Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA reveals significant intraspecific genetic differentiation of tokay gecko in southern China and northern Vietnam

The common tokay gecko (Gekko gecko gecko) is widely distributed across southern China, Vietnam and other countries in Southeast Asia. It includes two distinct morphological forms with largely allopatric distributions, which are referred to as the black-spotted tokay and the red-spotted tokay. Considering their different morphological features and distributions, a question has been proposed by taxonomists and still not resolved: do these two forms belong to one subspecies? Previous studies indicated a high genetic variability between them, but did not give a consistent conclusion regarding their taxonomic status. In this work, we employed two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b) and nine microsatellite DNA loci to explore the phylogenetic relationship and population genetic structure in the two forms from southern China and northern Vietnam. MtDNA results revealed four deeply divergent lineages. Red-spotted tokays were clustered into one lineage, and black-spotted tokays were clustered into three lineages. Microsatellite DNA results confirmed significant levels of genetic differentiation between the red-spotted tokay lineage and one black-spotted tokay lineage, consistent with the mtDNA pattern. In conclusion, considering both morphological and genetic information, we suggest that the red-spotted tokay lineage and one of the black-spotted tokay lineages have probably differentiated into two subspecies. However, more extensive sampling and genetic information are needed to further understand the taxonomic relationships of tokay gecko, particularly the three lineages within the black-spotted tokay.
Criblage de génotypes de Pyrus vis‐à‐vis de la résistance au psylle du poirier Cacopsylla pyri (L.)

Cacopsylla pyri est l’un des principaux ravageurs du poirier en France. L’utilisation de varietes de poirier resistantes au psylle pourrait constituer une alternative a la lutte chimique, mais actuellement, toutes les varietes d’importance economique sont sensibles a ce psylle. Afin d’identifier des geniteurs de resistance, quatre methodes de criblage ont ete testees en 1996. La premiere est fondee sur une notation de presence ou d’absence de larves sur les feuilles et la deuxieme sur les parties ligneuses. La troisieme repose sur une evaluation du nombre de larves a l’extremite des pousses et la quatrieme sur l’observation de l’etat du vegetal (quantite de fumagine et etat des pousses). Cette derniere methode a ete retenue pour evaluer une collection de Pyrus. Les classes de notation des symptomes vont de 1 (pas de degât apparent) a 5 (une ou plusieurs pousses mortes). Le criblage de 82 genotypes de Pyrus a ete realise de 1996 a 1999 dans un tunnel grillage. La variete Williams, connue comme etant sensible au psylle du poirier, est notre temoin. La plus grande partie des genotypes sont sensibles. Cependant, 21 genotypes ont ete evalues comme etant resistants a C. pyri. La plupart sont des hybrides interspecifiques entre P. communis et P. ussuriensis ou P. longipes ou P. pyrifolia, et possedent un haut niveau de resistance au psylle du poirier.
Gamers’ Behavior Via Avatars In Online Games

Gamers use avatars to represent themselves to interact with others in online games. However, gamers’ behavior via avatars has received insufficiently attention by electronic commerce scholars, warranting further study on this issue. Positive interactions among online gamers should foster their loyalty to the game. Therefore, this study investigated how avatar design affects gamers’ behavior via avatars. This study obtained responses from more than one thousand online gamers that were used for further analyses. Criteria were set to exclude some invalid responses, so as to increase data validity. Moreover, reliability and validity were checked by using six tests, demonstrating the adequate performance in psychometric properties. Structural equation modeling was conducted for analyses. This study found that avatar design has an important impact on gamers’ behavior via avatars. Specifically, positive perceptions on avatar design motivate the gamers to exhibit positive behavior via avatars. Findings of this study provide feasible means for electronic commerce managers to encourage gamers’ positive interactions and thus should create strong virtual communities and subsequently loyal gamers.
Two new basal crocodylomorph archosaurs from the Lower Jurassic and the monophyly of the Sphenosuchia

