Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing reproductive success in male white‐tailed deer

Positive relationships between age, sexually selected traits, and male reproductive success have been reported for a number of polygynous ungulates; however, relatively little is known about the factors influencing male reproductive success in ungulate species whose mating system is characterized by tending-bond behaviors. Broad interest in the genetic consequences of selective harvest supports a greater understanding of the role of these factors as determinants of male reproductive success in important game species (e.g., white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus]), that exhibit tending-bond behaviors. We investigated male reproductive success in white-tailed deer across a range of sex ratios and age structures using a known population of deer housed in a 175-ha enclosure in central Alabama, USA. We measured age, annual antler size, and annual body size of male white-tailed deer and assigned paternity to 143 known-age offspring during 2007–2014. Reproductive success was attributed to a high proportion of males during each of the 6 breeding seasons. Our most supported model indicated that annual body size and antler size of the individual were positively associated with annual male breeding success. The effects of annual antler size were sensitive to changes in mean male age of the herd, with antler size having the greatest effect on male reproductive success under older male age structures. Young (≤1.5 yr) males reproduced most frequently when male age structure was youngest (which correlated with female-biased sex ratios in this population). Our results suggest that male age structure and sex ratio played a key role in establishing patterns of male reproductive success in white-tailed deer. Management practices that encourage balanced adult sex ratios and older male age structures (e.g., Quality Deer Management) may promote a highly competitive environment where sexually selected traits are of increased importance to male breeding success. However, the ability of managers to alter herd genetics in a positive or negative direction through selective harvest is limited in white-tailed deer because of the high proportion of reproducing males. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.
Plants eaten and dispersed by adult leopard tortoises Geochelone pardalis (Reptilia: Chelonii) in the southern Karoo.

Leopard tortoise Geochelone pardalis faeces collected in rocky habitats in the southern Karoo contained at least 75 species of grasses, succulents and forbs belonging to 26 plant families. Soft, green plants were broken down by digestion but twigs, thorns and fibrous naterials were not digested. Flowers, fruits and seeds made up 67% of 356 identified plant fragments. Germination trials demonstrated that leopard tortoises could disperse viable seeds of Aizoaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Crassulaceae, Cyperaceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae and Scrophulariaceae.
Comparison of Incandescent, CFL, LED and Bird Level LED Lighting: Growth, Fear and Stress

The eventual removal of incandescent lights from the market has left poultry producers with the need to find alternative lighting sources. Light-emitting diode (LED) and compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs have arisen as the likely replacements for incandescent lights. However, there is little knowledge how these bulbs compare with each other in how they affect bird production, behavior and stress. To investigate this broilers (n = 120 per treatment) were raised under incandescent (INCAN), CFL, or LED lighting or an alternative of using LED lights at bird level (LED bird). All lighting was 23L:1D at 20 lx for 14 d and then was changed to 20L:4D at 5 lx for the remaining 31 d. Fearfulness was determined using several fear tests and stress susceptibility was assessed using a composite asymmetry score determined by middle toe length and metatarsal length and width. All alternative lighting to INCAN improved weight gain at 45 d (p<0.05). Both LED treatments exhibited less fear and less stress susceptibility than those raised under CFL or INCAN (p<0.05). Using CFL and LED bulbs can increase the size of the birds while not changing FCR and LED bulbs appear to reduce fear and stress in older birds compared with CFL or Incan bulbs. The results also indicate that LED bird not only increases growth and feed conversion but results in birds that are less fearful and less stress susceptible. This method of illuminating birds might save energy and improve production and bird welfare.
Growth and gonad production of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus in relation to marine algal communities along the Japan sea coast of Akita prefecture, northwestern Japan

