Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Discrimination of age, sex, and individual identity using the upcall of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

According to the source-filter theory proposed for human speech, physical attributes of the mammalian vocal production mechanism combine independently to result in individually distinctive vocalizations. In the case of stereotyped calls with all individuals producing a similar frequency contour, formants resulting from the shape and size of the vocal tract may be more likely to contain individually distinctive information than the fundamental frequency resulting from the vibrating source. However, the formant structure resulting from such filtering has been historically undervalued in the majority of studies addressing individual distinctiveness in nonhuman species. The upcall of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is characterized as a stereotyped contact call, and visual inspection of upcall spectrograms confirms presence of a robust formant structure. Here I present results testing age, sex, and individual distinctiveness of upcalls recorded from archival, suction cup mounted tags (Dtags). Multiple measurements were made using the fundamental frequency contour, formant structure, and amplitude of the upcalls. These three variable groupings were then tested alone and in combination with other groupings to assign upcalls to age classes based on reproductive maturity, age classes based on size, sex, and individual whales. To compare multiple classification methods, I used both discriminant function analysis and a classification and regression tree to classify calls to appropriate groups. In all analyses, the percentage of calls correctly assigned to the correct group—age, sex, individual—was significantly higher than chance levels. These results represent the first quantitative analysis of individual distinctiveness in mysticete whales and provide a baseline for further development of acoustic detection techniques that could be used to noninvasively track movements of whales across multiple habitats. Discrimination of age, sex, and individual identity using the upcall of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) By Jessica Annalisa Maverique McCordic B.A. College of the Atlantic, 2012 THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Biology Syracuse University May 2015 Copyright © Jessica Annalisa Maverique McCordic 2015 All rights reserved
Metastasising osteosarcoma in an eastern white pelican (Pelecanus onocrolatus)

A 15-month old captive born Eastern white pelican ( Pelecanus onocrolatus ) with an abnormal gait had a firm swelling of the right stifle that was unresponsive to conservative treatment with NSAIDs. Radiography of the leg showed disruption of the osseous detail of the distal femur and proximal tibiotarsus with a marked periosteal reaction, marked soft tissue swelling surrounding the right stifle and mottled increased radiodensity of these soft tissues. Despite medical treatment, the immobility of the leg progressed, inappetence set in and the bird was euthanased. On post-mortem examination there was a large ossified mass at the right stifle and additional well circumscribed masses were evident in the leg and wing musculature, pectoral muscles and myocardium. Further masses were present in the liver and in one kidney. Histological examination identified the stifle mass as an osteosarcoma. The various masses found in the musculature, liver and kidney were constructed of similar cells and considered metastases. The predilection of the metastases for muscular tissue, including the myocardium, is unusual and has not previously been described in birds.
Pengaruh Kejut Salinitas Terhadap Pemijahan Tiram (Crassostrea cucullata Born)

