Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alarm calls of nesting Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) are associated with predator type

ABSTRACT The alarm calls of many vertebrates encode predator-specific information such as the type of predator or the urgency of the threat. When an alarm call is only produced in a specific context and elicits specific behaviors from the recipients it is referred to as functionally referential. The pervasiveness of functionally referential alarm calls across bird species, however, remains to be established. In this study, we first classified Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) alarm calls and then assessed if parental birds produced different alarm calls for different predators or nestling stages. To classify alarm calls we first isolated parental calls that preceded nest predation events from mockingbird nest camera footage and analyzed them using Raven Pro. Using a PCA analysis, we identified 9 different alarm calls based on 18 different predation events that resulted in 494 alarm calls given. To determine if the alarm calls were predator- or nest stage-specific we conducted a multinomial logistic regression. One call was given exclusively in association with snakes and 2 were given almost entirely in association with cats. In response to American Crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos), mockingbirds mainly produced a fourth alarm call, which was also frequently associated with Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii). The remaining 5 alarm calls were associated with Cooper's Hawks. While we have strong preliminary evidence for predator-specific alarm calls in nesting Northern Mockingbirds, many of these calls are also given in other contexts, such as in intraspecific interactions, which would exclude them from being considered functionally referential. These results highlight the challenges of categorizing alarm calls as functionally referential and the need to further integrate functional reference with context-dependent communication.
Double-digest RAD sequencing reveals low rates of conspecific brood parasitism and no cases of quasi-parasitism in a Neotropical passerine

ABSTRACT Levels of conspecific brood parasitism (CBP) and quasi-parasitism (QP) are important parameters for the general understanding of alternative female mating strategies. We deployed double-digest RAD sequencing to assess CBP and QP in a south temperate population of Grass Wrens (Cistothorus platensis). CBP rate was low and varied annually (0–10%). No cases of QP were identified in our population. Grass Wrens showed similar levels of CBP when compared to other Neotropical songbirds. Given that females could increase their reproductive output by laying eggs in both their nests and in other females' nests, it is striking that CBP is so rare. Future work should evaluate counter-adaptations (egg pecking and rejection, nest desertion, and retaliation) that reduce the success of CBP.
Activity and habitat use by understory birds in a native Andean forest and a eucalypt plantation

ABSTRACT Eucalypt plantations alter the physical and chemical conditions of the environment, and the value of such plantations for biodiversity conservation is controversial. Research on their potential effects on native Neotropical bird communities has focused on taxonomic diversity, while its impacts on other ecological aspects remain only partially explored. We used camera traps to compare habitat use and activity patterns of an understory bird assemblage between a native forest and an adjacent eucalypt plantation in the Colombian Andes. Six and seven understory bird species comprised the eucalypt plantation and the native forest assemblages, respectively. Habitat use of the White-throated Quail-Dove (Zentrigon frenata), Sickle-winged Guan (Chamaepetes goudotii), and antpittas was significantly lower in the plantation, whereas brushfinches used both forest types equally. Each species showed coefficients of activity that overlapped above 59%, suggesting the overall activity patterns of the understory birds were similar in both forest types. However, activity peaks of most species were slightly different between the 2 forests. Despite the fact that these areas are adjacent to one another, and that this eucalypt plantation has undergone 50 years of understory growth, our results indicate that this exotic plantation does not constitute a suitable habitat for most Andean understory birds. We found that eucalypt plantation effects on bird assemblages go beyond their taxonomic diversity and affect other ecological aspects such as their patterns of activity. Our study provides new insights on activity patterns of Andean birds and highlights the need for assessing the value of exotic plantations as a surrogate habitat for understory bird conservation.
The enigmatic Rothschild's Swift (Cypseloides rothschildi): Natural history, distribution, and seasonality