Growth, gonad size and gut content of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus were clarified among different algal communities along the coast of Akita prefecture, northwestern Japan. The sea urchin attained to 50 mm test diameter at 3-4 years old in fucoid beds, 5-6 years old in a red algae Chondrus ocellatus-dominated bed and 7-8 years old in a red algae Laurencia spp. -dominated bed with feeding-deterrent metabolites against the sea urchins and in crustose corallines. The gonad indices (gonad wet weight•~100/body wet weight) in crustose corallines were lower than those in the foliose beds, of which showed no significant difference. The main components of the gut content were fucoids and crustose corallines, while few Laurencia spp. was observed. These findings suggest that growth and gonad production of S. nudus are caused by both nutritional and feeding-elective marine algae.
Changes in species composition and richness in an alluvial hardwood forest over 52 yrs

Questions (1) How has the species richness of an alluvial forest changed over the past 52 yrs, and what are the main drivers of the observed temporal changes; (2) has the species composition changed over this period in response to changes in environmental variables; and (3) what are the main drivers of species richness (change) in this forest? Location Haseder Holz, Innerste floodplain in lowland northern Germany. Methods In 2012 we resurveyed the plant species composition of 19 permanent plots analysed for the first time in 1960 and for a second time in 2002. At the most recent survey, several environmental variables (photosynthetically active radiation, soil water content, groundwater table, pH and content of soil P, Ca, Mg, K, C and N) were measured in five locations within each plot. GLM were used to examine the relationship between explanatory variables and species richness, while variation in species composition, in time and space, was assessed by DCA. Results The number of species generally increased with decreasing soil nutrient (except Mg) content, with increasing variation in light availability and with increasing variation in K content. The significant increase in species richness from 1960 to 2012 was mainly attributed to the increase in true forest species, such as Paris quadrifolia and Mercurialis perennis, and woody species. The most pronounced increase in species richness was found in plots with lower soil phosphate content. Species typical for open habitats showed the most pronounced decrease from 1960 to 2012. A significant homogenization of the plots over time was observed. Conclusions Against the common trend in European forests, we found a significant increase in mean species richness, especially in plots with relatively low nutrient content. While the total pool of species has not consistently increased, we found a strong increase in plot-scale species richness of woody and herbaceous species. This overall increase and the slight decrease in the proportion of species typical of open habitats were probably driven by a decrease in light availability caused by less intensive management. Our results demonstrate that fine-scale spatial environmental heterogeneity positively affects species richness. In contrast to recently reported findings, we found a decrease in the number of species with increasing nutrient content.
Disentangling Relations among Repertoire Size, Song Rate, Signal Redundancy and Ambient Noise Level in European Songbird

The majority of male songbirds have small repertoires and sing with eventual variety; that is, they present one song type several times before switching to the next one. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this phenomenon. The antiexhaustion hypothesis argues that song-type switching prevents muscle fatigue in the syrinx. The signal redundancy hypothesis suggests that repeating the same signal increases transmission success. Here, we have studied the song behaviour of the chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, a common Eurasian species in which the males sing a few different song types and provide eventual variety. We tested different hypotheses to explain the temporal organisation of song output (repertoire size, song rate, bout duration, etc.) as a function of ambient noise by comparing birds from the same macrogeographic region in which the birds live either in a noisy town (n = 71) or in a quieter forest habitat (n = 68). Contrary to the prediction of the signal redundancy hypothesis and the results of earlier work on chaffinches living close to noisy streams, we found no significant differences in song characteristics between the town and forest populations. Our results support the antiexhaustion hypothesis because males with larger repertoires were able to sing with a significantly higher rate due to faster switching between different song types and producing shorter bouts. Sample size or population differences between our study and earlier investigations of the same species may explain the inconsistency with previous findings. Future studies should focus on determining the relations between song organisation and the directly measured quality of males and females' choice using, preferably, a longitudinal approach.
Selection for resistance to Varroa destructor under commercial beekeeping conditions*

A survival field test was initiated in 1999 to observe the effects of no treatment against Varroa destructor on European honey bee colony survival. After losses of over two-thirds of the 268 original colonies, new colonies were made from the survivors. In 2002, genetic material from these survivors was bred into an independent group of 60 colonies. In 2013, 519 non-treated colonies from both groups were being used for commercial beekeeping, and mite populations were very low. This indicates that under commercial beekeeping conditions, simple methods can be used to select for reduced mite populations.
Differential response of palmleaf morningglory (Ipomoea wrightii) and pitted morningglory (Ipomoea lacunosa) to flooding

