Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sympatric guanacos and livestock share water resources in drylands of Argentina

Abstract There is growing concern about the effect of livestock on wild ungulate populations, particularly in arid ecosystems, where waterholes are an extremely scarce resource, around which animals tend to gather, primarily in the dry season. This situation is worrying in South American deserts, where guanaco is the native species that often shares trophic and water resources with livestock from local communities, even inside protected areas. We assess through general linear modeling (GLM) the use of waterholes by guanaco and two introduced species, free-ranging cattle and feral donkeys, during the summer-wet and winter-dry seasons, in an arid, water-limited region in northwestern Argentina. Waterholes were more intensively used in the dry than the wet season by all three herbivores. However, introduced ungulates did not use all of the waterholes, whereas guanaco used them all with equal intensity, which points to an apparent absence of interference probably due to the low density of the introduced species. Nevertheless these results could mask negative effects regarding the risk of parasite transmission, the under-use of one of the waterholes, and the risk related to increasing livestock density in a near future. Therefore, it would be advisable to make long-term monitoring to prevent potentially negative effects on guanacos.
Geographic variation of shell geometry in the abyssal snail Xyloskenea naticiformis (Jeffreys, 1883)

Very little is known about population differentiation in abyssal species. We measured Raup's parameters of shell geometry to document geographic variation in lower bathyal and abyssal populations of the archaeogastropod Xyloskenea naticiformis collected in the western North Atlantic. We performed an ANOVA with multiple comparisons to test for interpopulation differences in four basic descriptors of shell form: shape of the generating curve, rate of whorl expansion, position of the generating curve in relation to the coiling axis, and rate of translation. A quantified Jaccard's Coefficient was used to combine the four parameters into a metric of interpopulation phenotypic similarity that was regressed against depth difference and horizontal distance among samples to examine the effects of geographic separation. Overall, geographic variation is muted compared to bathyal deep-sea and coastal marine snails. Significant variation in shell form is largely attributable to a depth difference of 800-1000 m between the lower bathyal zone and the abyssal plain. Abyssal populations show only subtle variation on large (100s km) spatial scales. Results support the theory that population differentiation in mollusks decreases with increasing depth in the deep sea, and that the abyss is less conducive than the bathyal zone to evolutionary divergence in the western North Atlantic.
Laminitis in ponies is a diabetic‐like state

Equine pasture‐associated laminitis is a devastating disease manifested in the hoof and associated with obesity, dietary carbohydrate and insulin resistance, risk‐factors which parallel human metabolic syndromes. In this study, 5 laminitic ponies were evaluated for insulin sensitivity (SI) and insulin response to glucose (AIRg) using the minimal model of glucose and insulin dynamics adapted for equines from its original application in diabetic humans. Ponies were kept on pasture and tested in late April on the 1st or 2nd day of clinical laminitis. On the morning of the test ponies were brought into stalls, jugular catheters were inserted, and an insulin‐modified frequently sampled glucose tolerance test was conducted over 4 hours. Three of the 5 ponies showed no effect of insulin on glucose disposal rate (effective SI = 0). These ponies had basal insulin of 114, 353 and 549 mIU/L (normal insulin <40), however all 3 demonstrated low AIRg (<100 mIU/L per min) indicating an incapacity to increase circulating insulin in response to a glucose challenge. Two of these ponies were hyperglycemic (basal glucose 143 and 162 mg/dL) and all 3 were hyperglycemic at the end of the test. Extreme insulin resistance may be associated with clinical laminitis in ponies, contributing to a diabetic‐like state in which the pancreas is unresponsive to changes in circulating glucose despite remarkable persistent circulating insulin concentrations.
Response of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa) to nitrogen and potassium application in sandy clay-loam soils

