Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Critical catchments for freshwater biodiversity conservation in Europe: identification, prioritisation and gap analysis

Summary The conservation of freshwater ecosystems has lagged behind that of marine and terrestrial ecosystems and often requires the integration of large-scale approaches and transboundary considerations. This study aims to set the foundations of a spatial conservation strategy by identifying the most important catchments for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity in Europe. Using data on 1296 species of fish, mollusc, odonate and aquatic plant, and the key biodiversity area criteria (species Red List status, range restriction and uniqueness of species assemblages), we identified a network of Critical Catchments for the conservation of freshwater biodiversity. Applying spatial prioritisation, we show how the prioritised network differs from the ideal case of protecting all Critical Catchments and how it changes when protected areas are included, and we also identify gaps between the prioritised network and existing protected areas. Critical Catchments (n = 8423) covered 45% of the area of Europe, with 766 qualifying (‘trigger’) species located primarily in southern Europe. The prioritised network, limited to 17% of the area of Europe, comprised 3492 catchments mostly in southern and eastern Europe and species targets were met for at least 96% of the trigger species. We found the majority of Critical Catchments to be inadequately covered by protected areas. However, our prioritised network presents a possible solution to augment protected areas to meet policy targets while also achieving good species coverage. Policy implications. While Critical Catchments cover almost half of Europe, priority catchments are mostly in southern and eastern Europe where the current level of protection is not sufficient. This study presents a foundation for a Europe-wide systematic conservation plan to ensure the persistence of freshwater biodiversity. Our study provides a powerful new tool for optimising investment on the conservation of freshwater biodiversity and for meeting targets set forth in international biodiversity policies, conventions and strategies.
A Comparison of the Origins of Yellow Rails (Coturnicops noveboracensis) Wintering in Oklahoma and Texas, USA

Abstract. Numbers, densities, and sex ratios of Yellow Rails (Coturnicops noveboracensis) wintering at Red Slough Wildlife Management Area in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, USA, were approximated and compared to estimates from birds wintering in coastal Texas, USA. Deuterium (δD) and sulfur (δ34S) values from rectrices of birds wintering in Oklahoma and in Texas were also examined to determine where the birds bred. Yellow Rails in Oklahoma from October 2009 through April 2010 were banded. Fifty-six Yellow Rails were captured, and the population was estimated to consist of 90.3 ± 25.5 birds, or 5.3 ± 1.5 rails * ha-1, which is similar to the published density of Yellow Rails in coastal Texas. Sex ratios did not differ from an expected 1:1 male:female ratio and did not differ between Oklahoma and Texas. Rectrices from Texas (n = 40) and Oklahoma (n = 32) had similar δD values and were broadly consistent with published δD values from southeastern Alberta to James Bay in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. The δ34S analysis from Texas (n = 4) and Oklahoma (n = 35) showed only two birds, both from Texas, with enriched δ34S values, suggesting that most birds from Texas and Oklahoma bred in interior Canadian marshes. Although the sample size was small, these results suggest interior overwintering sites contain similar densities to coastal sites.
Establishing bahiagrass in subtropical beef cattle pastures with lakedredged materials 354

Dredged materials are often viewed by society and regulators as pollutants, but many have used these materials in coastal nutrient enhancement, land or wetland creation, construction materials, and for soil improvement as a soil amendment. The objective of this study was to assess lake-dredged materials as a soil amendment for early establishment of bahiagrass (BG, Paspalum notatum Flugge) in subtropical beef cattle pasture. The treatment combinations consisted of five test plots (30.5 m x 30.5 m). Each of the plots had different ratio of lake-dredged materials (LDM) to natural soil (NS): Plot 1 [0% dry matter (DM) + 100% NS]; Plot 2 (25% DM + 75% NS); Plot 3 (50% DM + 50% NS); Plot 4 (75% DM + 25% NS); and Plot 5 (100% DM + 0% NS). Each plot was seeded with BG and growth establishment and yield were monitored for 34 weeks. Results disclosed significantly taller (P ? 0.001) BG and higher biomass production (P ? 0.001) from plots amended with DM than those of BG planted on plots with 0% DM. Results suggest that DM can serve as source of lime and fertilizer to establish BG beef pasture fields in the subtropics.
Muscle Contraction on the Half-Sarcomere Level: A New Model Approach

