Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Brood Size and Late Breeding are Negatively Related to Juvenile Survival in a Neotropical Migratory Songbird

ABSTRACT. Widespread decline of Neotropical migrant songbirds requires better understanding of the mechanisms driving juvenile mortality. We used mark—resight encounter histories of 3,990 banded fledglings (1998–2002) to test whether late breeding or large brood size negatively affected apparent annual and migration—wintering survival probability of juvenile Purple Martins (Progne subis). We estimated apparent annual juvenile survival (&phgr;a, fledging to 1 year old) by resighting individuals as adults at regional breeding colonies and at a premigratory roost. We tested for carryover effects of fledge week and brood size on migration—wintering survival (&phgr;m, premigratory roost to 1 year old) using two encounter occasions per season (premigratory roost, breeding colony) to partition annual survival into premigration versus migration—wintering survival. Annual survival (± SE) was 0.27 ± 0.027 and the best model (model weight = 0.93) included week of fledging and brood size, with survival probability decreasing with increasing fledge date and brood size. Apparent fledgling survival probability to premigratory roosts (&phgr;r) was 0.87 ± 0.03 and migration—wintering juvenile survival (&phgr;m) averaged 0.32 ± 0.04 (range: 0.25–0.46 among years). The best model included an effect of fledging week (model weight = 0.99) on migration—wintering survival but little support for brood size effects. Late-fledged young that survive to begin migration may incur higher subsequent mortality because of less foraging time and experience before migration. Telemetry of 15 fledglings in 2007 also revealed high premigration survival to the premigratory roost (0.73). Most (81%) juvenile mortality occurred after the onset of migration. Juvenile recruitment and population dynamics are likely closely linked to migration and wintering ground threats.
A Comparative Study of Seed Dormancy and Germination Behavior between Stellaria media, an Agrestal Weed, and S. neglecta, a Ruderal

京都付近では畑雑草コハコベは春から秋にかけて耕起のたびに発生するが, 人里植物であるミドリハコベは秋期にのみ発生する (前報)。 このような発生消長の差異をもたらす種子休眠性および発芽特性の差異を知るため, 両種の種子を7月から野外地表, 野外土中, 実験室内の恒温乾燥 (10,20,30℃) および恒温土中 (10, 20, 30℃) の各条件下で保存し, 定期的に発芽試験を行った。 発芽試験は通常15℃明・暗条件で行い, 実験開始時と2ヵ月間保存後 (9月; 発生始期に相当) には温度の影響を調べるため5～30℃のそれぞれ明・暗条件で行った。 1) 実験開始時にはコハコベ, ミドリハコベとも全く発芽せず, 一次休眠の状態にあることが示された。 2) 野外地表区のコハコベ種子では休眠覚醒が遅く, 光発芽性は顕著でなかった (Figs. 2, 4)。 地表で夏から冬まで経過したときの累積発芽率は30%以下であった (Fig. 3)。 野外埋土区では速やかに休眠覚醒して著しい光発芽性を示し, 発芽適温域は5～25℃と広かった (Figs. 2, 4)。 3) ミドリハコベ種子は野外地表区・埋土区のいずれにおいても比較的速やかに休眠から覚醒したが, 発芽適温域は5～20℃とやや狭かった (Figs. 2, 4)。 野外地表区の種子は秋期にその場で発芽し, 累積発芽率は82%となった (Fig. 3)。 4) コハコベ種子の室内の恒温乾燥区における休眠覚醒はきわめて遅く, 光発芽性は認められなかった (Figs. 5, 6)。 恒温埋土区では速やかに休眠覚醒して著しい光発芽性を示した (Figs. 5, 6)。 5) ミドリハコベ種子の室内の恒温乾燥区および埋土区における休眠覚醒の様相は後者でやや光発芽性が認められたほかはよく似ており, いずれも高温 (30℃) で促進され, 低温 (10℃) では遅かった (Figs. 5, 6)。
Socially Responsible Investment in the alcohol industry: an assessment of investor attitudes and ethical arguments