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy seasons of 1998 and 1999 to study the productivity and economics of hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.) as influenced by nitrogen and potassium application. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with 2 levels of nitrogen, viz 100 and 200 kg/ha, in main plots and 2 levels of potassium, viz 62.5 and 125 kg K/ ha, applied full dose at transplanting, half at transplanting + half at maximum tillering and one-third at transplanting + one-third at maximum tillering + one-third at panicle emergence in subplots. One absolute control was kept with main plot as well as in subplot treatments along with 3 replications. An application of 200 kg N/ha significantly increased the plant height (126.8 and 127.9 cm), total number oftillers (16.2 and 16.3), dry-matter accumulation (15.6 and 16.3 tonnes/ha), grain and straw yields (6.5 and 9.5 tonnes/ha based on pooled data) of hybrid rice, while 100 kg N/ha resulted in highest benefit : cost ratio of the crop. Significantly higher total number of tillers (14 and 14.5), dry-matter accumulation (14.3 and 15.0 tonnes/ ha) and grain yield (5.8 and 6.1 tonnes/ha), straw yield (8.5 and 8.9 tonnes/ha) and benefit:cost ratio of the crop were recorded with the application of 62.5 kg K/ha when applied in 2 equal splits (halt at transplanting + half at maximum tillering).
The Effect of Problem-Based Learning Model and Blended Learning Model to Metacognitive Awareness as a Reflection Towards a New Normal Era

This study aimed to determine differences in the level of metacognitive awareness and learning outcomes of students who learn through problem-based learning model-assisted blended learning on technical drawing material as a reflection towards new normal era education. This study used a test instrument and metacognitive questionnaire with the results of a validity level of 92.58% and the Alpha Cronbach reliability coefficient was categorized as high with a score of 0.876. The research sample was carried out at the state of vocational high school in two classes. Experimental classes learned with a problem-based model were aided by blended learning and a control class learned through a problem-based model. The results showed a significant difference in cognitive domain learning outcomes in the experimental class and metacognitive awareness of students in the two research classes so that this learning model could be used as a reflection in the learning activities of the new normal era.
competitively superior exotic oysters with native oysters

Summary 1. Trade-offs between competitive ability and tolerance of abiotic stress are widespread in the literature. Thus, condition-specific competition may explain spatial variability in the success of some biological invaders and why, in environments where there is small-scale environmental variability, competitively inferior and superior species can coexist. 2. We tested the hypothesis that differences in abiotic stress alter the outcome of competitive interactions between the native Sydney rock oysters Saccostrea glomerata and exotic Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas by experimentally testing patterns of intra- and interspecific competition across a tidal elevation gradient of abiotic stress at three sites on the east coast of Australia. 3. At low and mid-intertidal heights, exotic C. gigas were able to rapidly overgrow and smother native S. glomerata, which grew at c. 60% of the exotic's rate. In high intertidal areas, where C. gigas displayed about 80% mortality but similar growth rates to S. glomerata, the native oyster was not affected by the presence of the exotic species. 4. Asymmetrical effects of the exotic species on the native could not be replicated by manipulating densities of conspecifics, confirming that effects at low and mid-intertidal heights were due to interspecific competition. 5. Our results suggest that the more rapid growth of C. gigas than S. glomerata comes at the cost of higher mortality under conditions of abiotic stress. Thus, although C. gigas may rapidly overgrow 5. glomerata at low and mid tidal heights, the native oyster will not be competitively excluded by the exotic due to release from competition at high intertidal elevations. 6. The success of trade-offs in explaining spatial variation in the outcome of competitive interactions between C. gigas and S. glomerata strengthen the claim that these may be a useful tool in the quest to produce general predictive models of invasion success.
Compensatory changes in Ca2+ and myocardial O2 consumption in β-tropomyosin transgenic hearts

Transgenic mice overexpressing β-tropomyosin have increased myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity that we hypothesized would result in altered relationships among pressure and heart rates, intracellular Ca2+, and myocardial O2 consumption. In perfused hearts from transgenic mice there was a marked negative force-frequency response between 6 and 10 Hz with a 30 ± 3% reduction in peak-positive first derivative of pressure development over time (dP/dt) compared with 14 ± 2% in wild-type mice (P < 0.001). At 8 Hz systolic pressures were normal, though peak systolic intracellular Ca2+ was significantly reduced in transgenic mice versus wild type (726 ± 61 vs. 936 ± 67 nM, P < 0.05) indicating an alteration in the pressure-Ca2+ relationship. Over a wide range of positive and negative inotropic interventions there were normal developed pressures, though marked elevations in myocardial O2 consumption (15–54%). Because pressures are normal and intracellular Ca2+ decreased and myocardial O2 consumption increased, this sugge.
PUTATIVE DRUG TARGETS IN UREAPLASMA UREALYTICUM SEROVAR 10 STR. ATCC 33699 BY INSILICO GENOMICS APPROACH AND VIRTUAL SCREENING

