Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sublethal Effects of the Insecticide Imidacloprid on Salamanders Submitted to: Foundation for the Conservation of Salamanders

The insecticide imidacloprid is widely used to mitigate hemlock (Tsuga spp.) mortality resulting from the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae), but evidence suggests that imidacloprid can have negative impacts on adjacent stream systems. Laboratory studies have shown that imidacloprid bioaccumulates in anurans and spotted salamanders and causes sublethal effects, but no studies have investigated whether salamanders or insects in streams adjacent to HWA treatments can bioaccumulate imidacloprid. We collected Desmognathus spp. from seven streams directly adjacent to HWA treatments and four streams not adjacent to HWA treatments in West Virginia. We also collected benthic invertebrates from 15 streams adjacent to HWA treatments. We assessed the effect of imidacloprid exposure and imidacloprid bioaccumulation on levels of the stress hormone, corticosterone, and body condition indices (BCI). Of 107 tested salamanders, we detected imidacloprid bioaccumulation in the tissues of 14 Desmognathus spp. and the metabolite imidacloprid-olefin in the tissues of 19 Desmognathus spp. for a total of 29 individuals with one or both chemicals. Of 15 tested benthic invertebrate samples, we detected imidacloprid bioaccumulation in 15 samples and imidacloprid-urea in 13 samples. The top model for corticosterone included additive effects of species, sex, and number of imidacloprid applications in adjacent treated stands, and corticosterone levels increased with an increasing number of imidacloprid applications adjacent to the stream. The top model for BCI contained concentration of imidacloprid in stream water as a predictor, and BCI decreased with increasing imidacloprid concentration. This study provides strong evidence that salamanders and stream invertebrates bioaccumulate imidacloprid which leaches from HWA treatments and that imidacloprid is associated with sublethal effects in salamanders.
Identifying Speculation from Syntax

The RelEx semantic relation extractor is a dependency parser that generates feature markup identifying hypothetical and speculative statements, questions and clauses. These are identiﬁed by means of ﬁxed, linguist-generated rules applied to syntactically parsed sentences. By using purely syntactic information, obtained from single sentences, this approach provides a base-line for extracting the semantic content of speculative sentences. This short note reviews the operation of the RelEx system, focusing on how it identiﬁes of hypothetical and speculative statements.
Rapid Association of Protein Kinase C-ϵ with Insulin Granules Is Essential for Insulin Exocytosis*

Glucose-dependent exocytosis of insulin requires activation of protein kinase C (PKC). However, because of the great variety of isoforms and their ubiquitous distribution within the β-cell, it is difficult to predict the importance of a particular isoform and its mode of action. Previous data revealed that two PKC isoforms (α and ϵ) translocate to membranes in response to glucose (Zaitzev, S. V., Efendic, S., Arkhammar, P., Bertorello, A. M., and Berggren, P. O. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 92, 9712–9716). Using confocal microscopy, we have now established that in response to glucose, PKC-ϵ but not PKC-α associates with insulin granules and that green fluorescent protein-tagged PKC-ϵ changes its distribution within the cell periphery upon stimulation of β-cells with glucose. Definite evidence of PKC-ϵ requirement during insulin granule exocytosis was obtained by using a dominant negative mutant of this isoform. The presence of this mutant abolished glucose-induced insulin secretion, whereas transient expression of the wild-type PKC-ϵ led to a significant increase in insulin exocytosis. These results suggest that association of PKC-ϵ with insulin granule membranes represents an important component of the secretory network because it is essential for insulin exocytosis in response to glucose.
Fasting endurance and the evolution of mammalian body size

The idea that the need for energy reserves may have been important in the evolution of different body sizes can be traced to Lindsey (1966) who recognized that 'the energy reserves may last longer in large rather than in small animals' and suggested that this may be one possible reason for large body sizes among northern poikilotherms. Several subsequent investigators drew similar conclusions based on studies of other taxonomic groups. A number of environmental correlates of body size among mammalian carnivores suggested that 'homeostatic needs' might set a lower limit to body size at higher latitudes (Rosenzweig, 1968). Body size in whales is inversely correlated with the length of the feeding season and suggests that large size reflects the need for energy reserves during the fasting period (Brodie, 1975). Large body size has also been recognized as important in enhancing the survival of terrestrial vertebrates during periods of resource shortage in strongly seasonal environments (Boyce, 1979; Murphy, 1985; Zeveloff & Boyce, 1988). Quantitative models of energy reserves and fasting endurance in relation to body size have been developed (Morrison, 1960; Calder, 1974, 1984; Searcy, 1980, Peters, 1983; Lindstedt & Boyce, 1985). Similar arguments have been used to explain size dimorphism between the sexes (Downhower, 1976; Ralls, 1976; but see Shine, 1988). Despite this diverse support over many years, energy reserves and fasting endurance are not commonly incorporated into models considering the evolution of mammalian body size. Most
Ownership Structure Dominance, Risk Taking and Bank Performance in Nigeria