We report on and name two new taxa of basal crocodylomorph archosaurs from the Lower Jurassic, Litargosuchus leptorhynchus gen. et sp. nov., from the upper Elliot Formation (Stormberg Group) of South Africa, and Kayentasuchus walkeri gen. et sp. nov., from the Kayenta Formation (Glen Canyon Group) of Arizona, USA. Examination of this material led to a reconsideration of basal crocodylomorph interrelationships. A phylogenetic analysis found no support for the monophyly of Sphenosuchia. © 2002 The Linnean Society of London. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2002, 136, 77–95.
Effect of day-old chick weight and gender on the performance of commercial broiler

Day-old Vencob commercial broiler chicks 216 (108 males and females each) were weighed and grouped into 3 weight categories; low (L), medium (M) and high (H) and initial weight for male and female chicks were 39,42,45 and 32.5, 36.5, 40.5 g respectively. All the groups were housed in individual floor pens and reared under similar conditions of housing, feeding and management up to 35 days of age. At the end of the experiment, 2 birds from each group were randomly picked up and slaughtered to record various carcass traits. Significant differences occurred in body weight, feed consumption, protein and energy efficiencies due to difference in initial chick weight (ICW) within and between sexes. Heavier ICW broilers maintained their superiority in growth rate till 35 days of age in both the sexes. Flock uniformity of above 90% in males and above 85% in females was possible by segregating them on lCW basis. The proportion ofdrumsticks, thigh and breast increased in the male carcasses with increase in leW but not in the females, however, meat to bone ratio increased in both sexes. The male birds in general had higher evisceration yield and significantly higher yield of drumsticks, thigh and meat to bone ratio than females. The correlation coefficients (r) between ICW and 35 day body weight were 0.73,0.93 and 0.79 for male, female and combined sexes respectively. It was concluded that both ICW and gender influenced the productivity and efficiency of broiler production and were of economic importance to the processor through their effect on yield of premium value products and flock uniformity.
Determinação de taninos e metilxantinas no guaraná em pó (Paullinia cupana Kunth, Sapindaceae) por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência

As sementes de guarana (Paullinia cupana Kunth, Sapindaceae) sao utilizadas como estimulante e os principais constituintes quimicos sao as metilxantinas e os taninos, tais como catequina e epicatequina. Este trabalho teve por objetivo investigar um metodo por cromatografia liquida de alta eficiencia (CLAE) para quantificar, simultaneamente, cafeina, teofilina, teobromina, catequina e epicatequina em po de guarana. Os valores obtidos foram comparados com os resultados encontrados no metodo espectrofotometrico da Farmacopeia Brasileira IV ed. Pelo metodo cromatografico, os teores de metilxantinas e taninos totais foram de 4,04% e 1,48%, respectivamente. Os teores de metilxantinas e taninos totais, obtidos pelo metodo espectrofotometrico, foram de 4,88% e 4,05%, respectivamente. Acredita-se que, nas condicoes experimentais empregadas, o metodo espectrofotometrico nao foi especifico, quantificando outras substâncias fenolicas presentes no guarana. Portanto, sugere-se o emprego desse metodo cromatografico no controle de qualidade do guarana em po, por ser preciso, sensivel, especifico e rapido.
Modelling dispersal: an eco‐evolutionary framework incorporating emigration, movement, settlement behaviour and the multiple costs involved

1. Understanding the causes and consequences of dispersal remains a central topic in ecology and evolution. However, a mismatch exists between our empirical understanding of the complexity of dispersal and our representation of dispersal in models. While the empirical literature is replete with examples of condition dependence at the emigration, movement and settlement phases, models rarely incorporate realism or complexity to this degree. Nor do models often include the different costs associated with dispersal, which can themselves be linked to one or more of the three key phases.
Thermal variability alters climatic stress resistance and plastic responses in a globally invasive pest, the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata)