ABSTRACT Rothschild's Swift (Cypseloides rothschildi) is among the least known South American swifts. Here we clarify its distribution and seasonality, and provide detailed natural history data and breeding information. We compiled 197 records of Rothschild's Swifts (museum specimens, citizen science initiatives, literature, and field observations) from Argentina and Bolivia; most from the breeding season (Oct–Mar, 177 records; 44 documented), a few thought to be on migration (Apr and Sep, 15 records; 3 documented), and fewer during the nonbreeding period (May–Aug, 5 records; 1 documented) with no records from July/August. Rothschild's Swifts are migratory, but the wintering quarters remain unknown. The distribution during the breeding season is broadly overlapping with the Austral Yungas of Argentina and Bolivia, with sparse records in Andean and extra-Andean ranges with forested and non-forested waterfalls. Our breeding distribution model indicated high presence probabilities in the Austral Yungas of Bolivia and Argentina. The breeding season during the austral spring and summer (late Oct/mid-Nov to mid-Mar/early Apr in northwest Argentina) began roughly with the early rains as in other Neotropical swifts. Our data from 8 breeding sites and from 8 nests that we studied in northwest Argentina regarding nest placement (near waterfalls), nest features (moss or moss and mud cups), eggs (single and white), and on the protracted development of Rothschild's Swift nestlings (∼55–60 d) and the sequence of plumage acquisition and behavior were coincidental with what is known from other Cypseloides. We provide behavioral information from a temporarily captive individual, which provided the first sound recordings of nestling/fledgling vocalizations of Rothschild's Swift—presumably the first available for any Cypseloides. It is unclear whether these vocalizations, recorded in captivity, represent developmental precursors of adult sounds or begging calls.
Twenty-five year population trends in Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) in eastern North America

ABSTRACT Due to the low detectability of Northern Saw-whet Owls (Aegolius acadicus; hereafter, NSWO) throughout their annual cycle, standardized monitoring during migration allows for population assessments over time. We assessed age-class population trends in NSWO throughout eastern North America using banding data from 7 sites over a 25 year period. Using a mixed linear model, we did not detect any significant trends over time for the total owl count, adult owl count, and juvenile owl count from 1992 to 2017. During the period when all 7 sites were active from 2001 to 2017, trend estimates remained nonsignificant despite showing negative slopes. We confirmed this nonsignificant, negative trend through a similar mixed linear model of NSWO data from Christmas Bird Counts. Our results suggest that NSWO populations across eastern North America have been relatively stable since 1992 throughout their migration and winter ranges and demonstrate the value of standardized banding data for monitoring the regional population status of NSWO.
Breeding ecology of the Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

ABSTRACT The Quailfinch (Ortygospiza atricollis) is a widespread African estrildid that features in specialist avicultural collections. However, the species is poorly known and has proven difficult to maintain in captivity, and as such, most captive stock represent wild-caught specimens. Here we report on the breeding ecology of a population of wild Quailfinches as observed at 62 nests in the 2012–2013 and 2013–2014 breeding seasons. Although Quailfinch bred during the wet season, incidental observations suggest rainfall patterns and the availability of suitable habitat for nesting, specifically habitat structure, may influence the onset of the breeding season at a local scale. Both sexes participated in all aspects of nest construction, including collection of material, construction, and maintenance. Nests were occupied for extensive periods prior to the commencement of laying, fulfilling a possible nest guarding or pair bonding function. Mean clutch size was 4.8 eggs (SD 0.2) and there were no significant seasonal differences in clutch size. Both sexes incubated and the incubation period lasted 14 d (SD 0.8). In common with many other estrildid species, there was considerable variation in the onset of incubation. Mean nest attendance during incubation was 83% and was similar between the sexes. The mean nestling period lasted 16.8 d (SD 0.8) and both sexes brooded and provisioned the nestlings with seeds and occasionally invertebrates. Growth was unusually rapid for estrildids, but within the range expected for ground-nesting passerines. The overall breeding success was 12% with predation being the main cause of nest failure.
The Rocky Road to Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis) Recovery in Ohio: An Evaluation of Habitat in Ohio's Streams

Abstract. Determining habitat characteristics that influence the contemporary distribution of species is imperative for effective conservation planning. The Eastern Hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis) reaches its Midwestern northern range limit in Ohio, U.S.A.Most previous studies have focused on habitat within the mountainous core of the species' range. We assessed physical and chemical habitat characteristics across the extant range of the Hellbender in Ohio. Physical habitat characteristics were similar to habitat across the range. Hellbenders occupied stream segments typically in contact with steep hillsides that are the source of large shelter rocks. Stream substrate consisted of large boulders and cobble and contained moderate proportions of gravel and sand. Both water temperature (max = 29.4–33.0 C) and conductivity (range = 284–1323 µS/cm) were elevated in Ohio streams. Historic alterations to streams in combination with distinct hydrologic regimes and geology have resulted in habitat characteristics not commonly reported elsewhere. This may have contributed to Hellbender populations being dominated by large adults. Developing an understanding of the role habitat structure and perturbations play in egg and larval survival is critical for the implementation of effective conservation strategies.
First description of the structure and geographic patterns in the songs of the Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)