This study examines ownership strucure dominance as a determinant of bank performance and risk taking using ROA, ROE and NIM as proxies for performance while the independent variables include asset size, capital adequancy, asset quality, liquidity, deposit, and income-expenditure structure. The study classified the different types of ownership structure dominance of banks as Government, Private Nigerian and Foreigners using the OLS regression analysis to examine the relationship between the dependent and independent variables.The result of the analysis reveals that Private Nigerian’s Ownership (PRIVTOWN) stake in banks has a positive influence on Net interest income (NIM) performance but was statistically insignificant. Foreign dominated ownership (FOROWN) was found to have a positive impact on bank Net Interest Income (NIM) but it was also statistically insignificant. In the case of Government dominated component in ownership (GOVTOWN) stake, the study reveals that bank performance is positively and insignificantly related to government dominated component in the ownership structure.The study recommends that less emphasis should be placed on ownership structure as a basis for policy formulation for improving bank performance in Nigeria due to its statistical insignificance in the Nigerian banking industry. Notwithstanding the composition of ownership structure, the study further recommends that banks in Nigeria should endeavour to be discrete in risk taking by properly weighing the risk return profile on its assets as it was revealed by this study that risk taking of banks could impact on their performance.
Retrospective Project Analysis Using the Expectation-Maximization Clustering Algorithm

—Schedule slips are often the reason for failed projects or low-quality software. Therefore, investigation if a project was on schedule is an important task when analyzing software projects in retrospective. In this paper, we present a data-driven approach for the retrospective determination of project phases through a clustering algorithm. The analysis is based on software metrics measured at different points of time during the project execution. We will describe how the data can be collected, prepared and analyzed. Our ﬁndings are validated through a case study where we analyzed two large-scale open-source projects. The results show that it is possible to successfully identify the ﬁnal phase of a project using our approach.
Sensitivity analysis of a hybrid neural network for locomotor control in the lamprey

Neural circuitry within the spinal cord of the lamprey forms a central pattern generator (CPG) for locomotor control, which interacts with particular neurons in a reticulo-spino-reticular (RSR) loop. Some of the CPG neurons have pacemaker properties. We have used mathematical models to examine the role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and calcium dependent potassium (K/sub Ca/ channel currents in generating oscillatory outputs in: (1) a single neuron; (2) a hybrid neural network for the CPG with embedded pacemaker neurons; and (3) a reticular CPG network. Neurons were modeled as isopotential single compartment units with simplified biophysical properties. All three conditions showed a minimum and maximum NMDA and K/sub Ca/, conductance values for which oscillations occurred. The pacemaker neurons played an important role in the control of the locomotor rhythm by affecting the burst generation and termination mechanisms. The range over which oscillations can be obtained by altering the pacemaker properties of the neurons is affected by the architecture of the network. The pacemaker properties can provide a mechanism for frequency control by the brain with or without affecting the drive to the motor output units.
Molecular richness of the diffuse interstellar medium: a signpost of turbulent dissipation

Abstract The Herschel/HIFI absorption spectroscopy surveys reveal the unexpected molecular richness of the Galactic diffuse ISM, even in gas of very low average H2 molecular fraction. In particular, two hydrides, CH+ and SH+ with highly endoenergetic formation routes have abundances that challenge models of UV-driven chemistry. The intermittent dissipation of turbulence appears as a plausible additional source of energy for the diffuse ISM chemistry. We present recent results of the so-called models of Turbulent Dissipation Regions (TDR). The abundances of many of the molecules observed in the diffuse ISM, including CO that is used as a tracer of the molecular clouds mass, may be understood in the framework of the TDR models.
Evidence for polyphyly in Hemigenia and Microcorys (Lamiaceae: Westringieae)

The phylogeny of tribe Westringieae (Lamiaceae: subfamily Prostantheroideae) was examined on the basis of combined morphological and molecular chloroplast trnT-trnF data. The analyses confirm that the tribe is monophyletic, with Prostanthera Labill. sister to the remaining genera. Both Hemigenia R.Br. and Microcorys R.Br. are shown to be polyphyletic, hence changes to generic delimitations are inevitable. Of note, the typical section of Hemigenia is polyphyletic with a large group of Western Australia species placed in a separate clade. A new section of Hemigenia is required to accommodate species currently placed in the typical section which do not belong with the type species, H. purpurea R.Br.
The influence of pollinator abundance on the dynamics and efficiency of pollination in agricultural Brassica napus: implications for landscape‐scale gene dispersal

