Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sperm Economy in a Coral Reef Fish, Thalassoma Bifasciatum

In many coral reef fishes, males face the evolutionary problems of how to allocate sperm among frequent, daily mating in order to maximize the number of eggs they fertilize. A method is developed and tested for collecting and counting the number of sperm and eggs released during separate spawns of the coral reef fish Thalassoma bifasciatum. The method was used to examine the pattern of sperm allocation for pair— and group—spawning males. The number of sperm released by pair—spawning males varied positively with the number of eggs released by their female mates and with female body size. The data suggest that males economize on sperm release by providing the minimum amount of sperm needed to fertilize the egg clutch of the female partner. Fertilization efficiency (the number of eggs fertilized by a given number of sperm) was higher with large females than it was with small females. Males differed significantly among themselves in sperm output per spawn, with some males consistently releasing more sperm than other males with same—sized females. Male—male differences were not due to differences in male body size, quality of the spawning site, or the apparent degree of water movement. The number of sperm released per spawn did not decline throughout the daily spawning period, a pattern that disproved one but not all possible patterns of sperm depletion. In group spawns, the total number of sperm released and the number released per male were respectively 50 and 6 times the number released in pair spawns, on average. Both of these measures increased significantly with the clutch size of the spawning female. Overall, sperm production is probably sufficiently costly that males have been selected to allocate sperm carefully among their frequent daily spawns.
Higher Order Interactions in Ecological Communities: What Are They and How Can They be Detected?

The detection and significance of higher order interactions (HOIs) between species has been a matter of debate and experimentation in community ecology for several decades. HOIs are considered potentially significant because their presence is assumed to mean that the dynamic behavior of a full community of species is unpredictable based on observations of interactions between subsets of the species within the community. Despite such attention, the causal mechanisms that produce HOIs have been inadequately discussed. We discuss three different usages of the term HOIs and provide insight as to why HOIs might be found within a given community. HOIs may be detected for three reasons: inappropriate assumptions made concerning species interactions that influence statistical tests, unmeasured parameters and variables, and interaction modifications (i.e., a functional change in the interaction of two species caused by a third species. This confusion concerning the defining attributes of HOIs has made their detection problematic. While the statistical tests being used in the ecological experiments to detect HOIs are described in detail in most papers, the dynamic models underlying these tests are often not made explicit. Additionally, we demonstrate the equivalency of three different statistical tests: the Case and Bender (1981) test, analysis of variance, and a multiplicative test (Wootton 1994). However, the choice of a response variable (i.e., population densities, population growth rates, per—capita growth rates, etc.) and different data transformations applied to these response variables alter the underlying dynamics model that is being tested. The result is that the statistical test applied does not always perform the intended comparison but instead tests a different and sometimes unjustified or even inappropriate dynamic model. Finally, we review the relationship between indirect effects and HOIs. Whereas some researchers have lumped HOIs and indirect effects, we argue that the two represent completely unique and separate phenomena. Additionally, indirect effects can complicate detection of HOIs, and we review several methods by which to separate the two processes.
Adaptabilidade e estabilidade de acessos de uma coleção nuclear de arroz

The objective of this work was to determine the productive potential and the genotype by environment interaction of 550 accessions of the Embrapa's Rice Core Collection. The performance, and yield adaptability and stability of each genotype was evaluated using the additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) approach, in nine field experiments, carried out in six Brazilian states, under dry and irrigated conditions, during three years. The linear mixed model analysis was performed, and the estimates of the variance components were obtained by the residual maximum likelihood (REML), using the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) procedure for the prediction of the genotypic values of random effects (EBLUP) associated with each accession. The group of accessions with better performance was the one of lines and cultivars from Brazil (LCB), as expected. However, traditional varieties (VT) were identified among the best yielding genotypes, which shows the potential of this germplasm group to contribute as a new source of genetic variability to breeding programs. Superior accessions were identified for their stability, adaptability and grain yield, among which CA880078, CA840182 and CNA00091 stand out.
Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome: New Insights in Diagnosis and Management

Ab s t r Ac t Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is a syndrome characterized by a constellation of obesity [body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2], daytime hypercapnia (arterial carbon dioxide tension ≥ 45 mm Hg), and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), provided other conditions leading to alveolar hypoventilation have been objectively ruled out. Delayed diagnosis can precipitate significant cardiorespiratory morbidity in the form of pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and coronary disease. Sleep fragmentation, oxidative stress, and obesity-related deconditioning are the predominant mechanisms of the clinical predicament and the poor quality of life. The diagnosis requires a due awareness about its presence and a prone index of suspicion in the suitable clinical context. The diagnosis is conclusively established on basis of a sleep study and arterial blood gases (ABGs). Management requires a holistic approach focusing on weight reduction, lifestyle modification, treatment of comorbidities, and control of the SDB by means of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or noninvasive ventilation (NIV) and pulmonary rehabilitation. Opportune therapy facilitates an optimistic prognosis and improves the quality of life.
Diversity and Abundance of Outdoor Mosquitoes and Their Relationship to Rainfall Index in Binong Village, Tangerang District