I examine and evaluate the ethical standards and arguments that Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) investors use when they deselect the alcohol industry and alcohol corporations. The alcohol industry was the first industry excluded by SRI investors and is, relative to fund size, the second most prominent negative screen (after tobacco). I discuss the role of shareholder democracy in the alcohol industry, review some evidence on the financial effects of SRI on sin stocks and investigate the motivations that SRI investors may have to eschew investment in the alcohol industry (almost no motivation can be found). I discuss a number of ethical issues that are salient in the alcohol industry and that ought to concern ethical investors. I draw attention to, in particular, the marketing of alcopops (flavoured alcoholic beverages or malternatives such as Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Breezer), and strategies involving so-called beer girls. This prepares the way to a reconstruction of two kinds of arguments that SRI investors might implicitly adhere to when they put a negative screen on alcohol: a Public Goods Argument and a Religious Values Argument. I show that the Public Goods Argument is problematic because it risks democratic legitimacy and effectiveness, and that while the Religious Values Argument is a coherent defence for individual investors accepting particular religious views, it is unacceptable if used by institutional investors forcing religious values upon involuntary participants when no societal unanimity concerning these religious values exists. Pension funds and health-care plans are examples of such investors. Finally, I provide an alternative Ethical Issues Argument and defend the claim that there are no good moral reasons for institutional SRI investors to circumvent the alcohol industry; rather, they should use shareholder democracy to make alcohol corporations address the ethical issues lest these issues will never be addressed by the corporations themselves.
Development of a Bipedal Hopping Robot With Morphable Inertial Tail for Agile Locomotion

Animals often use their external appendages (such as tails, limbs) to achieve spectacular maneuverability, energy efficient locomotion, and robust stabilization to large perturbations, which may not be easily attained in the existing legged robots. Their appendages, particularly, the tails are very compact, light, highly dexterous with a large range of motion (RoM). Animals can also curl and straighten up their tails in less than one-tenth of a second to facilitate rapid adjustment for the moment of inertia (IoM) and the center of mass (CoM). Most of the existing robotic tail designs still lack dexterity, output force, dynamic response as compared to their biological counterparts. The objective of this research is to create a viable and compact solution to adjust the tail IoM rapidly and effectively for the enhancement of robot agility. We design and build a novel 3-DoF morphable inertial tail based on a spherical linkage mechanism, incorporated with a spring-load telescopic tube to realize a wider range of inertial adjustment ability. We also develop a dynamic model and propose motion controllers to study the tail-inspired dynamic locomotion. Simulation and initial experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mechanical design and controllers to enhance more agile locomotion using the swinging tail.
CYCLE BIOLOGIQUE, CROISSANCE ET PRODUCTION DE RHITHROGENA LOYOLAEA NAVAS (EPHEMEROPTERA) DANS UN TORRENT PYRENEEN DE HAUTE MONTAGNE

Les populations larvaires de Rhithrogena loyolaea ont ete etudiees de 1971 a 1973 a 5 altitudes differentes entre la source (altitude : 2 350 m, temperature maximale : 4,5 °C, enneignement : 6-8 mois/an) et l'embouchure (altitude : 1 850 m, temperature maximale : 13 °C, enneigement : 4-5 mois/an) d'un torrent pyreneen de haute montagne : l'Estaragne. Le developpement larvaire dure 2 ans au-dessous de 1 950 m et 3 ans au-dessus de 2 100 m. La croissance s'effectue surtout au cours de la periode deneigee. Elle est exponentielle en fonction du temps et depend de la temperature moyenne du milieu ; les taux de croissance instantanes (exprimes en terme de poids) qui varient entre 0,01 et 0,04 jour -1 demeurent toutefois faibles a tous les niveaux. La mortalite a surtout lieu en periode deneigee. L'allongement du cycle biologique reduit par cinq le nombre de larves susceptibles d'achever leur developpement. La survie larvaire est inferieure a 1 ‰ dans le haut du reseau hydrographique. Les populations sont relativement stables d'une annee sur l'autre : leur abondance rend compte des capacites de « charge maximale » du torrent lorsque les conditions sont les plus defavorables. La production du torrent est en moyenne de 0,6 g du poids sec/m 2 /an. Les rapports Production/Biomasse moyenne varient entre 2,6 et 3,1.
Islands in ice: isolated populations of Cryptopygus sverdrupi (Collembola) among nunataks in the Sør Rondane Mountains, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