Palmleaf morningglory (IPOWR) and pitted morningglory (IPOLA) were compared in field and greenhouse tests under simulated rice field conditions to quantify flood tolerance characteristics of the two species. IPOWR survived a 13-cm flood in the field if the flood was applied 12 days after planting (DAP) or later. In contrast, IPOLA did not survive floods applied before 19 DAP. Only IPOWR survived a 5-cm flood applied 5 DAP in the field. In the greenhouse, both species were unable to emerge from under 1 cm of soil when flooded greater than 1 cm deep. Although both species emerged from water-saturated soil, IPOWR emerged earlier and produced more dry weight than did IPOLA. Emergence from the water surface of 2-cm-tall IPOWR was better than that of IPOLA when submerged in water up to 7 cm deep, and total dry weight (as a percent of a nonflooded control) was two to four times greater for IPOWR. Even a 5-cm flood reduced leaf area, height, dry weight, and photosynthesis of IPOLA more than that of IPOWR. At 20 C and low oxygen (1%), germination percentage of IPOWR was about four times higher than IPOLA. Germination, growth, and certain physiological processes of IPOWR are more tolerant than those of IPOLA to moderately deep floods (and low soil oxygen levels). Thus, IPOWR is potentially a greater weed problem than IPOLA in rice fields. The fact that neither species was capable of emerging from soil under even shallow flood depths helps explain why morningglories are prevalent only in shallow or water-saturated areas on rice field levees.
Estratégias de seleção para resistência a percevejos e alta produtividade em populações segregantes de soja

9 1 INTRODUÇÃO . 11 2 REVISÃO BIBLIOGRÁFICA . 13 2.1 Importância econômica da soja. 13 2.2 Principais insetos-praga de ocorrência na soja . 14 2.3 Complexo de percevejos . 15 2.4 Resistência de plantas a insetos . 18 2.5 Base genética e germoplasma . 21 2.6 Análise de Trilha . 22 2.7 Seleção simultânea . 23 3 MATERIAL E MÉTODOS . 27 4 RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO . 35 5 CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS . 59 REFERÊNCIAS . 61
Über die Herkunft von Gluconsäure, 2- und 5-0xo-Gluconsäure sowie Glucuron- und Galacturonsäure in Mosten und Weinen

Origin of gluconic, 2- and 5-oxo-gluconic, glucuronic and galacturonic acids in musts and wines Gluconic acid and their oxidation products 2- and 5-oxo-gluconic acid and also glucuronic acid are not of grape berry or grape must origin. The occurrence of these sugar acids in Botrytis infected berries and in the corresponding wines indicated initially the formation of these products by Botrytis. Other metabolites made a formation by acetic acid bacteria probable. Investigations of musts and berries infected by acetic acid bacteria showed that these metabolites are mainly produced by acetic acid bacteria. Application of pure cultures of acetic acid bacteria demonstrated that these bacteria are the main producers of sugar acids. Therefore the influence of acetic acid bacteria on the quality of musts and wines - especially on high quality wines - is much higher than expected before. Some metabolites up to now seen as substances produced by Bot1ytis are mainly produced by the co-infecting acetic acid bacteria.
Predominance of the Serpentine Route in Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloid Pathway of Catharanthus roseus

Predominance of the Serpentine Route in Monoterpenoid Indole Alkaloid Pathway of Catharanthus roseus DIGVIJAY SINGH, SANJAY KUMAR RAI, SHASHI PANDEY-RAI, SUCHI SRIVASTAVA, RAGHVENDRA KUMAR MISHRA, SRIKANT SHARMA, AND SUSHIL KUMAR* National Institute for Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), Post Box. No 10531, Jawaharlal Nehru University Campus, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi-110 067 and Regional Research Laboratory, Bhubaneshwar-751013, India
Identification of Key Small Non‐Coding MicroRNAs Controlling Pacemaker Mechanisms in the Human Sinus Node