Mosquitoes are distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate regions. The abundance of mosquitoes, provides a significant level of risk in transmitting pathogens and nuisance to humans. The aims of this study were (1) to measure the abundance and dominance of outdoor mosquitoes during daytime and (2) analyse the correlation of mosquito density and rainfall index. This research was conducted in Binong village for six months, since January to June 2018. Human Landing Collection (HLC) method was used from 6:00 AM to 06:00 PM outside the house, by five collectors, once in every two weeks. The results of the study showed there were four species of outdoor mosquitoes during the day such as Aedes albopictus which has the highest abundance, followed by Armigeres subalbatus, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus . The highest abundance of Ae. albopictus occurred in May (80.53%), Ar. subalbatus in January (21.28%), Ae. aegypti in June (16.30%) and Cx quinquefasciatus in March (2.65%). The correlations between rainfall index and density of Ae. albopictus (r = 0.195 and p = 0.712), Ar. subalbatus (r = 0.025 and p = 0.963), and Ae. aegypti (r = 0.181 and p = 0.731) were not significant. Only Cx. quinquefasciatus showed a significant correlation with rainfall index (r = 0.894 and p = 0.016). Cx. quinquefasciatus was found at several sites because of the existence of ditches which served as breeding place of Cx. quinquefasciatus . The ditches were also easily stagnated when it rains. Meanwhile, the breeding place of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti were hidden and the eggs were dry resistant.
The appropriateness of prenuclear accent types – Evidence for information structural effects

In this study, two perception experiments on German were carried out to investigate whether informativeness (comprising information status and focus) affects listeners’ appropriateness judgments of accent types in prenuclear position and whether these effects depend on the mode of context presentation (listening vs. reading). Five different prenuclear f0 contours were tested for each target sentence by combining them with four contexts varying the informativeness of the sentence-initial target word. As expected, the results mirror the findings of an earlier production study on prenuclear accents: In general, there is a preference for rising accent types in prenuclear position but we also find subtle effects of informativeness. Listeners clearly prefer deaccentuation and low accents on given referents, whereas rising accents are favored for referents in a contrastive context. Contrary to our expectations, high accents were judged as least appropriate, even in contexts where the referent was newly introduced. Importantly, the effects of informativeness are independent of the mode of context presentation, i.e. silent reading did not significantly alter the appropriateness judgments of accent types. These findings once more challenge the view of prenuclear accents as being merely ‘ornamental’ and rather suggest that they are sensitive to changes in information structure.
Surface accumulation in Northern Central Greenland during the last 300 years

Abstract The internal stratigraphy of snow and ice as imaged by ground-penetrating radar may serve as a source of information on past accumulation. This study presents results from two ground-based radar surveys conducted in Greenland in 2007 and 2015, respectively. The first survey was conducted during the traverse from the ice-core station NGRIP (North Greenland Ice Core Project) to the ice-core station NEEM (North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling). The second survey was carried out during the traverse from NEEM to the ice-core station EGRIP (East Greenland Ice Core Project) and then onwards to Summit Station. The total length of the radar profiles is 1427 km. From the radar data, we retrieve the large-scale spatial variation of the accumulation rates in the interior of the ice sheet. The accumulation rates range from 0.11 to 0.26 m a−1 ice equivalent with the lowest values found in the northeastern sector towards EGRIP. We find no evidence of temporal or spatial changes in accumulation rates when comparing the 150-year average accumulation rates with the 321-year average accumulation rates. Comparisons with regional climate models reveal that the models underestimate accumulation rates by up to 35% in northeastern Greenland. Our results serve as a robust baseline to detect present changes in either surface accumulation rates or patterns.
Boosting Up Operational Performance of Manufacturing Organizations through Interpretive Structural Modelling of Enabling Practices