Molecular variation among Antarctic Collembola has been well appreciated over the last decade. The majority of studies have focussed on the Transantarctic Mountains and Antarctic Peninsula, and more recently Dronning Maud Land, which now accounts for all known continental species. Within most species, mean mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence divergence has not been more than around 2%, but in 2010 far greater levels of infraspecific sequence divergence (9.2–10.9%) were discovered in three species: Friesea grisea (10.2%), Gressittacantha terranova (10.4%) and Cryptopygus antarcticus (9.2%). Here, we present the first phylogeographic study on Cryptopygus sverdrupi from Dronning Maud Land. We found that mtDNA COI and 16S haplotypes clustered into two lineages with a mean COI sequence divergence of around 7.1%. The mixing of haplotypes between nearby nunataks separated by up to 15 km revealed support for ongoing (but rare) dispersal, although a single site, the most geographically isolated (by 40–58 km) was also the most genetically divergent. These levels of sequence divergence indicate persistence of biota throughout the Miocene and Pliocene isolated in glacial refugia. Expanding sampling of C. sverdrupi from additional ice-free refugia throughout Dronning Maud Land will be important to further our understanding of the evolutionary processes that have influenced the Antarctic continent, its landscape and biota.
Cold Hardiness and its Relationship to Overwintering of the Russian Wheat Aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae) in Southern Alberta

Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxiu (Mordvilko), is a new pest of winter wheat, Triticum uestivum L. , in western Canada. Studies were conducted to compare the cold hardiness of Russian wheat aphid, as expressed by the supercooling point, with overwintering mortality in the field, Mean supercooling points ranged from -26.8°C for first ins tars to -24.9°C for adults. These differences were not reflected in the winter survival of each stage in the field. Generally, aphid numbers declined steadily at surface temperatures between 0 and -10°C. In 1988-1989, temperatures at 1 cm above the soil surface dropped lower than -25°C for 4 d on one occasion, resulting in 100% mortality of Russian wheat aphid. In 1989-1990, when temperatures did not drop below -25°C, a low number of Russian wheat aphids were able to overwinter successfully. For the Russian wheat aphid, the supercooling point and the ability to survive cold temperatures are notclosely related. Although extremely cold temperatures result in extinction of exposed populations, most winter mortality occurs at temperatures above the supercooling point.
Effect of nortriptyline on cytosolic Ca2+ regulation and viability in PC3 human prostate cancer cells

The effect of nortriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, on Ca2+ regulation and viability in human prostate cancer cells (PC3) is unclear. The present study examined whether nortriptyline altered basal [Ca2+]i levels in suspended PC3 cells using fura‐2 as a Ca2+‐sensitive fluorescent probe. Nortriptyline (50–500 µM) increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration‐dependent fashion. The Ca2+ signal was partially reduced by removing extracellular Ca2+, indicating that Ca2+ entry and release both contributed to the [Ca2+]i rise. Nortriptyline induced Mn2+ influx, leading to quench of fura‐2 fluorescence, suggesting Ca2+ influx. This Ca2+ influx was inhibited by activation of protein kinase C, but not by inhibition of L‐type Ca2+ channels. In Ca2+‐free medium, pretreatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor, thapsigargin nearly abolished nortriptyline‐induced Ca2+ release. Conversely, pretreatment with nortriptyline greatly reduced the inhibitor‐induced [Ca2+]i rise, suggesting that nortriptyline released Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum. Inhibition of phospholipase C did not change the nortriptyline‐induced [Ca2+]i rise. Nortriptyline at a concentration of 10 µM increased viability in a Ca2+‐independent manner. At 50 µM, nortriptyline killed 45% of cells. Nortriptyline at 10 µM did not induce apoptosis, but at 50 µM induced significant apoptosis measured by propidium iodide staining. Together, in PC3 cells, nortriptyline induced [Ca2+]i rises by causing the phospholipase C‐independent Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum and Ca2+ influx via the protein kinase C‐sensitive pathway. Nortriptyline also induced both cell proliferation and death in a concentration‐dependent manner. Apoptosis was involved in the cell death. Drug Dev Res 71:323–330, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
AN IMPROVED MACHINE LEARNING-BASED APPROACH FOR PREDICTING TRAVELERS MODE CHOICE IN MOROCCO