ABSTRACT Geographic variation in song characteristics within songbird species has the potential to reveal some of the complex interactions between ecology and behavior. The Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis) is an uncommon and little studied Neotropical migratory wood warbler that breeds across the southern boreal forest in North America. The song of the Connecticut Warbler has remained poorly described and, prior to our study, no detailed spectrographic analysis exists. We document 20 distinct song variants in this species, based on differences in the structure and sequence of notes within repeated phrases, from across the breeding range. One song type, distributed across the entire breeding range, represented 36% of our samples. Preliminary evidence suggests a lack of geographic structure and no evidence of dialects or regiolects in the song types of this species. Our results highlight a unique distribution in song types within the Oporornis–Geothlypis complex, providing a baseline for future studies of geographic variation in this, and related, species.
Tongue Microbiota Composition and Dental Caries Experience in Primary School Children

Dental caries is now considered to be caused by acids produced by the overall dental plaque microbiota rather than by specific pathogens. This study focused on the relationship between dental caries experience and the variations in tongue microbiota, which is adjacent but separate from the dental plaque microbiota. ABSTRACT The tongue microbiota of elderly adults is composed of two cohabiting commensal groups and their ratios are related to the number of teeth with dental caries experience. In this study, the variation in the tongue microbiota of primary school children and its relationship with the dental caries experience were investigated. We examined the tongue microbiota of 138 children aged 6 to 7 years and 11 to 12 years (61 and 77 children, respectively) who underwent annual dental examinations. The bacterial composition was determined by sequencing the V1-V2 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Cooccurrence network analysis indicated two groups of cohabiting predominant commensals in the tongue microbiota of children. The microbiota in children without a history of dental caries showed significantly higher relative abundances of one of the cohabiting groups, primarily composed of Neisseria subflava, Porphyromonas pasteri, and Fusobacterium periodonticum, compared to that in children with a history of dental caries, which is consistent with that of elderly adults with fewer teeth with dental caries experience. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) further identified Streptococcus oralis subsp. dentisani, belonging to the aforementioned commensal group, as a discriminant species in children without dental caries experience aged 6 to 7 years and 11 to 12 years. Our results describe the tongue microbiota composition of primary school children without history of dental caries and support the possibility that dental caries experience is accompanied by a shift in the tongue microbiota. IMPORTANCE Dental caries is now considered to be caused by acids produced by the overall dental plaque microbiota rather than by specific pathogens. This study focused on the relationship between dental caries experience and the variations in tongue microbiota, which is adjacent but separate from the dental plaque microbiota. Our results demonstrated that the tongue microbiota of primary school children with no history of dental caries experience was composed of predominant commensals with different relative abundances compared to those present in children with dental caries experience, suggesting that dental caries experience is accompanied by a shift in the tongue microbiota. The maintenance of a healthy tongue microbiota may indirectly contribute to the prevention of dental caries.
Learning About the World by Learning About Images

One of the deepest insights in neuroscience is that sensory encoding should take advantage of statistical regularities. Humans’ visual experience contains many redundancies: Scenes mostly stay the same from moment to moment, and nearby image locations usually have similar colors. A visual system that knows which regularities shape natural images can exploit them to encode scenes compactly or guess what will happen next. Although these principles have been appreciated for more than 60 years, until recently it has been possible to convert them into explicit models only for the earliest stages of visual processing. But recent advances in unsupervised deep learning have changed that. Neural networks can be taught to compress images or make predictions in space or time. In the process, they learn the statistical regularities that structure images, which in turn often reflect physical objects and processes in the outside world. The astonishing accomplishments of unsupervised deep learning reaffirm the importance of learning statistical regularities for sensory coding and provide a coherent framework for how knowledge of the outside world gets into visual cortex.
Guiding the Emotion in Emotional Memories: The Role of the Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex

Models of episodic emotional memory typically concern why emotional events are more likely to be remembered than neutral events, focusing on interactions between the amygdala and other medial temporal lobe regions. But memories of emotional events can be distinguished by their affective tone and framing. We propose that the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), a region that is increasingly recognized to crosscut socio-affective and cognitive domains, plays a key role in this aspect of emotional memory. After briefly reviewing the role of the dmPFC in the control of behaviors ranging from actions to emotions to social cognition, we delve into the accumulating evidence that its functions also subserve the abstraction of meaning from events and the control of memories, particularly emotional memories. Its role begins during the encoding of emotional experiences, continues through their stabilization, and endures during the retrieval of memory content. At each phase, the dmPFC participates in the integration of affective and cognitive components of memories, setting up networks and framings that either emphasize or de-emphasize emotional content. Incorporating the dmPFC into models of episodic emotional memory should provide leverage in understanding the affective tone with which experiences are brought to memory.
Practical tips for performing resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta

Background: Hemorrhage is the leading cause of death in trauma settings. Non-compressible torso hemorrhage, which is caused by abdominopelvic and thoracic injuries, is an important cause of subsequent organ dysfunction and poor outcomes in multiple trauma patients. The management of hemodynamically unstable patients with non-compressible torso hemorrhage has changed, and the concept of damage control resuscitation has been developed in the last decades. Currently, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) as a method of temporary stabilization is the modern evolution of bleeding control, and it is in the middle of a paradigm shift as a treatment for non-compressible torso hemorrhage. Despite its effectiveness in patients with hemorrhagic shock, the application of REBOA remains limited because of lack of experience and troubleshooting guidelines. Objectives: The aim of study was to provide useful tips for the implementing a step-by-step procedure for REBOA in various hospital settings and capabilities. Methods: We introduced REBOA procedures using a REBOA-customized 7 Fr balloon catheter through the animation models or radiography from preparation to access, catheter management, and device removal after procedure completed. Results: We have described REBOA procedures as follows: identification of the common femoral artery, arterial access for placement of a guidewire, precautions during a sheath insertion, guidewire and balloon positioning in the aorta, occlusion zones and adjustment of balloon location, REBOA strategy for extending the occlusion time, balloon deflation and removal, sheath removal, and medical records. Conclusion: We believe that the practical tips mentioned in this article will help in performing the REBOA procedure systematically and developing an effective REBOA framework.
Toward Automated Factchecking

In an effort to assist factcheckers in the process of factchecking, we tackle the claim detection task, one of the necessary stages prior to determining the veracity of a claim. It consists of identifying the set of sentences, out of a long text, deemed capable of being factchecked. This article is a collaborative work between Full Fact, an independent factchecking charity, and academic partners. Leveraging the expertise of professional factcheckers, we develop an annotation schema and a benchmark for automated claim detection that is more consistent across time, topics, and annotators than are previous approaches. Our annotation schema has been used to crowdsource the annotation of a dataset with sentences from UK political TV shows. We introduce an approach based on universal sentence representations to perform the classification, achieving an F1 score of 0.83, with over 5% relative improvement over the state-of-the-art methods ClaimBuster and ClaimRank. The system was deployed in production and received positive user feedback.
Trends in reactivity of electrodeposited 3d transition metals on gold revealed by operando soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy during water splitting

We activated gold electrodes for their use as electrocatalyst for water splitting by electrodepositing Cu, Ni and Co. A combination of operando x-ray absorption spectroscopy and potentiometric control under aqueous conditions revealed the trends in reactivity yielded by these electrodes, which are directly associated with the cross- and overpotentials as well as the occupancy of the 3d orbitals. It was found that under anodic polarization the materials electrodeposited on gold suffer from a lack of stability, while under cathodic polarization they exhibit stable behavior. The observed activity is strongly related to the lack of stability shown by these composites under anodic polarization revealing a dynamic process ruled by corrosion. By operando x-ray absorption, we established that the overall enhancement of the activity for the oxygen evolution reaction is directly attributable to the cross-potential and corrosion process of the electrodeposited materials. It is associated with the high potential deposition, which is the origin of the incipient oxidation-corrosion resistance of the lattice. We conclude that the observed trends in the total current are directly associated with the loss of oxygen in the metal-oxide lattice and the subsequent dissolution of metallic ions in the electrolyte under anodic polarization.
Does Youth Soccer Players’ Group Cooperation Improve when Pitch, Goal, and Team Size are Reduced?

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of the modification of the pitch size, goal size, and the number of players per team on the level of cooperation in youth soccer players (U-12). A quasi-experimental design was implemented to measure the effects of the changes in the number of players per team (8-a-side vs. 5-a-side), goal size (6 x 2 m vs. 3 x 2 m), and field size (58 x 38 m vs. 38 x 20 m) on the cooperation. Four soccer teams under-12 (n = 48 players) participated in three tournaments (standard rules; proposed rules; standard rules). The five variables of cooperation were measured using the “Sports Cooperation Questionnaire”: conditional cooperation, cooperation with the coach, disposition of unconditional cooperation, situational cooperation with teammates, and situational cooperation outside the field of play. Players presented the same level of cooperation in conditional cooperation, situational cooperation with teammates, and situational cooperation outside the field of play with both types of rules. The modification of rules involved a reduction of the cooperation with the coach and a disposition of unconditional cooperation. The causes of the reduction may be related to players’ adaptation to new tactical dispositions and game situations. Future studies are needed of player’s cooperation and different competition rules in youth sports.