The structure of striated muscle is highly organized from the whole organ down the arrangement of single molecules. Myosin is the molecular motor that drives the muscular force generation. The interaction with actin filaments (‘crossbridges’) and the internal conformational change (‘power stroke’) of myosin are responsible for the increase in stiffness and force during activation. However, the structural unit of muscle is the parallel arrangement of many of these filamentous structures, forming the socalled ‘sarcomere’. Actin and myosin filaments interdigitate and interact in an overlap zone in each half of the sarcomere; the two zones can change their length while the filaments slide against each other, allowing the muscle to shorten during force generation. In a muscle cell (fiber) many thousands of sarcomeres are serially arranged to a ‘myofibril’, which is parallely aligned and coupled to other myofibrils in the cell. Thus, a muscle cell resembles a huge 3D network of force-generating motor units, the sarcomeres, presumably with non-identical properties. From an engineering point of view such a construct must exhibit complex internal dynamics and demands for control and stabilizing mechanisms. Recently, we have demonstrated that not only the sarcomeres but also the two halves of each sarcomere in a myofibril operate non-uniformly and apparently independently although they all produce the same force during contraction [1]. It was the first direct evidence the functional unit of muscle is the half-sarcomere. Our highly accurate length measurements of single half-sarcomeres in myofibrils revealed that the dynamics of filament sliding along the half-sarcomeres showed significant variability. The two halves of a sarcomere did not exhibit the same shortening/lengthening behavior, and externally applied stretch induced a slow dynamics that cannot be fully explained by current crossbridge models [2]. We have also shown previously by model considerations that in end-held contractions (constant total length) the dynamics of each half-sarcomere is coupled to all others, and
Optimizing Zakat Collection in the Digital Era: Muzakki's perception

This study aims to examine determinants of zakat payers’ (muzakki) interest to pay zakat through Zakat Management Organization (ZMO). The respondents were randomly selected from muzakki who paid their zakat on profession/income through ZMOs in Indonesia resulting in 100 respondents. Using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) method, this study found that transparency of zakat management, ZMO promotions using public figures, and supporting regulation which imposes zakat as a tax deductible expense have significant impact on muzakki's interest to pay zakat through ZMO. Meanwhile improvement of digital services and socialization of zakat through social media do not have significant effect on muzakki's interest. However, using sub-sample who are active users of social media, this study discovered a negative effect of social media usage on muzakki’s interest. This finding reinforces the suitability of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in the context of muzakki's behavior to pay zakat which is influenced by the quality of ZMO services.
Simultaneous resolution of the eddying general circulation and reasonably accurate tides in a 32-layer, 1/12.5 global ocean model

This paper presents a global simulation of HYCOM, the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model, that simultaneously resolves the eddying general circulation, barotropic tides, and baroclinic tides with 32 layers in the vertical direction and 1/12.5◦ horizontal grid spacing. A parameterized topographic wave drag is inserted into the model and tuned so that the surface tidal elevations are of comparable accuracy to optimally tuned forward tide models used in previous studies. The model captures 93% of the open-ocean sea-surface height variance of the eight largest tidal constituents, as recorded by a standard set of 102 pelagic tide gauges spread around the World Ocean. In order to minimize the impact of the wave drag on non-tidal motions, the model utilizes a running 25-hour average to roughly separate tidal and non-tidal components of the bottom flow. In contrast to earlier high-resolution global baroclinic tide simulations, which utilized tidal forcing only, the run presented here has a horizontally non-uniform stratification, supported by the windand buoyancy forcing. The horizontally varying stratification affects the baroclinic tides in high latitudes to first order. The magnitude of the internal tide perturbations to sea surface height around Hawai’i is quite similar to that seen in satellite altimeter data, although the exact locations of peaks and troughs in the model differ from those seen in the altimeter. Images of eddies and internal tides co-existing in the model are shown, and a discussion of planned future analyses that will extend far beyond the preliminary analyses shown here is given.
Restoration of dry electrode EEG using deep convolutional neural network