Increase in biological data at an alarming rate, has made possible the use of such data in identification of drug targets. Ureaplasma urealyticum serovar 10 str. ATCC 33699 is a causative agent for sexually transmitted infections. In present study novel comparative genomic approach is used to identify the drug targets. This approach has been successfully used in Pseudomonas aeroginosa. In current study similar work has been done to mine the drug targets. Analysis in the present study showed a total of 265 essential proteins, out of which 14 showed pathways related to both human and pathogen. The 2 proteins are exclusively pathogen specific and are part of unique metabolic pathways. The 3-D structure of the drug targets was predicted by fold based method and virtual screening was performed to find the natural lead compounds that bind to target. ADME-tox properties of the natural compounds showing better binding affinity were also studied.
Recent Advances in Practical Secure Multi-Party Computation

SUMMARY Secure multi-party computation (MPC) allows a set of parties to compute a function jointly while keeping their inputs private. MPC has been actively studied, and there are many research results both in the theoretical and practical research ﬁelds. In this paper, we introduce the basic matters on MPC and show recent practical advances. We ﬁrst explain the settings, security notions, and cryptographic building blocks of MPC. Then, we show and discuss current situations on higher-level secure protocols, privacy-preserving data analysis, and frameworks / compilers for implementing MPC applications with low-cost. key words: secure multi-party computation, privacy-preserving data analysis
Acidification increases sensitivity to hypoxia in important forage fishes

Hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen [DO]) and CO2-induced acidification are important aquatic stressors that are exacerbated by anthropogenic nutrient inputs and are expected to increase in severity with increasing atmospheric CO2 and higher global temperatures. Understanding how species respond to changes in DO and pH is critical to predicting how climate change will affect estuarine ecosystems, including the extreme shallow margins of these systems, where factors such as respiration, photosynthesis, and tides create daily fluctuations of DO and pH, and strong correlations between the 2 stressors. To determine how acidification affects the sensitivity to hypoxia of 2 im portant forage fishes, the silversides Menidia menidia and M. beryllina, we recorded opercula ventilation rates, aquatic surface respiration (ASR, where fish breathe in the oxygenated surface layer during hypoxic events), and mortality as we lowered either DO or both DO and pH simultaneously. Fish subjected to low DO and low pH in the laboratory performed ASR and died at higher DO concentrations than fish subjected only to hypoxia. Additionally, fish beat their opercula slower, which may have contributed to the differences in ASR and mortality that we saw. These results indicate acidification can increase mortality under hypoxia not only directly but also indirectly by increasing vulnerability to predation during increased use of ASR.
Recent Decrease in Mean Body Weight of Adult Masu Salmon Caught in the Jinzu River

Change in size of adult masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou masou, caught in the Jinzu River was investigated from 1985 to 2001. The mean body weight of masu salmon caught in the Jinzu River was about 3 kg until 1992, but it decreased to nearly 2 kg in 1997 and 2001. The mean body weight in 1997-2001 was 2.5 kg, and it was significantly less than that (3.0 kg) in 1987-1991. The mean body weight of adult masu salmon, originating as fingerlings and smolts reared in the Jinzu Hatchery, was significantly less than those originating as natural juveniles and fry reared in the Jinzu Hatchery until 1991, but they became almost equal from 1992 to 2001. The relationship between annual mean body weight (y) and number of adult masu salmon (x) caught in the Jinzu River during 1985 to 2001 fitted a linear regression equation as expressed by y = 0.000479x + 2.16 (ƒÁ = 0 .719, p = 0.001). These phenomena are considered to be reflections of density-dependent effects around the Ohotsuku Sea, cross-mating between masu salmon and red spotted masu salmon, O. masou ishikawae, and/or negative changes in big adult habitat and extensive efforts at fishing for them in the Jinzu River.
Biocontrol potential of Alternaria sp. PMK2, against a devastating weed: Parthenium hysterophorus L

