IF) systems. However, the X-ray light curve is difficult to reconcile with current models for IP emission. We argue that a simpler explanation is that the system is a polar with a degenerate secondary star, which would make it the first known system of its kind. As such it should contain the first example of an He-dominated radial accretion flow on to the white dwarf surface, and RX J1914.4 + 2456 would have the shortest known orbital period of any binary system.
Identification and Characterization ofaarF, a Locus Required for Production of Ubiquinone inProvidencia stuartii and Escherichia coli and for Expression of 2′-N-Acetyltransferase inP. stuartii

ABSTRACT Providencia stuartii contains a chromosomal 2′-N-acetyltransferase [AAC(2′)-Ia] involved in the O acetylation of peptidoglycan. The AAC(2′)-Ia enzyme is also capable of acetylating and inactivating certain aminoglycosides and confers high-level resistance to these antibiotics when overexpressed. We report the identification of a locus in P. stuartii, designated aarF, that is required for the expression of AAC(2′)-Ia. Northern (RNA) analysis demonstrated thataac(2′)-Ia mRNA levels were dramatically decreased in aP. stuartii strain carrying anaarF::Cm disruption. TheaarF::Cm disruption also resulted in a deficiency in the respiratory cofactor ubiquinone. The aarF locus encoded a protein that had a predicted molecular mass of 62,559 Da and that exhibited extensive amino acid similarity to the products of two adjacent open reading frames of unknown function (YigQ and YigR), located at 86 min on the Escherichia coli chromosome. AnE. coli yigR::Kan mutant was also deficient in ubiquinone content. Complementation studies demonstrated that theaarF and the E. coli yigQR loci were functionally equivalent. The aarF or yigQRgenes were unable to complement ubiD and ubiEmutations that are also present at 86 min on the E. colichromosome. This result indicates that aarF(yigQR) represents a novel locus for ubiquinone production and reveals a previously unreported connection between ubiquinone biosynthesis and the regulation of gene expression.
ErbB dysregulation impairs cognition via myelination-dependent and - independent oligodendropathy

White matter abnormalities are an emerging pathological feature of schizophrenia. However, their attributions to the disease remain largely elusive. ErbB receptors and their ligands, some of which are essential for peripheral myelination, confer susceptibility to schizophrenia. By synergistically manipulating ErbB receptor activities in a oligodendrocyte-stage-specific manner in mice after early development, we demonstrate the distinct effects of ErbB signaling on oligodendrocytes at various differentiation states. ErbB overactivation, in mature oligodendrocytes, induces necroptosis causing demyelination, whereas in oligodendrocyte precursor cells, induces apoptosis causing hypomyelination. In contrast, ErbB inhibition increases oligodendrocyte precursor cell proliferation but induces hypomyelination by suppressing the myelinating capabilities of newly-formed oligodendrocytes. Remarkably, ErbB inhibition in mature oligodendrocytes diminishes axonal conduction under energy stress and impairs working memory capacity independently of myelin pathology. This study reveals the etiological implications of oligodendrocyte vulnerability induced by ErbB dysregulation, and elucidates the pathogenetic mechanisms for variable structural and functional white matter abnormalities.