Predicting the travel mode choice is an important task of transportation planning and policy making to understand inter-urban mobility. It enables the enhancement of the third step of the widely used four-step model. While advances in machine learning have led to numerous powerful predictive models, their usefulness for modeling travel mode choice remains none widely explored. The aim of this paper is to fill in this gap by proposing an advanced machine learning approach tailored to this problem. That is, using extensive Moroccan travel diary data in the year 2016, enriched with numerous individual and household features, our contribution consists of investigating the importance of applying the feature selection approach while using support vector machines (SVM) as a predictive model. The experimental results show that the adopted approach outperforms both native SVM and the artificial neural network, which are the most common data-driven techniques of dealing with such a problem.
Machine Learning Approaches for Signal Processing

In this paper, existing machine learning techniques for signal processing are reviewed and presented. The machine learning techniques used in processing of signals for detection of stress, detection of network intrusion, design of antenna, QRS detection and quantification and recognition of gestures are discussed and presented. The use of the machine learning in signal processing has reinforced its need in futuristic smart machines or robots for domestic and industrial purposes which validates their importance in current scenario.
Composição química e digestibilidade 'in vitro' de silagens de milho com distintos teores de umidade e níveis de compactação

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the chemical composition and 'in vitro' digestibility of maize silages and their respective original materials, harvested at three maturities (20, 26 and 28 % DM), and ensiled with high or low packing density in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement with six replicates. Protein and carbohydrate fractions were determined to supply mechanistic models of intake and performance predictions. Effluent was produced (61,2 liters ton-1) only in treatment with higher moisture and higher packing density. IVDMD varied from 46,2 to 57,9 %, and increased significantly with increasing DM level. IVOMD (44,5 - 54,2 %) was smaller only in 20 % DM silages. Soluble crude protein (SCP) ranged between 44,8 - 54,3 % of crude protein (CP), and NPN reached 67 - 91 % of SCP. NDIP was 16,2 - 25,1 % of CP and ADIP varied between 6,7 - 12,8 % of CP. The higher values of ADIP were obtained in silages with lower DM. Fraction A of carbohydrates varied between 5,3 - 10 % DM being significantly higher in 28 % DM silage with higher packing. B1 fraction (13,1 - 25,8 % DM) increased significantly with increasing DM content. B2 fraction (40,2 - 50,3 % DM) and were not affected with increasing DM content. Fraction C varied from 8,8 to 11,9 % DM. When silages were compared with original forages, an increasing level of ADIP and SCP, a decreasing level of NDIP and similar values for NPN as a percentage of SCP were observed, except in high packed 20 % DM silage. Within the carbohydrates fraction a decrease in fraction A content was observed for all treatments, except for the 28 % DM high packing density silage. An increasing level in B1 fraction in 26 and 28 % DM treatments, and similar values in 20 % DM were observed. The opposite was observed in B2 fraction. Fraction C increased only in 28 % DM treatments. No differences in IVDMD and IVOMD of silages were observed in relation to the original materials.
Measuring Exegetic Semblance between Words

- Similarity between words that was concerned with the syntactic similarity of two strings. Semantic similarity is a confidence score that reflects the semantic relation between the meanings of two sentences. It is difficult to gain a high accuracy score because the exact semantic meanings are completely understood only in a particular context. The goals of the paper are to present you some dictionary-based algorithms to capture the semantic similarity between two sentences, which is heavily based on the semantic dictionary. A web search engine is designed to search for information on the World Wide Web. The search results are generally presented in a line of results often referred to as search engine results pages (SERPs). The information may be a specialist in web pages, images, information and other types of files. Some search engines also mine data available in databases or open directories. Unlike web directories, which are maintained only by human editors, search engines also maintain real-time information by running an algorithm on a web crawler. To identify the numerous semantic relations that exist between two given words, we propose a novel pattern extraction algorithm and a pattern clustering algorithm. The optimal combination of page counts-based co-occurrence measures and lexical pattern clusters is learned using support vector machines.
Music Recommendation System based on Machine learning Technique

: AI has a sub-field which has made a huge impact in today’s world, known as machine learning. Structuring of the data is what the goal of it is. For being understandable and for the purpose of utilization by the user, machine learning fits the data-set into a model, which predict the output for unseen data. In today‘s time, with a great improvements in the field of technological aspects as well as streaming medias, various development has been done, like in music player the features like local playback , fast forward, reverse have been done. In this paper, a machine learning based technique is used to identify the emotion of the user and then recommend a song to the user.
Considering light–matter interactions in the Friedmann equations