Summary 1 It is important to understand the pollination processes that generate landscape-scale gene dispersal in plants, particularly in crop plants with genetically modified (GM) varieties. In one such crop, Brassica napus, the situation is complicated by uncertainty over the relative importance of two pollen vectors, wind and insects. 2 We investigated pollination in two fields of B. napus that bloomed at different times of year (April vs. July) and attracted different abundances of foraging social bees. Rates of pollen transfer were quantified by counting the pollen grains deposited on stigmas and remaining in the anthers at intervals after flower opening. 3 Flowers open in April were adequately pollinated only after 5 days and only 10% received even a single bee visit. Flowers open in July received three bee visits per hour and were fully pollinated within 3 h. 4 Based on published measurements of airborne pollen dispersal, we estimate that wind-pollination from a hypothetical field 1 km distant could have fertilized up to 0·3% of the field's seed when bees were scarce in April but only up to 0·007% when bees were abundant in July. 5 The efficiency of pollination (the proportion of pollen released from anthers that landed on receptive stigmas) was seven times greater in July (1·5%) than in April (0·2%). The relatively high efficiency of insect pollination may help to explain the evolutionary maintenance of entomophily. 6 Synthesis and applications. Our results begin to resolve a long-standing inconsistency among previous studies by suggesting that the susceptibility of fields of B. napus to long-distance cross-pollination by wind depends on the level of bee activity. Models for predicting GM gene flow at the landscape-scale in this crop should take this into account.
How to Make Open-Source EDA Project Sustainable: a Perspective from Industry

With the wide availability of software collaboration platforms such as Github and Bitbucket, the threshold of starting a new open source project is low. However to ensure an open source project success and having long-lasting impact, it is crucial to maintain its sustainability. In this white paper I will outline some observations on the sustainability of open source EDA projects.
Oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1) gene polymorphism in Mehsana buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis).

Oxidized low density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1) is the major protein that binds, internalizes and degrades oxidized low-density lipoprotein. It is reported that SNP 8,232 in the 3′-UTR in OLR1 was associated with milk fat yield and percentage. This study was aimed to reveal the PCR-RFLP pattern of OLR1 (3’UTR) in the Mehsana breed of buffaloes. A fragment of OLR1-288 bp was amplifi ed by PCR, and subsequently, RFLP study was carried out to identify genotypes of the animals with PstI restriction enzyme. It revealed monomorphic patterns. Further representative samples were cloned and in vector and after sequencing sequence variation in nucleotide sequences of OLR1was analysed. On comparison with published cattle sequence the nucleotide sequence variation between cattle and buffalo was present at nine nucleotide positions i.e. 85, 91, 116, 129, 151, 168, 171, 217, 240.
Geoestatística aplicada ao estudo da distribuição espacial de Tibraca limbativentris em arrozal irrigado por inundação.

Tibraca limbativentris (rice stem bug) is an insect highly injurious to the rice crop in Brazil. The aim of this research was to define the spatial distribution of the T. limbativentris and improve the sampling process by means of geostatistical application techniques and construction of prediction maps in a flooded rice field located in the "Planalto da Campanha" Region, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. The experiments were conducted in rice crop in the municipality of Itaqui - RS, in the crop years of 2009/10, 2010/11 and 2011/12, counting fortnightly the number of nymphs and adults in a georeferenced grid with points spaced at 50m in the first year and in 10m in the another years. It was performed a geostatistical analysis by means adjusting semivariogram and interpolation of numeric data by kriging to verify the spatial dependence and the subsequent mapping population. The results obtained indicated that the rice stem bug, T. limbativentris, has a strong spatial dependence. The prediction maps allow estimating population density of the pest and visualization of the spatial distribution in flooded rice fields, enabling the improvement of the traditional method of sampling for rice stem bug
TOWARDS AN IMPROVED CO2 RETRIEVAL ALGORITHM FOR SCIAMACHY ON ENVISAT

Global satellite observations of the column-averaged dry-air mixing ratio of CO2, denoted XCO2, in combination with inverse modeling has the potential to reduce currently large uncertainties of regional CO2 surface fluxes. This requires very high accuracy and sensitivity to the lower troposphere. The only instrument with high surface sensitivity prior to the launch of GOSAT (launch 2009) is SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT. It has been shown that XCO2 spatiotemporal variations of a few ppm can be detected with SCIAMACHY (after averaging) when using the WFMDOAS version 1.0 (WFMDv1.0) retrieval algorithm. Detailed comparisons with state-of-the-art global CO2 models show however significant differences, which are not well understood. In order to assess to what extent these differences can be explained by retrieval biases and to generate an improved SCIAMACHY XCO2 data product in the future we started to develop an advanced retrieval algorithm called BESD (Bremen optimal EStimation DOAS). Here an initial implementation of BESD (version 0.1) is described and first retrieval results are presented based on simulations and real data. BESD aims at combining the advantages of DOAS and Optimal Estimation (OE) primarily to reduce scattering related errors caused by aerosols and residual clouds. BESD permits simultaneous multi fitwindow retrievals using the relevant absorption bands of CO2 (1.58 μm) and O2 (0.76 μm). BESD will be further developed in the future. This will comprise the use of a-priori information on aerosols and clouds from various information sources. The ultimate goal of this activity is to produce an XCO2 data set covering the entire lifetime of SCIAMACHY (2003 to about 2013) with a quality high enough for regional CO2 surface flux inverse modeling on the global scale as needed by projects such as the GMES atmosphere project MACC.
On the task priority manipulation scheme with high execution performance for a robotic manipulator