Background The sinus node (SN) is the primary pacemaker of the heart. SN myocytes possess distinctive action potential morphology with spontaneous diastolic depolarization because of a unique expression of ion channels and Ca2+‐handling proteins. MicroRNAs (miRs) inhibit gene expression. The role of miRs in controlling the expression of genes responsible for human SN pacemaking and conduction has not been explored. The aim of this study was to determine miR expression profile of the human SN as compared with that of non‐pacemaker atrial muscle. Methods and Results SN and atrial muscle biopsies were obtained from donor or post‐mortem hearts (n=10), histology/immunolabeling were used to characterize the tissues, TaqMan Human MicroRNA Arrays were used to measure 754 miRs, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to identify miRs controlling SN pacemaker gene expression. Eighteen miRs were significantly more and 48 significantly less abundant in the SN than atrial muscle. The most interesting miR was miR‐486‐3p predicted to inhibit expression of pacemaking channels: HCN1 (hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐gated 1), HCN4, voltage‐gated calcium channel (Cav)1.3, and Cav3.1. A luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed that miR‐486‐3p can control HCN4 expression via its 3′ untranslated region. In ex vivo SN preparations, transfection with miR‐486‐3p reduced the beating rate by ≈35±5% (P<0.05) and HCN4 expression (P<0.05). Conclusions The human SN possesses a unique pattern of expression of miRs predicted to target functionally important genes. miR‐486‐3p has an important role in SN pacemaker activity by targeting HCN4, making it a potential target for therapeutic treatment of SN disease such as sinus tachycardia.
A mouse model reveals the events and underlying regulatory signals during the gonadotrophin-dependent phase of follicle development.

During folliculogenesis, the gonadotrophin-dependent phase begins at the small antral follicle stage and ends with Graafian follicles. In this study, pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin was used to induce gonadotrophin-dependent folliculogenesis in mice, following which the developmental events that follicles undergo, as well as the underlying regulatory signals, were investigated at both the morphological and transcriptomic level. Gonadotrophin-dependent folliculogenesis consisted of three phases: preparation, rapid growth, and decelerated growth. In the preparation phase, comprising the first 12 h, granulosa cells completed the preparations for proliferation and differentiation, shifted energy metabolism to glycolysis, and reduced protein synthesis and processing. The rapid growth phase lasted from 12 to 24 h; in this phase, granulosa cells completed their proliferation, and follicles acquired the capacity for estradiol secretion and ovulation. Meanwhile, the decelerating growth phase occurred between 24 and 48 h of gonadotrophin-dependent folliculogenesis. In this phase, the proliferation and expansion of the follicular antrum were reduced, energy metabolism was shifted to oxidative phosphorylation, and cell migration and lipid metabolism were enhanced in preparation for luteinization. We also revealed the key signaling pathways that regulate gonadotrophin-dependent folliculogenesis and elucidated the activation sequence of these pathways. A comparison of our RNA-sequencing data with that reported for humans suggested that the mechanisms involved in mouse and human folliculogenesis are evolutionarily conserved. In this study, we draw a detailed atlas of gonadotrophin-dependent folliculogenesis, thereby laying the foundation for further investigation of the regulatory mechanisms underlying this process.
Illness Uncertainty and Its Antecedents for Patients With Prostate Cancer and Their Partners.

OBJECTIVES Guided by Mishel's uncertainty in illness theory, patterns of change in uncertainty were explored over time for patients with prostate cancer and their partners. In addition, the relationships between uncertainty and its antecedents were examined, and the role effects (patient versus partner) on these relationships were assessed. SAMPLE & SETTING This study is a secondary analysis of the longitudinal data collected from a randomized clinical trial. METHODS & VARIABLES The current authors fitted multiple-level models that included time-invariant baseline variables (sociodemographics and cancer factors) and time-varying variables (uncertainty, symptoms, and social support) measured at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 months thereafter. RESULTS No statistically significant patterns of change in uncertainty over time were detected. Partners reported greater uncertainty than patients. Higher uncertainty was associated with more general and prostate cancer-specific symptoms, recurrent and advanced prostate cancer, higher prostate-specific antigen level, and lower social support. More urinary symptoms were associated with greater uncertainty in patients than in partners. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Uncertainty management can be tailored for and target symptom management and social support.
Minding the Gap: Effects of an Attention Maintenance Training Program on Driver Calibration