Teknik rangsang pemijahan tiram ( Crassostrea cucullata Born) di lingkungan buatan merupakan aspek penting dalam pengembangan teknologi pembenihan tiram. Oleh karena itu, telah dilaksanakan penelitian tentang rangsang pemijahan tiram dengan menggunakan kejut salinitas mulai dari bulan Agustus sampai Oktober 2010. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh kejut salinitas terhadap pemijahan tiram. Rancangan acak lengkap diterapkan pada penelitian ini dengan empat perlakuan yaitu peningkatan salinitas secara mendadak 2‰dan 4‰ dari salinitas awal (30‰) dan penurunan salinitas secara mendadak 2‰ dan 4‰dari salinitas awal (30‰), dan tiga ulangan. Tiram yang digunakan sebagai hewan uji dikoleksi dari perairan Desa Oebelo, Kabupaten Kupang. Hasil uji nonparametrik Kruskal Wallis menunjukkan bahwa perlakuan kejut salinitas berpengaruh nyata (P<0,05) terhadap pemijahan tiram. Perlakuan kejut salinitas dengan penurunan salinitas secara mendadak memberikan respon pemijahan tiram yang lebih tinggi bila dibandingkan perlakuan kejut salinitas dengan peningkatan salinitas secara mendadak. Pemijahan tiram tertinggi terjadi pada perlakuan kejut salinitas dengan penurunan salinitas secara mendadak 4‰dari salinitas awal (30‰). Kata kunci: Kejut salinitas, pemijahan buatan, tiram, Crassostrea cucullata The technique of oysters ( Crassostrea cucullata Born) spawning stimulation in artificial environment was important aspect on development of its hatchery technology. Consequently, research about spawning stimulation of oysters using shock of salinity has been conducted from August to October 2010. The aim of this research was to find out the effect of salinity shock on oysters spawning. Randomized design was applied in this research with four treatments, i.e. sudden increase of salinity 2‰ and 4‰ from initial salinity (30‰) and sudden decrease of salinity 2‰ and 4‰ from initial salinity (30‰), with three replications. Oysters used in this experiment were collected from intertidal of Oebelo Village, Kupang regency. Result of Kruskal Wallis test showed that salinity shock was significantly affected (P<0.05) on oysters spawning. The treatment of salinity shock with sudden decrease in salinity was trigger spawning oyster higher than the treatment of salinity shock with decrease of salinity suddenly. The highest number of oysters spawning occurred at shock of salinity treatment with decrease of salinity suddenly 4‰ from initial salinity (30‰). Keywords : Salinity Shock, spawning, oyster
The Effect of Microtubule Stabilising Drugs on Immune-Mediated Excytosis

The microtubule network is involved in cellular processes including protein transport and cell division. Microtubule stabilising drugs (MSD) bind to microtubules and alter their dynamic balance in favour of the polymerised state. While primarily known for their anti-mitotic properties, MSD also exert immunomodulatory effects in vitro and in vivo. It is the aim of this project to investigate the effects of MSD on protein trafficking and secretion to determine how they affect immune-mediated exocytosis. Previous work in our lab demonstrated that macrophage responses to bacterial lipopolysaccharide, as measured by the production of TNF-a and nitric oxide, are inhibited by both paclitaxel and peloruside. In this thesis we continued this work and saw that inhibition was not affected by temporal IFN-y priming and found that altered production kinetics were not sufficient to explain the inhibition. To kill target cells cytotoxic T cells (CTL) reorganise their cytoskeleton so that lytic granules can traffic down microtubules to be delivered to the target. Using an in vitro model of CTL killing, we saw that MSD did not inhibit killing by CTL, lytic granule delivery to the cell surface, or antigen-stimulated Interferon-y (IFN-y) production by CTL. In contrast to this, in a murine model of antigen-induced killing we saw that a single dose of paclitaxel had a significant inhibitory effect on CTL-mediated cytolysis in vivo. Together these studies suggest that MSD have multiple immunomodulatory effects that are independent of their anti-proliferative effects. The data suggest that patients undergoing taxane therapy may be unable to fight infection long before the anti-mitotic effects of MSD are apparent.
Using the National Student Data Clearinghouse to Learn More About the Educational Journey of Students

The National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) has available for research a large data warehouse of enrollment and graduation information from 1993 to the present for nearly all postsecondary students in the United States. In this most recent academic year, 18 million currently enrolled students alone were added to the database. Some of the following research questions were answered by administrators at the Brigham Young University (BYU) Salt Lake Center using this data warehouse: How many of the students actually graduated? How many institutions did they attend before they graduated? How long did it take for them to graduate? This information in the hands of a distance and continuing educator can help inform strategic planning, marketing, and retention efforts for their institutions.
Kualitas Fisik Daging Ayam Broiler Yang Diberi Pakan Berbasis Jagung dan Kedelai Dengan Suplementasi Tepung Purslane (Portulaca Oleracea)