ABSTRACT Parthenium hysterophorus (Asteraceae) is known as one of the most aggressive invasive weeds, causing severe economic, environmental, human and animal health problems in India and around the world. During a series of extensive surveys for natural enemies of P. hysterophorus, a leaf spot pathogen was isolated from the affected parts of the parthenium following the standard isolation techniques using potato dextrose agar (PDA) and parthenium dextrose agar (PeDA) media. Koch's postulates were performed and found satisfactory for the isolate and proved to be pathogenic to this weed. On the basis of cultural, morphological and molecular characteristics, the pathogen was identified as Alternaria sp. PMK2. The growth of the pathogen was studied on eight selected media and it exhibited varying degrees of growth on different media. Phytotoxicity of fungal cultural filtrates was also confirmed on parthenium leaves in laboratory conditions. Due to the virulent nature of the isolated pathogen, it may be selected for further studies to develop mycoherbicide for control of this devastating weed.
Estimando el tamaño de polímeros con redes neuronales

En este artı́culo presentamos dos problemas de predicción asociados a procesos de fabricación avanzada en el contexto de la industria 4.0. Los dos problemas están fuertemente relacionados aunque pueden ser tratados de manera independiente. El presente problema se centra en la fabricación de una pieza sólida de polı́mero a partir de una mezcla de materias primas en estado lı́quido. La anchura de la pieza resultante viene definida por el molde en el que las materias primas son vertidas. En cambio, la altura depende de la cantidad de materiales que son vertidos y la proporción de los mismos además de factores externos como la temperatura, etc. Desafortunadamente el proceso quı́mico implicado es de tal complejidad que no puede modelarse de forma exacta y es difı́cil contestar a las cuestiones de interés, como (i) ¿cuál será la altura de la pieza dados estos parámetros de fabricación? y (ii) ¿cuáles son los parámetros de fabricación más adecuados para fabricar una pieza de una altura dada? Para ayudar en el proceso de fabricación y resolver estas cuestiones se ha llevado a cabo un estudio desde el ámbito de la ciencia de datos.
Starter microbici naturali e selezionati per la produzione di alimenti fermentati

This study begins by examining microorganisms, lactic acid bacteria and yeasts that play a role in the production of fermented foodstuffs. It goes on to describe and discuss the methods for preparing starter cultures. Natural starters obtained by a process of enriching indigenous microorganisms are preferable because of the conviction that food product growing or processing environments exercise a kind of natural selection that favours the more suitable strains which are also responsible for supplying typical traits. Selected starters obtained after careful characterization of cultures from suitable species, are preferable where guaranteed results are needed, both for the fermentative process and finished product composition.
ISO／IEC／JTC1／SC37“生物统计学”工作新动向

生物统计学技术愈来愈多地应用于身份识别、企业内部网络基础结构安全、建筑物安全、人员识别、电子银行及金融业务安全等领域，对国际生物统计学标准的需求十分迫切。 为此，ISO／IEC／JTC1“信息技术”联合技术委员会于2002年成立了“生物统计学”分技术委员会(SC37)，其任务是研究制定身份证、护照等文件中用于身份识别的生物统计学标准，其中包括通用文件结构、生物统计数据交换格式、相关生物统计分布、
FITOTERÁPICOS APLICADOS A OBESIDADE