Electroencephalography(EEG) has been used widely in biomedical research and consumer products because of its reasonable size and cost. In order to reduce the electrical impedance between electrodes and skin of the scalp, we use conductive gel. However, it takes time to setup EEG. This problem is solved by dry electrodes, which do not require to use the conductive gel, however, the signal quality of dry electrodes is lower than that of wet electrodes. In this research, we propose a method to improve quality of the dry EEG signal. In order to design a restoration filter, we prepare wet and dry EEG signals recorded simultaneously. Then the filter is trained by both wet and dry EEG signals to restore wet EEG signal from dry EEG signal input. We used the fully connected deep neural network (DNN) and convolutional neural network (CNN). We conducted an experiment using the oddball paradigm to demonstrate the proposed method and compare with the classical Wiener filter.
Kinetics, Metabolism, and Sugar Gradients1

Postphloem, nonvascular assimilate transport occurs over an unusually long area in citrus fruit and thus facilitates investigation of this process relative to sugar entry into many sink structures. Labeled photosynthates moving into juice tissues of grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf.) slowed dramatically after entering the postphloem transport path (parenchyma cells, narrow portions of segment epidermis, and hair-like, parenchymatous stalks of juice sacs). Kinetic, metabolic, and compositional data indicated that transfer through the nonvascular area was delayed many hours by temporary storage and/or equilibration with sugars in compartments along the postphloem path. Labeled assimilates were generally recovered as sucrose throughout the path, and extent of hexose formation enroute bore no apparent relationship to the assimilate transfer process. Even after 24 hours, radiolabel was restricted to discrete, highly localized areas directly between vascular bundles and juice sacs. Postphloem transfer occurred against an ascending sucrose concentration gradient in young fruit, whereas a descending gradient (favoring diffusion/cytoplasmic streaming) developed only later in maturation. Involvement of a postphloem bulk flow is complicated in the present instance by the extremely limited water loss from juice sacs either via transpiration or fluid backflow. Nonetheless, tissue expansion can account for a collective water inflow of at least 1.0 milliliter per day throughout the majority of juice sac development, thus providing a modest, but potentially important means of nonvascular solution flow. Overall, data indicate postphloem transfer (a) can follow highly localized paths through sizable nonvascular areas (up to 3.0 centimeters total), (b) appears to involve temporary storage and/or equilibration with compartmentalized sugars enroute, (c) can occur either against an overall up-hill sugar gradient (young tissues) or along a descending gradient (near full expansion), and (d) appears to involve at least some contribution by nonvascular mass flow accommodated by tissue expansion.
Physiology and Endocrinology I

Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) continues to be a common and costly metabolic disorder in high-producing cows worldwide. To evaluate if increasing physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) in diet can prevent SARA in cows fed high concentrate diets. Thirty second-parity Holstein cows were randomly allocated to 3 treatment groups: H-peNDF8.0, M-peNDF8.0, and L-peNDF8.0, which were prepared by mixing the same total mixed ration for 10, 18, or 60 min, respectively. The peNDF8.0 intake was positively correlated with the peNDF8.0 contents in the diets. Total chewing and ruminating time was lower for the L-peNDF8.0 diet than for the H-peNDF8.0 and M-peNDF8.0 diets (P < 0.05). Rumen pH was higher in the H-peNDF8.0-fed cows than in the other 2 groups (P < 0.05). The H-peNDF8.0 and M-peNDF8.0 diets corresponded with higher acetate concentration, acetate:propionate ratio than the L-peNDF8.0 diet (P < 0.05), while H-peNDF8.0 and M-peNDF8.0 resulted in lower propionate and valerate concentrations than L-peNDF8.0 (P < 0.05). Lowering the peNDF8.0 content decreased the activities of ruminal carboxymethyl cellulase, avicelase, and β-glucanase (P < 0.05). H-peNDF8.0 resulted in lower total plasma antioxidant capacity, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, albumin, and creatinine compared with M-peNDF8.0 and L-peNDF8.0 (P < 0.05). Somatic cell counts in milk were positively correlated with the dietary peNDF8.0 content. The feed and milk energy efficiencies were unaffected by the treatments. In conclusion, increasing the content of peNDF8.0 in diet could help alleviate SARA and improve animal health among early lactation cows fed a high concentrate diet by increasing peNDF8.0 intake, chewing activity, and rumen pH.
An impact of genetic variation and predation on chick survival in willow ptarmigan Lagopus l. lagopus