Penelitian bertujuan menganalisis kualitas fisik daging ayam broiler yang diberi pakan berbasis jagung dan kedelai dengan suplementasi tepung purslane. Penelitian dilaksanakan di kandang peternakan Dusun Jatisari Desa Jatikuwung Kecamatan Gondangrejo Kabupaten Karanganyar. Pengujian kualitas fisik daging dilaksanakan di Laboratorium Industri dan Pengolahan Hasil Ternak, Program Studi Peternakan, Fakultas Pertanian, Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, dan Laboratorium Ilmu dan Teknologi Daging Fakultas Peternakan Universitas Gajah Mada Yogyakarta. Seratus lima puluh ekor DOC ayam broiler dibagi secara acak ke dalam 5 perlakuan dengan menggunakan 6 ulangan dan setiap ulangan terdiri 5 ekor. Pakan perlakuan menggunakan pakan basal berbasis jagung dan kedelai yang mendapat suplementasi tepung purslane dengan level 0% (R0), 1,5% (R1), 3% (R2), 4,5% (R3) dan 6% (R4) dari total pakan yang diberikan. Pakan dan air minum diberikan secara ad libitum. Pengambilan sampel daging dilakukan pada hari ke 35 untuk dianalisis kualitas fisik meliputi nilai pH, susut masak, WHC dan keempukan. Data dianalisis menggunakan analysis of variance (ANOVA) dan pengujian dilanjutkan dengan uji Tukey apabila terdapat pengaruh perlakuan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa suplementasi tepung purslane pada pakan ayam broiler tidak berpengaruh (P>0,05) terhadap nilai pH, susut masak, WHC dan keempukan. Penambahan tepung purslane pada pakan sampai level 6% tidak memberikan efek negatif terhadap kualitas fisik daging ayam broiler. Kata kunci: ayam broiler, tepung purslane, kualitas fisik daging
A novel fluorescent receptor assay: Based upon receptors embedded in labeled liposomes

Receptor proteins play an essential role in life. All organisms, from bacteria to plants, animals and human beings use receptors for their response to (external) signals. By definition, a receptor is a (macro) molecule which is able to recognize a distinct chemical entity (e.g. a hormone or neurotransmitter) amongst many others, and which transduces the information contained within that entity to the cell, resulting eventually in a response such as activation of an enzyme, alteration of membrane permeability etc. This thesis describes the development of a novel fluorescent receptor assay for benzodiazepines. Instead of using a fluorescent-labeled ligand, the receptors were incorportated into fluorescent liposomes. To accomplish this, the receptor was solubilized from calf brain membranes and reconstitued in liposomes made of crude soybean lipids and fluorescent lipids. Zie: Summary
Evaluating and mitigating bandwidth bottlenecks across the memory hierarchy in GPUs

GPUs are often limited by off-chip memory bandwidth. With the advent of general-purpose computing on GPUs, a cache hierarchy has been introduced to filter the bandwidth demand to the off-chip memory. However, the cache hierarchy presents its own bandwidth limitations in sustaining such high levels of memory traffic. In this paper, we characterize the bandwidth bottlenecks present across the memory hierarchy in GPUs for generalpurpose applications. We quantify the stalls throughout the memory hierarchy and identify the architectural parameters that play a pivotal role in leading to a congested memory system. We explore the architectural design space to mitigate the bandwidth bottlenecks and show that performance improvement achieved by mitigating the bandwidth bottleneck in the cache hierarchy can exceed the speedup obtained by a memory system with a baseline cache hierarchy and High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) DRAM. We also show that addressing the bandwidth bottleneck in isolation at specific levels can be sub-optimal and can even be counter-productive. Therefore, we show that it is imperative to resolve the bandwidth bottlenecks synergistically across different levels of the memory hierarchy. With the insights developed in this paper, we perform a cost-benefit analysis and identify costeffective configurations of the memory hierarchy that effectively mitigate the bandwidth bottlenecks. We show that our final configuration achieves a performance improvement of 29% on average with a minimal area overhead of 1.6%.
Red wines countering the metabolic syndrome