Climatic means with different degrees of variability (δ) may change in the future and could significantly impact ectotherm species fitness. Thus, there is an increased interest in understanding the effects of changes in means and variances of temperature on traits of climatic stress resistance. Here, we examined short‐term (within‐generation) variation in mean temperature (23, 25, and 27 °C) at three levels of diel thermal fluctuations (δ = 1, 3, or 5 °C) on an invasive pest insect, the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). Using the adult flies, we address the hypothesis that temperature variability may affect the climatic stress resistance over and above changes in mean temperature at constant variability levels. We scored the traits of high‐ and low‐thermal tolerance, high‐ and low‐temperature acute hardening ability, water balance, and egg production under benign conditions after exposure to each of the nine experimental scenarios. Most importantly, results showed that temperature variance may have significant effects in addition to the changes in mean temperature for most traits scored. Although typical acclimation responses were detected for most of the traits under low variance conditions, high variance scenarios dramatically altered the outcomes, with poorer climatic stress resistance detected in some, but not all, traits. These results suggest that large temperature fluctuations might limit plastic responses which in turn could reduce the insect fitness. Increased mean temperatures in conjunction with increased temperature variability may therefore have stronger negative effects on this agricultural pest than elevated temperatures alone. The results of this study therefore have significant implications for understanding insect responses to climate change and suggest that analyses or simulations of only mean temperature variation may be inappropriate for predicting population‐level responses under future climate change scenarios despite their widespread use.
The Census of Objects within 10 Parsecs

The sample of stars, brown dwarfs, and exoplanets known within 10 parsecs of our Solar System as of January 1, 2015 is presented. All systems have trigonometric parallaxes of 100 mas or more with errors of 10 mas or less. Included in the sample are 12 systems in the southern sky added to the sample via new parallaxes from the RECONS (REsearch Consortium On Nearby Stars, www.recons.org) effort at the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9m.
Application of CaCl2 Sprays Earlier in the Season May Reduce Bitter Pit Incidence in 'Braeburn' Apple

Calcium application trials were undertaken in a 'Braeburn' apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) orchard with a history of bitter pit development at harvest. In 2000, an early season calcium chloride application strategy was compared with the unsprayed control and a late season application strategy. From 2001-03, the assessment of timing of calcium chloride sprays was extended by comparing effects of fi ve weekly sprays ap- plied during the growing season either early, middle, or late season. Other Ca applica- tion strategies tested included sprays of acidifi ed calcium carbonate suspensions and soil application of calcium thiosulphate. In the fi rst experiment, early application of calcium chloride reduced the occurrence of bitter pit at harvest and after 3 months cold air stor- age, despite having low harvest fruit Ca concentrations. Late sprayed fruit had a higher incidence of bitter pit. In the second experiment, the later calcium chloride was sprayed in the growing season, the higher the fruit Ca concentration at harvest. Despite this, no bitter pit was measured at harvest for 2 years for early and midseason calcium chloride spray regimes. In 2003, when Ca disorders were severe and fruit large, bitter pit was observed despite early season calcium chloride sprays. Soil calcium thiosulphate application and foliar sprays of acidifi ed calcium carbonate suspensions failed to meaningfully augment harvest fruit Ca concentrations and affect bitter pit incidence. The importance of achieving adequate Ca supply for optimising the quality of apple fruit has stimulated research in the major fruit growing regions of the world to increase fruit Ca concentration and thereby improve fruit quality. The preferred method to increase fruit Ca concentration has been via preharvest foliar Ca sprays, as indicated from numerous research reviews summarizing fi eld trials from many regions (Bramlage et al., 1980; Terblanche et al., 1980; Vang-Petersen, 1980). Recom- mendations based upon this early research usually involves application of three to six sprays of soluble Ca salts (usually chloride or nitrate salts) throughout the growing season. Limited consideration has been given to time of Ca application since many spray rate ap- plication experiments have been confounded by application at different times (Le Grange et al., 1998b). Several laboratory studies using Ca pressure-com- pensating drip emitters located 0.5-m either side of the tree within the row. Irrigation was applied to meet daily requirements based on water demand as estimated by the previous day's evaporation from an atmometer (ET Gage Co., Loveland, Colo.) linked through a datalogger (CR10X; Campbell Scientifi c, Logan, Utah) to irrigation controls. Throughout the experimental period, trees were fertigated with potassium nitrate (13N-0P-37K) for a 6-week period commencing in early June at a constant irrigation solution N-concentration of 112 mg·L -1
Poaceae na área do Centro de Pesquisas e Conservação da Natureza Pró-Mata, São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