O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar as evidencias cientificas sobre o uso dos fitoterapicos “ Camellia sinensis ”, “ Citrus aurantium ” e “ Carthamus tinctorius ” para auxiliar no controle de peso. No desenvolvimento da pesquisa, realizou-se levantamento bibliografico sistematizado de estudos nas bases de dados PubMed , Science Direct e Scielo nos anos de 2000 a 2014. Segundo estudos revisados, o extrato de cha verde ( Camellia sinensis) possui varios principios ativos, dentre os quais se destaca a catequina, que inibe a enzima catecol-o-metiltransferase, responsavel por degradar a noradrenalina, prolongando o efeito da enzima adenosina 3',5'-monofosfato ciclico sobre termogenese mediada por noradrenalina, sobretudo em associacao com a cafeina. O Citrus aurantium, pela acao da sinefrina, estimula os β-3 receptores, acelerando a lipolise e aumentando o metabolismo basal atraves da termogenese, provocando reducao de peso. O Carthamus tinctorius e rico em acido linoleico, que inibe a enzima lipase lipoproteica, e responsavel por transportar triglicerides do sangue para o interior dos adipocitos. Alem disso, contem acido oleico, que estimula a enzima carnitina palmitoltranferase, mobilizando os acidos graxos para o interior da mitocondria para que ocorra o processo de β-oxidacao, contribuindo para a perda de peso. Foi possivel compreender que, apesar de os fitoterapicos apresentarem resultados satisfatorios, os dados ainda se mostram incipientes, necessitando de pesquisas mais aprofundadas. DOI: 10.12957/demetra.2016. 19154
To Investigate the Effect of Oil Film Thickness at the Entrance of the Infinitely Long Slider Bearing Using CFD Analysis

The oil film thickness between slider and shoe is a significant parameter and has a strong influence on the bearings performance. A CFD analysis has been carried out to find the effect of oil film thickness at the entrance of the slider using ANSYS workbench. Laminar viscous model with SIMPLE pressure-velocity coupling are used for the analysis. 2-D steady state, Navier-Stoke equations are discretized with finite volume approximations using structured grids. First the analysis has been carried out for the maximum load carrying capacity (i.e. m = 1.1889). For validation, CFD values are compared with the available analytical solution of Reynolds equation. CFD results showed good concord with the analytical values with a maximum error of 1%. After validation, the analysis has extended to four more ′m′ values such as 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2. If bearing operate at below maximum load carrying capacity, the result shows that low load carrying capacity and high frictional losses. But for above, frictional forces reduces and blunt of the pressure profile at peak also decreases which will influence the action of extremely high load on a very small area of the shoe. c © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of ICCHMT – 2015.
A Role of Olfaction in Schooling of Japanese Sea Catfish, Plotosus lineatus

Noriyuki Hayashi,1,4 Soichi Nakamura,1 Hiromasa Yoshikawa,2 Tsuneyuki Abe3 and Hiroshi Kobayashi1 1 Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, Kinki University, 3327-204 Naka-machi, Nara 631, Japan 2Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nishi-iru, Hichihon-matsu, Itsutsuji-dori, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602, Japan 3Osaka Prefectural Fishery Experiment Station, Tanigawa, Tanagawa, Misaki-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 599-03, Japan 4Present address: Food Research Laboratories, LION Corporation, 1-3-7 Honjo, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130, Japan (Received November 1,1993; in revised form January 7, 1994; accepted January 10,1994)
Viral evolution and the emergence of SARS

The recent appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) highlights the continual threat to human health posed by emerging viruses. However, the central processes in the evolution of emerging viruses are unclear, particularly the selection pressures faced by viruses in new host species. We outline some of the key evolutionary genetic aspects of viral emergence. We emphasize that, although the high mutation rates of RNA viruses provide them with great adaptability and explain why they are the main cause of emerging diseases, their limited genome size means that they are also subject to major evolutionary constraints. Understanding the mechanistic basis of these constraints, particularly the roles played by epistasis and pleiotropy, is likely to be central in explaining why some RNA viruses are more able than others to cross species boundaries. Viral genetic factors have also been implicated in the emergence of SARS-CoV, with the suggestion that this virus is a recombinant between mammalian and avian coronaviruses. We show, however, that the phylogenetic patterns cited as evidence for recombination are more probably caused by a variation in substitution rate among lineages and that recombination is unlikely to explain the appearance of SARS in humans.