The present study investigates the determinants of chick survival in willow ptarmigan Lagopus l. lagopus. Chick survival was negatively associated with genetic relatedness of mates. This may imply that more chicks die when genetic relatedness of mates is high, i.e. low chick heterozygosity at hatching. Hence, newly hatched chicks with low heterozygosity may have reduced viability and, therefore, might suffer higher mortality due to biotic/abiotic conditions. However, there was no association between the proportion of chicks with low heterozygosity and ambient temperature, but a highly significant association with predation pressure was found. Because newly hatched chicks are unable to maintain their body temperature even at normal ambient temperatures and because willow ptarmigan chicks start chirping when they get cold, it is suggested that chicks with low genetic variation may become more exposed to predation. It is proposed that genetic variation significantly affects viability of ptarmigan chicks, but that predation is the proximate cause of death. Consistent with several earlier studies, predation was related both to nesting females and to survival of the chicks. However, the present study extends these findings by suggesting a relationship between predation on one side and genetic constitution on the other, and that predation on nesting females, by reducing genetic variation among chicks at hatching, enhance chick mortality.
Origine mitochondriale de certaines formes de sclérose latérale amyotrophique : caractérisation fonctionnelle de CHCHD10 et implication clinique

CHCHD10 a recemment ete implique dans un large spectre clinique de pathologies neurodegeneratives dont la sclerose laterale amyotrophique, la demence frontotemporale, l’amyotrophie spinale de type Jokela et la maladie de Charcot-Marie-Tooth de type 2, ainsi que dans une myopathie mitochondriale avec instabilite de l’ADN mitochondrial. Ce gene code pour une proteine mitochondriale, enrichie a la jonction des cretes mitochondriales, dont la fonction etait jusqu’alors inconnue. Ce travail avait pour objectif (i) de determiner si le spectre clinique des pathologies associees au gene CHCHD10 concerne aussi les ataxies cerebelleuses et, (ii) de caracteriser le role de la proteine CHCHD10 pour mieux comprendre comment un dysfonctionnement mitochondrial peut etre a l'origine de la mort des motoneurones. L’analyse de CHCHD10 dans une cohorte de 78 patients presentant une ataxie cerebelleuse n’a permis de detecter aucune mutation pathogene suggerant que CHCHD10 n'est pas un gene majeur d'ataxie. Il faudra neanmoins continuer a tester ce gene dans de plus grandes cohortes d’ataxie cerebelleuse, presentant des origines geographiques differentes, afin d’evaluer l’implication reelle de CHCHD10 dans cette pathologie. L’etude fonctionnelle de CHCHD10 a permis de montrer que la mutation p.Ser59Leu entraine une desorganisation du complexe MICOS (MItochondrial contact site and Cristae Organizing System), une destructuration des cretes mitochondriales induisant un deficit de la chaine respiratoire mitochondriale, une diminution de taille des nucleoides, un defaut de reparation de l’ADN mitochondrial et une inhibition de l’apoptose. Ce travail est le premier a montrer le lien entre des mutations dans un gene codant pour un composant du complexe MICOS et une pathologie humaine. De nouvelles etudes sont necessaires pour mieux comprendre toutes les voies impliquees, ce qui les relie a la mitochondrie et conduit a des pathologies neurodegeneratives afin d’envisager a terme une solution therapeutique.
Ovule abortion in relation to breeding system in four Trifolium species