A survey of the Poaceae from “Centro de Pesquisas e Conservacao da Natureza Pro-Mata (CPCN Pro-Mata), Sao Francisco de Paula, Brasil” was undertaken. Thirty four genera and sixty eight species were listed, including 51 megathermic and 17 microthermic species. An analytical key for the identification of the species is presented.
Biomass allocation and shade tolerance in tree species of the Atlantic Forest

Light availability is an important factor determining plant morphology and niche occupation in tropical forests. In this study, we tested whether seedlings that differ in shade tolerance also differ in the way they partition their resources among stems and leaves. The morphology of the first pair of leaves (eophylls), cotyledons, stems, and seeds of 14 species (five shade tolerant and nine gap dependent) from the Atlantic Rainforest (Brazil) were analyzed. Significant differences were observed in the patterns of biomass allocation between the two ecological groups; shade-tolerant species invested more in total biomass, cotyledons, and leaves, whereas gap-dependent species allocated more biomass to stems and vertical growth. In conclusion, shade-tolerant and gap-dependent species invest more in photosynthesis and vertical growth, respec- tively. Apparently, these characteristics specific to each group are not related to the life history of the species studied but to the strategies developed to the environment in which they were inserted.
Molecular biology of root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchusspp.) and their interaction with host plants

Plant-parasitic nematodes of the genus Pratylenchus are among the top three most significant nematode pests of crop and horticultural plants worldwide. There are more than 70 described species, most are polyphagous with a wide range of host plants. Because they do not form obvious feeding patterns characteristic of sedentary endoparasites (e.g. galls or cysts), and all worm-like stages are mobile and can enter and leave host roots, it is more difficult to recognise their presence and the damage they cause. As a result their study has been relatively neglected, despite being the major nematode pests of staple crops such as wheat in dryland agriculture in Australia and the Pacific Northwest of the USA. The current status of molecular research on Pratylenchus spp. is described, including molecular diagnostics for their detection in soil samples, the status of breeding for resistance or tolerance, transcriptome data from deep sequencing, and their amenability to powerful new transgenic strategies for control using gene silencing (RNAi) technology. A comparison of the repertoire of enzymes and putative effectors used by Pratylenchus species to enter roots, migrate from cell-to-cell, suppress host defence responses and feed successfully with those present in sedentary endoparasites provides new insights into which effectors are required for migratory phases versus feeding site induction for sedentary endoparasites. The genomics era has finally arrived for Pratylenchus species, and it can be predicted that new genomic information will lead to new strategies to control this neglected but economically important group of plant pests.
Development of antiviral drugs targeting the flavivirus fusion mechanism

We have successfully identified and tested small molecules whichinhibit the dengue virus fusion mechanism, a process essential forviral infection of cells. The compounds were identified by in silicodocking of a compound library against the dengue virus envelope(E) protein. We hypothesize that these compounds inhibit thetransition of the E protein from its metastable pre-fusion form toits stable post-fusion form. We tested the compounds in plaqueand MTT assays and identified one compound with an IC50 of1 mM with no mammalian cytotoxicity. This lead compound isnow undergoing further studies for the development of a denguevirus fusion inhibitor. Furthermore, the high conservation of Eprotein structural elements amongst the flaviviruses suggests thatthis compound may also serve as a lead for the development offusion inhibitors against other members of the flavivirus family,for example the West Nile fever and Japanese encephalitis viruses.Flaviviruses, in particular, dengue virus are a major publichealth problem in tropical and subtropical areas of the world.Up too 100 million people are infected annually and the incidenceof these diseases is increasing over the last two decades.Infection with dengue virus can result in acute and potentiallyfatal haemorrhagic fever. Currently there are no therapeuticagents available for treating flavivirus infections. The identificationof our lead compound is a first step toward their development.
Time constraints related to sexual maturation and prolonged copulation in the female‐dimorphic damselfly Ischnura senegalensis