For achieving world-class performance and competitiveness in today’s global highly complex environment and competition, there is an immense pressure on manufacturing organizations having limited resources to pursue operational excellence in terms of productivity and quality, reduce cost, and provide high-quality products in shorter lead times. Identification of representative practices affecting operational performance (OP) and understanding of mutual dependence among those practices will improve the performance of manufacturing organizations with available resources. A sample of 10 experts of academicians and senior company managers from different functional areas of large-scale textile, sugar, and cement industries were surveyed to identify critical practices influencing OP and then to develop the relationships among them. It also identifies those practices that support other practices (driving practices) and also those that are most influenced by other practices (dependent practices). Firstly, through in-depth review of relevant literature, 10 most influencing practices were identified. Then expert elicitation was employed, and a hierarchical structure was established by using interpretive structural modelling (ISM) technique. After determining driving and dependence power of practices, classification or clusters of these practices were made through an additionally carried out MICMAC (cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification) analysis. The results contribute that lean management, organizational culture, ISO 9001 (quality management system), and human resource management practices indicate strong driving power and are at the bottom of ISM model. This is a novel and useful application of ISM to identify inherent interactions among these practices and construct a structural graph. With the help of this strategic understanding, researchers and practitioners will be able to identify the focal areas and to pay more attention to driver practices to effectively incorporate them at their strategic and operational levels and the effectiveness in addressing these driver practices will influence the OP to a large extent.
Mechanical properties of class C and F fly ash geopolymer mortars

Mechanical properties of geopolymer mortar made with class F fly ash and class C fly ash are evaluated and compared in this paper. Fly ashes were activated with a combined NaOH and Na2SiO3 alkali solution, and their strength development was observed during one year. It was observed that compressive strength values were between 10.22 and 15.83 MPa for geopolymer mortar mixtures made with class C fly ash. The values of up to 56.44 MPa were obtained for geopolymer made with class F fly ash.
Factors Affecting Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study

BackgroundIt seems that violence is a critical issue that requires further research in order to offer new effective solutions in tune with the needs and context of the societies. The current study aimed to explore the influential factors for the incidence of domestic violence.MethodsThe current research is a qualitative study conducted using content analysis. Study population included all patients admitted in the hospital to receive healthcare services. The sampling was conducted by interviewing with 50% of the hospitalized patients to assess their primary status, followed by selecting those who were found to be faced with violence. At this stage, 40 patients hospitalized as a result of domestic violence were included. Semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions were used to collect data.ResultsThe interviews revealed that poverty; addiction, underlying psychological disorders, delinquency, infertility of victim, family and cultural differences, inability to create emotional relationships, low educational level, low monthly income, high-risk sexual relationships, and ignoring moral codes are among the causes of domestic violence.ConclusionIt is obvious that the exact number of victims is hard to be estimated. It seems that lack of the legal, social, cultural, and economic supports results in persistence of violence creator factors at both family and society levels. It seems that performing legal solutions, strengthening social services, and paying more attention to violence creators are necessary when considering domestic violence.
A comparison of two large‐scale seed priming techniques

Summary Leek seed lots of high (91%) and low (82%) viability were primed in aerated polyethylene glycol (PEG) solutions in Bubble-columns and by a non-osmotic priming technique in both 1987 and 1988 and the seeds were then sown in the field. Both methods of priming established a similar seed moisture content during treatment and, in the laboratory, produced seeds with more rapid and uniform germination than untreated seeds, with a greater advantage for Drum compared with Bubble-column priming in PEG. In the field, both priming techniques gave seedling emergence responses similar to those from priming in PEG by the laboratory-scale technique on filter paper. Both large-scale priming methods gave earlier and more uniform emergence than untreated seeds and gave similar or slightly higher levels of seedling emergence, except on one sowing occasion when seeds were stored before sowing followed by sowing into a drying seedbed.
Altered Estrogen Receptor α and β Messenger RNA Expression during Human Breast Tumorigenesis

Using a multiplex reverse transcription-PCR assay, we compared the relative expression of estrogen receptor (ER) a and ER-AŸiiiKN A between adjacent samples of normal breast tissue and matched primary breast tumors obtained from 18 different patients. Within this cohort, 7 tumors were ER negative, and 11 tumors were ER positive, as determined by the ligand binding assay. No differences in the ratio of ER-a:ER-AŸ expression were observed in the ER-negative cohort. However, in the ER-positive cohort, a significantly (P < 0.02) higher ER-o:ER-AŸ ratio was observed in the tumor compared with that of the normal tissue component. Our data revealed that the increase in the ER-a:ER-AŸ ratio was due primarily to a significant (/" < 0.05) increase in ER-a mRNA expression in conjunction with a lower ER-AŸmRNA expression in the tumor compared with that of the normal compartment in some, but not all, ER-positive cases. These results suggest that the role of ER-a- and ER-AŸ-driven pathways and/or their interaction change during breast tumorigenesis.
Postpollination Phenomena in Orchid Flowers. IX. Induction and Inhibition of Ethylene Evolution, Anthocyanin Synthesis, and Perianth Senescence