When we are to give simultaneously multiple tasks to a robot manipulator, the task priority manipulation scheme plays an important role, especially for the case that they can not be executed simultaneously. Until now, several algorithms for task priority have been used in solving the inverse kinematics for redundant manipulators. In this paper, through the comparative study of existing algorithms, we propose a new method for task priority manipulation which is developed in terms of two important criteria, algorithmic singularity and task error. This manipulation scheme is applied to planar three link manipulator to demonstrate its eﬁectiveness.
“The sum of all human knowledge”: A systematic review of scholarly research on the content of Wikipedia

Wikipedia may be the best‐developed attempt thus far to gather all human knowledge in one place. Its accomplishments in this regard have made it a point of inquiry for researchers from different fields of knowledge. A decade of research has thrown light on many aspects of the Wikipedia community, its processes, and its content. However, due to the variety of fields inquiring about Wikipedia and the limited synthesis of the extensive research, there is little consensus on many aspects of Wikipedia's content as an encyclopedic collection of human knowledge. This study addresses the issue by systematically reviewing 110 peer‐reviewed publications on Wikipedia content, summarizing the current findings, and highlighting the major research trends. Two major streams of research are identified: the quality of Wikipedia content (including comprehensiveness, currency, readability, and reliability) and the size of Wikipedia. Moreover, we present the key research trends in terms of the domains of inquiry, research design, data source, and data gathering methods. This review synthesizes scholarly understanding of Wikipedia content and paves the way for future studies.
Psychology in Financial Markets – The Disposition Effect

Using the term disposition effect, Shefrin and Statman (1985) describe the phenomenon, that investors in financial markets, if compared to an optimal trading strategy, tend to hold stocks that have lost in value too long, whereas they sell winnings too fast. Over the time a lot of essays about the disposition effect have been published and a bunch of theories and models in psychology and behavioral economics have tried to show if and why investors behave that way. Genesove and Mayer (2001) were able to show a disposition effect in the real estate market and Odean (1998) shows a significant tendency for investors in financial markets to hold losers (i.e. stocks that have a price lower than the price it was bought for) longer than winners (i.e. stocks that have a higher price than the initial buying-price). With data from 10.000 discount-broker-accounts in the US from 1987 to 1993 he was able to compute the percentage of gains realized (PGR) and the percentage of losses realized.
Climate effects on amphibian distributions depend on phylogenetic resolution and the biogeographical history of taxa

Aim Disentangling the effects of climate and historical factors on biodiversity distribution remains a challenge for biogeographers. Here, we provide an analytical framework to discriminate the contributions of contemporary climate and the biogeographical history of taxa to the geographical distributions of phylogenetic lineages. Furthermore, we evaluate the constraint that the biogeographical history of clades exerts on the association between climate and clade distribution, i.e. the historical legacy of climatic effects. As a case study, we analysed the distributions of amphibian lineages across the Americas. Location The Americas. Methods We tallied the number of amphibian species per genus in each of 262 ecoregions. Each ecoregion was described by the composition of phylogenetic lineages using phylogenetic fuzzy weighting. The composition of amphibian genera and phylogenetic clades represented the distributions of shallow and deep phylogenetic nodes, respectively. We characterized each ecoregion by the biogeographical history of amphibian taxa and its current climate, whose influences on shallow and deep phylogenetic nodes were analysed using variation partitioning analysis. Results The association between climate and the distributions of deep phylogenetic nodes showed a strong historical legacy, although the distribution of amphibian genera was mostly associated with climate. Hyloidea were associated with a Gondwanan origin and higher annual mean temperatures, whereas other clades (e.g. Caudata) were related to a Laurasian origin and higher temperature seasonality. Microhylidae were related to occurrence in the Early Jurassic in Gondwana and recent occurrence in the Neotropics. Main conclusions Biogeographical patterns can be thought of as the net outcome of evolutionary, historical and ecological processes. Although temperature is likely to affect the ecology of amphibians, the effects of climate on the distributions of deep phylogenetic nodes were strongly constrained by the biogeographical history of clades. Nevertheless, local, climatically driven processes are likely to influence the distributions of shallow phylogenetic nodes. The historical biogeography of clades might help to explain the interplay between evolutionary and environmental processes in determining assembly patterns found elsewhere.