Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Salinibacillus xinjiangensis sp. nov., a halophilic bacterium from a hypersaline lake.

A Gram-positive, endospore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, designated isolate J4(T), was isolated from a neutral saline lake sample from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic investigation. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain J4(T) is most closely related to Salinibacillus aidingensis 25-7(T) (with 96.7 % similarity), Salinibacillus kushneri 8-2(T) (96.5 %), Ornithinibacillus scapharcae TW25(T) (96.4 %), Salirhabdus euzebyi CVS-14(T) (96.4 %) and Ornithinibacillus californiensis MB-9(T) (96.2 %). Chemotaxonomic analysis showed menaquinone-7 (MK-7) to be the major isoprenoid quinone of strain J4(T); diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol were the major cellular polar lipids and the cell wall contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid. The major cellular fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain J4(T) was determined to be 36.2 mol%. Strain J4(T) was positive for catalase activity and negative for oxidase activity. Strain J4(T) was observed to grow at 25-50 °C (optimal 35-42 °C), pH 6.5-8.0 (optimal 7.0-7.5) and in media containing 1-21 % (w/v) NaCl (optimal 9-12 %). Based on these data, strain J4(T) represents a novel species of the genus Salinibacillus and the name Salinibacillus xinjiangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is J4(T) ( = CGMCC 1.12331(T) = JCM 18732(T)).
Balancing genetic uniqueness and genetic variation in determining conservation and translocation strategies: a comprehensive case study of threatened dwarf galaxias, Galaxiella pusilla (Mack) (Pisces: Galaxiidae)

Genetic markers are widely used to define and manage populations of threatened species based on the notion that populations with unique lineages of mtDNA and well‐differentiated nuclear marker frequencies should be treated separately. However, a danger of this approach is that genetic uniqueness might be emphasized at the cost of genetic diversity, which is essential for adaptation and is potentially boosted by mixing geographically separate populations. Here, we re‐explore the issue of defining management units, focussing on a detailed study of Galaxiella pusilla, a small freshwater fish of national conservation significance in Australia. Using a combination of microsatellite and mitochondrial markers, 51 populations across the species range were surveyed for genetic structure and diversity. We found an inverse relationship between genetic differentiation and genetic diversity, highlighting a long‐term risk of deliberate isolation of G. pusilla populations based on protection of unique lineages. Instead, we adopt a method for identifying genetic management units that takes into consideration both uniqueness and genetic variation. This produced a management framework to guide future translocation and re‐introduction efforts for G. pusilla, which contrasted to the framework based on a more traditional approach that may overlook important genetic variation in populations.
Is There Evidence That Active Videogames Increase Energy Expenditure and Exercise Intensity for People Poststroke and with Cerebral Palsy ?

This article asked and answered the question of whether there was evidence to support the use of videogames for promotion of wellness and fitness for people poststroke and those with cerebral palsy (CP). A literature search of PubMed, CINAHL, and PEDro using a population, intervention, and outcome (PIO) approach and the key words ‘‘stroke (or CP) AND video games (and synonyms) AND energy expenditure (EE) (and synonyms)’’ was conducted. It yielded two relevant references for people poststroke and five references for people with CP. The literature extraction and synthesis by the categories of the PIO indicated that most studies used only the population of interest, except two that compared the EE with that of healthy controls. The main finding is that both people poststroke (moderate severity) and people with CP (mild severity) can achieve moderate EE playing Wii (Nintendo, Kyoto, Japan), PlayStation (Sony, Tokyo, Japan), and Kinect (Microsoft, Redmond, WA) games. Adults with CP of mild severity played the videogames at vigorous levels, whereas those with severe CP played them at low levels. There appears to be an interaction between development and severity that influences the exercise intensity measured by EE. The findings suggests that videogames are a gateway for wellness promotion.
Population genetics of Wolbachia‐infected, parthenogenetic and uninfected, sexual populations of Tetrastichus coeruleus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria known to manipulate the reproduction of their hosts. These manipulations are expected to have consequences on the population genetics of the host, such as heterozygosity levels, genetic diversity and gene flow. The parasitoid wasp Tetrastichus coeruleus has populations that are infected with parthenogenesis‐inducing Wolbachia and populations that are not infected. We studied the population genetics of T. coeruleus between and within Wolbachia‐infected and uninfected populations, using nuclear microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA. We expected reduced genetic diversity in both DNA types in infected populations. However, migration and gene flow could introduce new DNA variants into populations. We therefore paid special attention to individuals with unexpected (genetic) characteristics. Based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, two genetic clusters were evident: a thelytokous cluster containing all Wolbachia‐infected, parthenogenetic populations and an arrhenotokous cluster containing all uninfected, sexual populations. Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA did not exhibit concordant patterns of variation, although there was reduced genetic diversity in infected populations for both DNA types. Within the thelytokous cluster, there was nuclear DNA variation, but no mitochondrial DNA variation. This nuclear DNA variation may be explained by occasional sex between infected females and males, by horizontal transmission of Wolbachia, and/or by novel mutations. Several females from thelytokous populations were uninfected and/or heterozygous for microsatellite loci. These unexpected characteristics may be explained by migration, by inefficient transmission of Wolbachia, by horizontal transmission of Wolbachia, and/or by novel mutations. However, migration has not prevented the build‐up of considerable genetic differentiation between thelytokous and arrhenotokous populations.
Pseudoalteromonas shioyasakiensis sp. nov., a marine polysaccharide-producing bacterium.