Auxin (naphthaleneacetic acid [NAA]) application to Cymbidium stigmas (25 μg/flower) induced high rates of ethylene evolution by the flowers within 18 h of the treatment Actinomycin D reduced the rate of ethylene evolution if applied with the auxin or 2 h after it Cycloheximide reduced ethylene production regardless of time of application Puromycin had an inhibitory effect if applied 1 or 2 h after the auxin Ethionine, if applied with the auxin or 1 or 3 h after it, induced more rapid ethylene production and higher evolution rates than NAA alone Applications of ethionine 2 h after the auxin reduced the levels of ethylene evolution but not the rates or induction time Anthocyanin levels decreased when each inhibitor was applied together with the auxin Actinomycin D, cycloheximide, or puromycin, given 1 h after auxin application, did not reduce anthocyanin levels, whereas ethionine did These results indicate that (1) initial synthesis of anthocyanins may depend primarily on preexisting RNA and proteins, (2) subsequent production requires de novo RNA and protein synthesis, and (3) ethionine may be a specific inhibitor of anthocyanin production Of the additional postpollination phenomena exhibited by Cymbidium flowers, some are sensitive to RNA and protein synthesis inhibitors, and others are not
Beak-Mark Frequency as an Index of Seasonal Predation Intensity on Common Butterflies

Multiple-brooded insects of temperate latitudes are exposed in successive generations to a variety of physical and biotic environments and their resultant selective regimes. Their life spans are short relative to the time scale of environmental change. Many such species, including virtually all multivoltine Pierid butterflies, have evolved seasonal polyphenisms under environmental (usually photoperiodic) control. The cool-season phenotypes show increased melanization of the ventral hindwing surface, a characteristic believed to function in thermoregulation (Clench 1966; Shapiro 1968, 1973; Watt 1968, 1969). Color and pattern in butterflies, however, are subject to a variety of potential selection pressures in addition to thermoregulation. Their importance in relationships with predators is proverbial, exemplified by such phenomena as cryptic and aposematic coloration and Batesian and Miillerian mimicry. Birds are believed to be among the principal predators of adult butterflies. As the activities of birds are very seasonal, the intensity of bird predation might then be expected to vary seasonally and to be reflected in the phenotypes of the butterflies. Direct observations of bird attacks on butterflies are rare (cf. Scudder 1889, p. 1612; Fryer 1913; Dover 1920; Knowlton 1953; Olson 1962). This fact in itself provides little information as to the intensity of such predation. Many-perhaps the great majority-bird attacks occur on butterflies at rest in vegetation, where they are inconspicuous if not invisible to an observer not specifically looking for them. Kettlewell (1961, 1965) demonstrated the high frequency of bird attacks on nocturnal moths at rest by day, and the role of this hitherto unreported predation in the selection of industrial melanics. "Beak-marks" and certain types of major wing damage have long been taken as evidence of bird attacks on butterflies (Carpenter 1937, 1941a; Benson 1972). Carpenter (1941b) even attempted quantitative comparisons of beak-mark frequency on different species as an index of relative palatability. A beak-mark butterfly represents an unsuccessful attack; a high frequency of such specimens could reflect either a high predation rate or a low degree of palatability, and must be interpreted with caution. The interpretation of beak marks is discussed further below. Despite its pitfalls, beak-mark scoring is the only method (other than direct observation) currently available for estimating the frequency of predator-prey contacts in most butterfly populations. During the 1972 season, large random samples of four common multivoltine butterflies were collected weekly in the central Sacramento Valley,
Massive polymorphism and natural selection in Donacilla cornea (Poli, 1791) (Bivalvia: Mesodesmatidae)

We describe a massive polymorphism for shell colour and pattern in Donacilla cornea, a shallow-burrowing bivalve which inhabits the mid-littoral of sandy and stony beaches in southern and western Europe. Of the four sites studied, the one where the substrate was a mixture of small stones and sand contained the highest densities of Donacilla. At this site the densities of stones and animals and the frequencies of shell and stone colour phenotypes are both highly correlated. Although the four populations sampled comprise a similar range of phenotypes, the frequencies of most morphs and population diversity indices differ significantly between sites. At two sites the similar range of colour and pattern variation between shells and substrate suggests selection for crypsis and masquerade. On the other hand, at two other sites, one or two common phenotypes (and a number of rare ones at all sites) fail to mimic any aspect of the background. We therefore suggest that if frequency-dependent selection by predators is responsible for the maintenance of polymorphism in Donacilla, then the mechanisms involved include crypsis and masquerade in some cases and selective advantages from being different in others.