Time constraints are critical for reproductive success. To understand the spatiotemporal dynamics of morph frequency in the female‐dimorphic damselfly Ischnura senegalensis, we compared two different morphs for two important time constraints on female reproductive output, i.e. post‐emergence sexual maturation and prolonged copulation. The females of both morphs achieved sexual maturation 4–5 days after emergence, suggesting that the rate of sexual mutation does not result in morph‐specific fitness. The copulation durations declined with the time of onset of copulation in both morphs. Consequently, all copulations terminated at approximately 12:00 hours. Because females show foraging and oviposition activity only after copulation, the copulation duration does not result in morph‐specific time constraints. These two important time constraints do not account for morph‐specific reproductive success and do not affect the evolutionary equilibrium of morph frequency in I. senegalensis.
Coastal Migration and Homing of Roanoke River Striped Bass

Abstract Anadromy in Roanoke River Striped Bass Morone saxatilis has been documented; however, the specifics of the ocean migration and the degree of homing in this population remain unstudied and would greatly benefit the management of this economically important species. To this end, we telemetered and released 19 large Roanoke River Striped Bass (750–1,146 mm TL) on their spawning grounds during the springs of 2011 and 2012. Data from a large-scale acoustic telemetry array along the U.S. Atlantic coast (480 total receivers, including the Roanoke River) were used to evaluate the seasonal migration and distribution of telemetered fish, their degree of homing and skipped spawning, their migration speeds, and the environmental drivers of migration timing. We found that large Roanoke River Striped Bass (>900 mm TL) rapidly emigrated (∼59 km/d) after spawning to distant (>1,000 km) northern ocean waters (New Jersey to Massachusetts), where they spent their summers. They then migrated southward in the fall to overwintering habitats off Virginia and North Carolina and completed their migration circuit the following spring by returning to the Roanoke River to spawn. Our results showed no evidence of straying or skipped spawning, as all migrants successfully returned (homed) to the Roanoke River the next spring to spawn. Cooler ocean water temperatures in 2013 delayed the spring spawning run by nearly 3 weeks relative to a year of average spring temperatures (2012). Our study provides novel information that aids the management of Striped Bass at both small (e.g., setting of fishing seasons in the Roanoke River) and large spatial scales (e.g., stock identification of Roanoke River fish in the mixed-stock ocean fishery) and more broadly highlights the utility of large-scale cooperative telemetry arrays in studying fish migration.
The auditory system of the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) : a potential fatty sound reception pathway in a mysticete cetacean

Abstract : Cetaceans possess highly derived auditory systems adapted for underwater hearing. Odontocetes, or toothed whales, are thought to use specialized acoustic fats for sound reception. However, sound reception pathways in baleen whales, or mysticetes, are unknown. We investigated the auditory system of the minke whale (small mysticete species) through dissections, biomedical imaging, biochemical analyses, and sound propagation models using the Finite Element Method (FEM). We discovered a large, well-formed fat body extending from the blubber region to the ears and contacting the ossicles. The basic morphology and biochemical composition of the minke whale ear fats were very different from those of odontocete acoustic fats. However, the two tissues shared some subtle characteristics. FE models showed that the presence of the ear fats help to focus sound by the ears, which could be attributed to the low sound speed of the tissue. Sound bends towards regions of minimum sound speed, and fats are known to have lower sound speeds than other soft tissues. In an aquatic habitat where the air-filled ear canal is no longer effective, we propose that both odontocete and mysticete cetaceans have incorporated fatty tissues into their auditory systems for underwater sound reception.