A novel exopolysaccharide-producing bacterium, designated strain SE3(T), was isolated from Pacific Ocean sediment. The strain was Gram-stain-negative, motile, strictly aerobic, oxidase-positive and catalase-positive, and required Na(+) for growth. Its major isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-8 (Q-8), and its cellular fatty acid profile mainly consisted of C16 : 1ω7c, C16 : 0 and C18 : 1ω7c. The DNA G+C content was 46.9 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis suggested that strain SE3(T) is a member of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. Strain SE3(T) exhibited close phylogenetic affinity to Pseudoalteromonas arabiensis JCM 17292(T) (99.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Pseudoalteromonas lipolytica LMEB 39(T) (98.39 %) and Pseudoalteromonas donghaensis HJ51(T) (97.65 %). The DNA-DNA reassociation values between strain SE3(T) and P. arabiensis JCM 17292(T), P. lipolytica JCM 15903(T) and P. donghaensis LMG 24469(T) were 31, 26 and 44 %, respectively. Owing to the significant differences in phenotypic and chemotaxonomic characteristics, phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and DNA-DNA relatedness data, the new isolate merits classification as a representative of novel species, for which the name Pseudoalteromonas shioyasakiensis is proposed. The type strain is SE3(T) ( = JCM 18891(T) = NCIMB 14852(T)).
Ontogenetic variation in epibiont community structure in the deep‐sea yeti crab, Kiwa puravida: convergence among crustaceans

Recent investigations have demonstrated that unusually ‘hairy’ yeti crabs within the family Kiwaidae associate with two predominant filamentous bacterial families, the Epsilon and Gammaproteobacteria. These analyses, however, were based on samples collected from a single body region, the setae of pereopods. To more thoroughly investigate the microbiome associated with Kiwa puravida, a yeti crab species from Costa Rica, we utilized barcoded 16S rRNA amplicon pyrosequencing, as well as microscopy and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Results indicate that, indeed, the bacterial community on the pereopods is far less diverse than on the rest of the body (Shannon indices ranged from 1.30–2.02 and 2.22–2.66, respectively). Similarly, the bacterial communities associated with juveniles and adults were more complex than previously recognized, with as many as 46 bacterial families represented. Ontogenetic differences in the microbial community, from egg to juvenile to adult, included a dramatic under‐representation of the Helicobacteraceae and higher abundances of both Thiotrichaceae and Methylococcaceae for the eggs, which paralleled patterns observed in another bacteria–crustacean symbiosis. The degree to which abiotic and biotic feedbacks influence the bacterial community on the crabs is still not known, but predictions suggest that both the local environment and host‐derived factors influence the establishment and maintenance of microbes associated with the surfaces of aquatic animals.
Handbook of neonatal intensive care

With a strong clinical focus combined with physiology and pathophysiology, this book aims to help nurses meet the challenge of caring for critically ill newborns. The combined effort of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals in writing and editing this text should promote the team approach crucial to success in this specialized field. The book presents coverage of the child's and family's psychological needs and responses, as well as the ethical dilemmas of delivering care to severely compromised neonates. Clinically important information is highlighted in boldface type and critical information is set off in boxes and tables; organizes drug dosage and side effects into concise, easy-to-read tables; includes parent teaching sections; and incorporates updated content throughout, including three new chapters - scientific basis for clinical practice, drug withdrawal, and genetic and inborn errors of metabolism.
Estimation scheme of the receiver IQ imbalance under carrier frequency offset in communication system

IQ signal processing is widely utilised in today's communication systems. However, it usually faces a common problem of front-end distortion such as IQ imbalance and carrier frequency offset (CFO). Effective algorithms exist for estimating and compensating for IQ imbalance as well as CFO, when the two problems are treated separately. With both effects present, most of those algorithms suffer from degraded quality parameter estimates. In this study, the authors proposed a scheme to estimate and compensate for IQ imbalance in the presence of CFO by using a known preamble of a repeated training sequence. In addition, the authors present a modified algorithm to suit the particular case when CFO is small. The performance of our proposed scheme has been examined with computer simulations on IEEE 802.11a signals. It is shown that the proposed method is more robust and renders better performance than the existing method.
Molecular assessment of heterotrophy and prey digestion in zooxanthellate cnidarians