Recent observations indicate that the Universe is not transparent but partially opaque due to absorption of light by ambient cosmic dust. This implies that the Friedmann equations valid for the transparent universe must be modified for the opaque universe. This paper studies a scenario in which the opacity rises with redshift. In this case, the light–matter interactions become important, because cosmic opacity produces radiation pressure that counterbalances gravitational forces. The presented theoretical model assumes the Universe is expanding according to the standard FLRW metric but with the scale factor a(t) depending on both types of forces: gravity as well as radiation pressure. The modified Friedmann equations predict a cyclic expansion/contraction evolution of the Universe within a limited range of scale factors with no initial singularity. The model avoids dark energy and removes some other tensions of the standard cosmological model. The paper demonstrates that considering light–matter interactions in cosmic dynamics is crucial and can lead to new cosmological models essentially different from the standard ΛCDM model. This emphasizes the necessity of new observations and studies of cosmic opacity and cosmic dust at high redshifts for more realistic modelling of the evolution of the Universe.
SYNERGISM OF CRANBERRY PHENOLICS WITH ELLAGIC ACID AND ROSMARINIC ACID FOR ANTIMUTAGENIC AND DNA PROTECTION FUNCTIONS

Several studies have shown the antimutagenic DNA protective functions of some naturally occurring phenolic phytochemicals. Emerging research also indicates that synergistic functionality of these phytochemicals in whole foods benefits the management of many diseases. Here we have investigated the potential antimutagenic properties of cranberry phenolics, ellagic acid (EA), rosmarinic acid (RA) and their synergistic interactions on enhancing antimutagenic properties in Salmonella typhimurium tester system against mutagens sodium azide and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Ability of these phytochemical treatments to protect oxidative damage to DNA was also investigated using the supercoiled DNA strand scission assay. Results showed that EA was most effective in inhibiting the mutations in S. typhimurium system, whereas RA and EA were equally effective in protecting the DNA from oxidative damage. Results also showed that the antimutagenic functionality of cranberry powder (CP) made from juice extracts was significantly enhanced when 30% (w/w) of phenolics in CP was substituted with RA and EA possibly because of synergistic redox modulation that can influence mutagen function. It is also suggested that the synergistic mixture of cranberry phenolics with RA could also be protecting the cell from mutations by modulating DNA repair systems.
The Bionomics of Ixodes holocyclus Neumann, with a redescription of the Adult and Nymphal Stages and a description of the Larvae

1. Ixodes holocyclus is a three-host tick. 2. It is found on native mammals, being abundant on Perameles nasuta (the bandicoot), while it has also been found on dogs, cats and man, and exceptionally on the large bush opossum and the rat. 3. Eggs hatch in from 49–61 days in warm weather. 4. Larvae harden and become active in about seven days, and engorge on host in 4–6 days. 5. Larval metamorphosis is prolonged by cold, and is most rapid in warm weather, varying from 19–41 days. 6. Nymphs harden and are quiescent for about seven days, and engorge in 4–7 days. 7. Adults emerge from larval skin in 21–71 days. 8. Coupling occurs away from the host and may last 11 days. 9. Adults harden and seek the host in about seven days and engorge in from 6–21 days. 10. Males are only rarely found on hosts, and have never been found attached or showing signs of engorgement. 11. Oviposition begins 11–20 days after the female leaves the host, and may last from 16–34 days; the number of eggs laid being about 1800–2500. 12. All stages are soon killed by desiccation, gorged nymphs and larvae being very soon killed even at moderate temperature. 13. A mass infestation with Ixodes holocyclus has not been seen either on native or domesticated animals.
The design and evolution of the UberBake light baking system

We describe the design and evolution of UberBake, a global illumination system developed by Activision, which supports limited lighting changes in response to certain player interactions. Instead of relying on a fully dynamic solution, we use a traditional static light baking pipeline and extend it with a small set of features that allow us to dynamically update the precomputed lighting at run-time with minimal performance and memory overhead. This means that our system works on the complete set of target hardware, ranging from high-end PCs to previous generation gaming consoles, allowing the use of lighting changes for gameplay purposes. In particular, we show how to efficiently precompute lighting changes due to individual lights being enabled and disabled and doors opening and closing. Finally, we provide a detailed performance evaluation of our system using a set of production levels and discuss how to extend its dynamic capabilities in the future.