Aim is to evaluate effectiveness of red wines as a part of medical rehabilitation in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). Material and Methods ― Analysis of effectiveness of table dry red wine “Cabernet” (DW) and liquor red wine “Cahors” (LW) as parts of the spa resort treatment, was carried out in group of 119 patients with CHD (36 patients with MS). Results ― In patients without MS in main group (with wine consumption) the domain dynamics demonstrate more beneficial changes in comparison with control group. In patients with MS in main group (with wine consumption) the domain dynamics demonstrate no more beneficial changes in comparison with control group. Conclusion ― The moderate consumption of red wines can be recommended to patients with coronary heart disease rather as a preventive measure to developing metabolic syndrome.
Metabolism and cryo-sensitivity of domestic cat (Felis catus) and cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) spermatozoa

Teratospermia (ejaculation of ≥ 60% structurally abnormal spermatozoa) is prevalent among felids facing extinction risk, including the cheetah. This trait also occurs in certain domestic cat populations, providing a valuable research model. Multiple components of sperm function are disrupted in teratospermic cats, and even structurally normal spermatozoa from these ejaculates may be functionally compromised. Teratospermic ejaculates are highly sensitive to damage during cryopreservation, …
The control of carbon acquisition by roots

We review four hypotheses for the control of carbon acquisition by roots, and conclude that the functional equilibrium hypothesis can offer a good description of C acquisition by roots relative to shoots, but is deficient mechanistically. The hypothesis that import into roots is solely dependent on export from the shoot, itself determined by features of the shoot alone (the ‘push’ hypothesis), is supported by some but not all the evidence. Similarly, the idea that root demand, a function of the root alone, determines import into it (the ‘pull’ hypothesis), is consonant with some of the evidence. The fourth, general, hypothesis (the ‘shared control’ hypothesis) – that acquisition of C by roots is controlled by a range of variables distributed between root and shoot – accords with both experiment and theory. Top-down metabolic control analysis quantifies the control of C flux attributable to root relative to source leaf. We demonstrate that two levels of mechanistic control, short-term regulation of phloem transport and control of gene expression by compounds such as sugars, underlie distributed control. Implications for the impact of climate change variables are briefly discussed.
Dietary Vitamin A, E, and C Needs of Pigs Experiencing a Low or High Level of Antigen Exposure

and Implications The impact of dietary vitamin A, E, and C concentration on rate and efficiency of body weight gain and serum vitamin E (a-tocopherol) concentration was determined in pigs experiencing a low or high level of antigen exposure (AE). Pigs were reared via two management schemes that resulted in either a low or high level of AE. Dams of the pigs received a corn and soybean meal diet devoid of supplemental vitamins A, E, and C from day 60 of pregnancy through lactation. Postweaning, pigs were individually penned and self-fed a basal diet containing 25% of the estimated requirement (1) for 11Ð22 lb pigs for vitamins A and E, and 3.64 mg of vitamin C per pound of diet. At 21±2.6 lb body weight, pigs within a litter were randomly allotted to the basal diet supplemented with vitamins A, E, and C equivalent to 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400% of NRC (2 mg of C added per 1 IU of E). Low AE pigs had lower serum alpha-1 acid glycoprotein concentrations (466 vs 726 mg/mL) indicating they experienced a lower level of AE. Low AE pigs also gained body weight faster (1.39 vs 1.27 lb/day) and required less feed per unit of gain (1.37 vs 1.45) than high AE pigs fed from 21 to 55 lb body weight. As dietary concentrations of A, E, and C increased, daily gains increased quadratically, but the magnitude of response was greater for the high AE pigs. Serum vitamin E concentrations increased with increasing dietary concentrations of vitamins A, E, and C in low AE pigs but remained constant in high AE pigs. Based on these data, dietary needs for one or more of vitamins A, E, and C are greater in pigs experiencing a high versus low level of chronic antigen exposure. Furthermore, the needs of high-antigen-exposed pigs are greater than current estimated requirements (1).
Artenliste der Zikaden Deutschlands, mit Angaben zu Nährpflanzen, Lebenszyklen und Verbreitung (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha et Cicadomorpha)