Zooxanthellate cnidarians are trophically complex, relying on both autotrophy and heterotrophy. Although several aspects of heterotrophy have been studied in these organisms, information linking prey capture with digestion is still missing. We used prey‐specific PCR‐based tools to assess feeding and prey digestion of two zooxanthellate cnidarians – the tropical sea anemone Aiptasia sp. and the scleractinian coral Oculina arbuscula. Prey DNA disappeared rapidly for the initial 1–3 days, whereas complete digestion of prey DNA required up to 10 days in O. arbuscula and 5 or 6 days in Aiptasia sp. depending on prey species. These digestion times are considerably longer than previously reported from microscopy‐based examination of zooxanthellate cnidarians and prey DNA breakdown in other marine invertebrates, but similar to prey DNA breakdown reported from terrestrial invertebrates such as heteroptera and spiders. Deprivation of external prey induced increased digestion rates during the first days after feeding in O. arbuscula, but after 6 days of digestion, there were no differences in the remaining prey levels in fed and unfed corals. This study indicates that prey digestion by symbiotic corals may be slower than previously reported and varies with the type of prey, the cnidarian species and its feeding history. These observations have important implications for bioenergetic and trophodynamic studies on zooxanthellate cnidarians.
Phenotypic plasticity in the hepatic transcriptome of the European common frog (Rana temporaria): the interplay between environmental induction and geographical lineage on developmental response

Phenotypic plasticity might facilitate adaptation to new environmental conditions through the enhancement of initial survival of organisms. Once a population is established, further adaptation and diversification may occur through adaptive trait evolution. While several studies have found evidence for this mechanism using phenotypic traits, much less is known at the level of gene expression. Here, we use an islands system of frog populations that show local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity to pool drying conditions in development time until metamorphoses. We examined gene expression differences in Rana temporaria tadpole livers with respect to pool drying at the source population and in response to simulated pool drying in the laboratory. Using a MAGEX cDNA microarray and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we identified an increase in several gene transcripts in response to artificial pool drying including thyroid hormone receptor alpha and beta, carbamoyl phosphate synthetase 1, ornithine transcarbamylase and catalase. In addition, these gene transcripts also showed greater abundance in island populations that developed faster. Hence, the gene transcripts were related to both constitutive response (higher levels in island populations that developed faster) and plastic response (increased abundance under decreasing water levels). This pattern is in accordance with genetic accommodation, which predicts similarities between plastic gene expression and constitutive expression in locally adapted populations.
Extra‐group mating increases inbreeding risk in a cooperatively breeding bird

In many cooperatively breeding species, females mate extra‐group, the adaptive value of which remains poorly understood. One hypothesis posits that females employ extra‐group mating to access mates whose genotypes are more dissimilar to their own than their social mates, so as to increase offspring heterozygosity. We test this hypothesis using life history and genetic data from 36 cooperatively breeding white‐browed sparrow weaver (Plocepasser mahali) groups. Contrary to prediction, a dominant female's relatedness to her social mate did not drive extra‐group mating decisions and, moreover, extra‐group mating females were significantly more related to their extra‐group sires than their social mates. Instead, dominant females were substantially more likely to mate extra‐group when paired to a dominant male of low heterozygosity, and their extra‐group mates (typically dominants themselves) were significantly more heterozygous than the males they cuckolded. The combined effects of mating with extra‐group males of closer relatedness, but higher heterozygosity resulted in extra‐group‐sired offspring that were no more heterozygous than their within‐group‐sired half‐siblings. Our findings are consistent with a role for male–male competition in driving extra‐group mating and suggest that the local kin structure typical of cooperative breeders could counter potential benefits to females of mating extra‐group by exposing them to a risk of inbreeding.
Streptomyces graminifolii sp. nov., isolated from bamboo (Sasa borealis) litter.

The taxonomic position of strain JL-22(T), isolated from litter of a bamboo (Sasa borealis) forest, was determined using a polyphasic approach. The organism had phenotypic and morphological properties consistent with it being a member of the genus Streptomyces. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strain JL-22(T) was closely related to Streptomyces prunicolor NRRL B-12281(T) (99.2%), Streptomyces galilaeus JCM 4757(T) (99.0%) and Streptomyces chartreusis NBRC 12753(T) (99.0%). However, the results of DNA-DNA hybridization and physiological and biochemical tests showed that strain JL-22(T) could be differentiated from its closest phylogenetic relatives both genotypically and phenotypically. Based on phenotypic and genotypic data, strain JL-22(T) represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, for which the name Streptomyces graminifolii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JL-22(T) ( = KACC 17180(T) = NBRC 109806(T)).
Burkholderia aspalathi sp. nov., isolated from root nodules of the South African legume Aspalathus abietina Thunb.