Objective The present study examines the effect of an existing driver training program, FOrward Concentration and Attention Learning (FOCAL) on young drivers’ calibration, drivers’ ability to estimate the length of their in-vehicle glances while driving, using two different measures, normalized difference scores and Brier Scores. Background Young drivers are poor at maintaining attention to the forward roadway while driving a vehicle. Additionally, drivers may overestimate their attention maintenance abilities. Driver training programs such as FOCAL may train target skills such as attention maintenance but also might serve as a promising way to reduce errors in drivers’ calibration of their self-perceived attention maintenance behaviors in comparison to their actual performance. Method Thirty-six participants completed either FOCAL or a Placebo training program, immediately followed by driving simulator evaluations of their attention maintenance performance. In the evaluation drive, participants navigated four driving simulator scenarios during which their eyes were tracked. In each scenario, participants performed a map task on a tablet simulating an in-vehicle infotainment system. Results FOCAL-trained drivers maintained their attention to the forward roadway more and reported better calibration using the normalized difference measure than Placebo-trained drivers. However, the Brier scores did not distinguish the two groups on their calibration. Conclusion The study implies that FOCAL has the potential to improve not only attention maintenance skills but also calibration of the skills for young drivers. Application Driver training programs may be designed to train not only targeted higher cognitive skills but also driver calibration—both critical for driving safety in young drivers.
Removal of arsenic from ground water by manganese dioxide-coated sand

In a laboratory study, manganese dioxide–coated sand (MDCS), prepared by reacting potassium permanganate with manganese chloride under an alkaline condition and in the presence of sand, showed promise as a medium for use in small systems or home-treatment units in developing areas of the world, for removing arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) from ground water. In ten cycles of downflow column tests [bed depth 400 mm; empty-bed contact time 74 min; influent arsenic 0.5 mg As/L of arsenic(III) and 0.5 mg As/L of arsenic(V)], breakthrough bed volumes at the World Health Organization guideline value of 0.01 mg As/L for arsenic in drinking water were in the range of 153–185 per cycle. During regeneration (backwashing with 2 L of a 0.2 N sodium hydroxide solution), 85.0% of the removed arsenic was recovered in the first cycle, and 94.6–98.3% was recovered in subsequent cycles. A low-cost, simple home arsenic removal unit, containing 6 kg (4 L) of the MDCS medium and operated at 6 L/h, produced 740 and 700 L of water i.
Evaluating Driver Features for Cognitive Distraction Detection and Validation in Manual and Level 2 Automated Driving

Objective This study aimed to investigate the impacts of feature selection on driver cognitive distraction (CD) detection and validation in real-world nonautomated and Level 2 automated driving scenarios. Background Real-time driver state monitoring is critical to promote road user safety. Method Twenty-four participants were recruited to drive a Tesla Model S in manual and Autopilot modes on the highway while engaging in the N-back task. In each driving mode, CD was classified by the random forest algorithm built on three “hand-crafted” glance features (i.e., percent road center [PRC], the standard deviation of gaze pitch, and yaw angles), or through a large number of features that were transformed from the output of a driver monitoring system (DMS) and other sensing systems. Results In manual driving, the small set of glance features was as effective as the large set of machine-generated features in terms of classification accuracy. Whereas in Level 2 automated driving, both glance and vehicle features were less sensitive to CD. The glance features also revealed that the misclassified driver state was the result of the dynamic fluctuations and individual differences of cognitive loads under CD. Conclusion Glance metrics are critical for the detection and validation of CD in on-road driving. Applications The paper suggests the practical value of human factors domain knowledge in feature selection and ground truth validation for the development of driver monitoring technologies.