The present investigation reports the findings on reproductive strategies in relation to ovule abortion of four Trifolium species, namely T. dubium Sibth, T. fragiferum L. , T. pratense L. and T. repens L. , forming natural populations in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir. The four species represent a spectrum of breeding systems. T. dubium is obligately selfed, T. pratense and T. repens are obligately outcrossed, while T. fragiferum practices mixed mating system. All these species suffer from ovule abortion, the rate and pattern however varies. In the two outcrosser species the rate of abortion is high, approaching 50%. In the obligately selfed species, it is invariably 50%. These three thus form one group. The species enjoying minimum ovule abortion and thus harnessing maximum reproductive potential is T. fragiferum, with mixed reproductive strategy.
Part 1. HIV-1 binding and entry events: Implications for vaccine strategies. Part 2. The effects of AZT on the relative mutation frequency of FIV

54 Results and Discussion. 55 References and Notes.67 Figure Legends. 77 4 Discussion. 86 References. 88 Part 2 5 Introduction.89 References. 92 6 The Mutation Frequency of Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Enhanced by S’-Azido-S’-deoxythymidine. 95 Summary. 96 Introduction.97 Materials and Methods.100 Results.103 Discussion. 106 References. 110 Figure Legends. 115 7 Conclusions.120
Antimicrobial Activity and Identification of Actinomycete Strains from aFolk Medicinal Soil in China

Objective: To discover novel antimicrobial medicinal resource and reveal the anti-infection reasons of a folk medicinal soil. Methods: The antimicrobial activities of sixty-one actinomycete strains isolated from a folk medicinal soil sample were evaluated using agar well diffusion and broth microdilution methods, and then seven strains with broadspectrum antimicrobial activities were identified using polyphasic taxonomy procedure. Results: Thirteen strains presented antimicrobial activities, and seven strains showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities with the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 0.256-4.096 mg/ml against four pathogenic microorganisms including methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and Candida albicans. Moreover, strain ZZ035 also showed antimicrobial activities with the MICs of 0.256-1.024 mg/ml against Escherichia coli. The identifications of these seven strains showed that all of them belonged to the genus Streptomyces. Furthermore, strain ZZ016 presented a high potential to be a new species. Conclusion: These streptomycete strains were deduced to be mainly responsible for the anti-infection effect of the folk medicinal soil, and further research on their secondary metabolites may lead to the discovery of remarkable and broad-spectrum antibiotics, especially that of anti-MRSA ones.
Effect of habitat and latitude on nestling diet of Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca

Composition and diversity of the nestling diet of Pied Flycatchers Ficedulo hypoleuca was compared among 17 European study areas that differed in habitat type (deciduous or coniferous forest). The most abundant foods were butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), with a high proportion of caterpillars. The proportions of beetles (Coleoptera) and Lepidoptera in the nest ling diet differed significantly between deciduous and coniferous forests. The contribution of caterpillars to the total number of Lepidoptera was significantly higher in deciduous than in coniferous forests, but did not show any relationship with latitude. Thus, Slagsvold's (1975b) hypothesis that in northern regions passerines breed early in respect to the seasonal development of arthropod food resources (as indicated by relative amount of caterpillars), was not supported. Diversity of nestling diet did not differ between forest types, and neither did it show any relationship with latitude. The probability of two items taken at random being different (another measure of diet diversity, and of the difficulty in obtaining food), did not show relationships with latitude of, or average clutch size in, study areas. The hypothesis, put forward by Von Haartman (1973) and Owen (1979), that geographical variation in prey diversity explains geographical variation in clutch size, was therefore rejected as well.