During a study to investigate the diversity of rhizobia associated with native legumes in South Africa's Cape Floristic Region, a Gram-negative bacterium designated VG1C(T) was isolated from the root nodules of Aspalathus abietina Thunb. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the 16S rRNA and recA genes, VG1C(T) belongs to the genus Burkholderia, with the highest degree of sequence similarity to the type strain of Burkholderia sediminicola (98.5% and 98%, respectively). The DNA G+C content of strain VG1C(T) was 60.1 mol%, and DNA-DNA relatedness values to the type strain of closely related species were found to be substantially lower than 70%. As evidenced by results of genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic tests provided here, we conclude that isolate VG1C(T) represents a novel rhizosphere-associated species in the genus Burkholderia, for which the name Burkholderia aspalathi sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain VG1C(T) ( = DSM 27239(T) = LMG 27731(T)).
Minimum neighbour and extended kalman filter estimator: a practical distributed channel assignment scheme for dense wireless local area networks

Dense deployments of wireless local area networks (WLANs) are becoming a norm in many cities around the world. However, increased interference and traffic demands can severely limit the aggregate throughput achievable unless an effective channel assignment scheme is used. In this work, a simple and effective distributed channel assignment (DCA) scheme is proposed. It is shown that in order to maximise throughput, each access point (AP) simply chooses the channel with the minimum number of active neighbour nodes (i.e. nodes associated with neighbouring APs that have packets to send). However, application of such a scheme to practice depends critically on its ability to estimate the number of neighbour nodes in each channel, for which no practical estimator has been proposed before. In view of this, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) estimator and an estimate of the number of nodes by AP are proposed. These not only provide fast and accurate estimates but can also exploit channel switching information of neighbouring APs. Extensive packet level simulation results show that the proposed minimum neighbour and EKF estimator (MINEK) scheme is highly scalable and can provide significant throughput improvement over other channel assignment schemes.
Directed dispersal by rotational shepherding supports landscape genetic connectivity in a calcareous grassland plant

Directed dispersal by animal vectors has been found to have large effects on the structure and dynamics of plant populations adapted to frugivory. Yet, empirical data are lacking on the potential of directed dispersal by rotational grazing of domestic animals to mediate gene flow across the landscape. Here, we investigated the potential effect of large‐flock shepherding on landscape‐scale genetic structure in the calcareous grassland plant Dianthus carthusianorum, whose seeds lack morphological adaptations to dispersal to animals or wind. We found a significant pattern of genetic structure differentiating population within grazed patches of three nonoverlapping shepherding systems and populations of ungrazed patches. Among ungrazed patches, we found a strong and significant effect of isolation by distance (r = 0.56). In contrast, genetic distance between grazed patches within the same herding system was unrelated to geographical distance but significantly related to distance along shepherding routes (r = 0.44). This latter effect of connectivity along shepherding routes suggests that gene flow is spatially restricted occurring mostly between adjacent populations. While this study used nuclear markers that integrate gene flow by pollen and seed, the significant difference in the genetic structure between ungrazed patches and patches connected by large‐flock shepherding indicates the potential of directed seed dispersal by sheep across the landscape.
Cytochrome P450 gene CYP337 and heritability of fitness traits in the Glanville fritillary butterfly

Fitness‐related life history traits often show substantial heritable genetic variation in natural populations, but knowledge of the genetic architecture of these traits is limited. In the Glanville fritillary butterfly, we measured the heritability of key life history traits in a large outdoor population cage during 2 years and generations and combined this experiment with an association study of a set of candidate genes. The genes were selected on the basis of previous genomic and transcriptomic studies and have been linked to the physiology and life history of this or other arthropod species. Heritability was high and significant for two traits, post‐diapause larval development time (h2 = 0.37) and lifetime egg (and larval) production (h2 = 0.62); the latter is closely related to lifetime reproductive success and therefore fitness. We discovered a strong association between genetic polymorphism in the cytochrome P450 gene CYP337 and lifetime egg production, which accounted for 14% of the additive variance in egg production. This gene belongs to a group of cytochrome P450 genes that have a well‐documented role in host plant adaptations in Lepidoptera and other insects and is likely to play an important role in the ecology and microevolution of the Glanville fritillary. This study provides a prime example of a gene associated with heritable fitness variation, measured under semi‐natural ecological conditions.