Abstract: Check list of the planthoppers and leafhoppers of Germany, with notes on food plants, life cycle and distribution (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha et Cicadomorpha). – An annotated check list of the planthoppers and leafhoppers of Germany is presented, with specifications of food plants, overwintering stage, annual generation numbers and overall distribution. The list includes 620 species, comprising 145 planthoppers and 475 leafhoppers. Five taxa, which were commonly considered as separate species were treated as morphs or varieties of other species. On the other hand, in a number of cases there is evidence that a taxon hitherto regarded as a single species may comprise at least two species. Two names were declared as new synonyms. Five species probably breed only irregularly, and at least four are neozoa originating form North America, Asia or the Mediterranean region. Key words: Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoromorpha, Cicadomorpha, check list, Germany, host plants, phytophagous insects, diet width, life cycle, geographic range, Red Data
Hatchery Reform in Washington State

Abstract Hatcheries support nearly all major fisheries for Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) and steel-head (anadromous O. mykiss) in the Pacific Northwest. However, hatcheries have been a major source of controversy for over 30 years. The Hatchery Scientific Review Group (HSRG) was tasked by Congress to identify solutions to well-known problems so hatcheries could better meet their goals of supporting sustainable fisheries and assisting with the conservation of natural populations. We reviewed over 100 facilities and 200 programs and identified three principles of hatchery reform: (1) goals for each program must be explicitly stated in terms of desired benefits and purposes; (2) programs must be scientifically defensible; and (3) hatchery programs must respond adaptively to new information. We also identified several emerging issues critical to the success of hatcheries. We concluded that hatcheries must operate in new modes with increased scientific oversight and that they cannot meet their goals witho.
An investigation into the death of native Virgilia trees in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) of South Africa is well-recognised for exceptionally high plant species diversity and endemism. However, little attention has been bestowed on the pests and pathogens in this region, even though these may greatly influence plant distribution and evolution. In this study we identify various arthropods and fungi as pests and diseasecausing organisms of the ecologically and economically important CFR-endemic tree taxa of Virgilia. We isolated, identified and determined the pathogenicity of key fungal taxa from diseased Virgilia trees throughout the CFR. In addition we evaluated the role of possible pest arthropod taxa, including bark beetles, phoretic mites, larvae of a cerambycid beetle and larvae of the endemic Leto venus (ghost moth), in the death of Virgilia trees. Key fungal taxa were identified by comparisons of the internal transcribed spacer rDNA regions of the isolated taxa with those available on GenBank. Pathogenicity of the most commonly encountered fungal taxa was determined both in the field and under greenhouse conditions. Five different disease symptoms were observed on Virgilia trees throughout the CFR. At Table Mountain, Virgilia oroboides subsp. oroboides showed symptoms of: (1) several small cankers on stems, seemingly caused by a Fusarium acuminatum-like fungus, (2) a root rot disease caused by Armillaria mellea and (3) small bracket fungi on stems associated with Schizophyllum commune. Virgilia oroboides from the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden was diagnosed with a root disease consistently associated with an un-described Phomopsis species. Virgilia oroboides subsp. ferruginea and V. divaricata from Knysna and the Tsitsikamma area often showed symptoms of rapid wilting and death. The Virgilia stems were damaged by the tunnelling larvae of the ghost moth and those of an unidentified cerambycid beetle. Galleries and the surrounding wood tissues often housed the ophiostomatoid fungi Ceratocystis tsitsikammensis and Ophiostoma plurianulatum. These seem to originate from nitidulid beetles found feeding on gum exudate. Pathogenicity trials confirmed the virulence of the undescribed Phomopsis species, the F. acuminatum-like fungus, S. commune and C. tsitsikammensis to Virgilia. All four morpho-species of bark beetles found in this study, together with phoretic mites on two of the beetle morphospecies, were only collected from dead and dying Virgilia hosts and were classified as secondary pests. Both beetle taxa and mites commonly carried spores of various Geosmithia spp. These are not pathogenic to Virgilia trees, but may be an important food source for the bark beetles, as it dominated the fungal community in galleries. The phoretic mites were unable to feed on their Geosmithia associates, but have been observed to feed on dead bark beetle larvae within galleries. This suggests that the relationship of bark beetles, mites and their associated Geosmithia species in this system is complex and in need of further study. …