Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Condition-dependent behaviour among damselfly populations

Body condition is predicted to influence behaviours such as activity, which in turn affects energy gain and survival. In this study we investigated (i) whether populations of the damselfly Lestes sponsa (Hansemann, 1823) differ in body condition and activity among lakes, and (ii) which body condition factors affect behaviour. We estimated last instar larval behaviour (measured as activity), body condition (measured as size, body mass, muscle mass, fat content, and time to emergence), and fish presence/absence in eight lakes. Body condition of larvae differed among lakes but the presence/absence of fish in lakes had no effect on body condition. Activity did not differ among lakes and was not affected by the presence/absence of fish in lakes. Activity was negatively related to size, body mass, muscle mass, and fat content, and positively related with time to emergence, suggesting that final-instar larvae in good condition are favouring development over growth to emerge earlier. This study highlights the imp.
An Investigation of Drought Avoidance in Intertidal Fucoid Algae

The possibility that fucoid algae inhabiting the upper shore might possess physiological or morphological mechanisms for avoiding drought, was investigated experimentally. The four species chiefly investigated characteristically occupy different levels on the shore withPelvetia canaliculata (L.) Dene, et Thur. the highest, followed by Fucus spiralis L. , Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) Le Jol. and finally Fucus serratus L. Under controlled conditions dehydration proceeded as a roughly logarithmic function with time in all species. Pelvetia lost water at a slightly higher flux than the Fucus species, but this did not reflect a difference in epidermal resistance to water loss, for rates of water loss from surfaces composed either of Pelvetia or of F. spiralis plants were identical and about 84% as fast as that from a free water surface of the same area. When dried at water potentials between 395 and 150 barsF. spiralis retained significantly more water per 100 g dry matter than either Pelvetia or F. serratus, but in drier conditions, all three species retained similar amounts. There was a close correlation between percentage dry matter of the thallus and the amount of bound water retained. Pelvetia consistently had the highest dry matter content, and also the most bound water, but it did not have the greatest hygroscopic capacity at any of the water potentials tested. The five intertidal species investigated had very similar hygroscopic capacities, but two species inhabiting the lowest levels on the shore had lower capacities. Many terrestrial plants avoid drought by adopting a low surface area to mass ratio. In young fucoid algae there is a progressive decrease in the ratio of surface area to mass from lower shore species to upper shore species, but this trend was reversed in the adult plants. The effects of thallus shape were also investigated. The flux of water vapour from the more or less cylindrical stipes of Fucus and axes of Ascophylhim was estimated to be almost three times that from the flattened laminae of Fucus. In spite of its channelled thallus, Pelvetia also lost water faster than Fucus laminae of similar surface to mass ratio. Branch overlap in natural stands was estimated to reduce the area of thalli exposed to the air to only about 20% of that exposed by isolated plants. However, F. spiralis receives at least as much protection from aggregation as does Pelvetia and since it grows much more rapidly, it attains this protection earlier in its life. It is concluded that drought avoidance is not the primary adaptive mechanism in intertidal fucoids. The tissues of upper shore species can apparently tolerate periodic dehydration to air dryness. In nature both Pelvetia and F. spiralis survived after losing almost 96% of their water content.
Context and Situation as Enablers for Multi-Modal Interaction in Mobile Games

Location-based mobile multiplayer games can oﬀer a unique and intensive game experience. Three spheres of experience merge: social interaction, virtual game world, and the real location. While the potential is huge the main obstacle to a seamless and enjoyable experience is the user interaction with the mobile system. The problem is not the sheer lack of interaction techniques, but the assignment of appropriate modality in diﬀerent game situations. The main statement of this paper is: multimodality alone is not enough to cope with mobile gaming. Context-awareness that lead to situation-speciﬁc interaction modes may come to the rescue. This paper discusses the requirements of modality selection against the background of location-based multiplayer games and illustrates the correlation to context-awareness and situation detection.
Chapter 23.6. Halogen interactions in biomolecular crystal structures

Halogens are uncommon substituents in biological molecules. It is not surprising, therefore, that molecular interactions involving covalent halogen compounds are not foremost in the minds of most biologists. There is, however, an increasing appreciation that halogenated compounds play important roles in biology, starting with the naturally halogenated hormone thyroxine (Fig. 23.6.1.1a) (Wojtczak et al., 2001), and extending to bioactive secondary metabolites isolated as natural products (Gribble, 2004) and a growing list of synthetic compounds that serve as inhibitors against a broad range of enzymes. Proteins and nucleic acids are naturally halogenated through oxidative processes associated with inflammatory response mechanisms (van Pée & Unversucht, 2003; Shen et al., 2001), with chlorinated and brominated amino acids in proteins correlated with various respiratory ailments and allergic responses (Buss et al., 2003; Wu et al., 2000). In structural biology, it is now common to add electron-rich halogens (particularly Br and I) to help solve the phase problem in crystallography, or magnetically active nuclei (F) to facilitate structure determination by NMR. In nucleic acids, halogenated nucleotide bases can be incorporated in synthetic oligonucleotides to help determine the structures of DNA and RNA, as well as of protein–nucleic acid complexes. Halogenated amino acids such as bromophenylalanine can now be introduced site-specifically into proteins through in vivo incorporation (Wang et al., 2006), which can also facilitate phasing of X-ray diffraction data for protein crystals (Xie et al., 2004), while synthetic fluorinated amino acids have been used to facilitate structural studies by F NMR (Hammill et al., 2007). Together, these various systems have contributed to the recent growth in the number of halogens and halogen interactions observed in biomolecular structures. For this particular discussion, we will focus on the molecular interactions of halogenated compounds seen in structures determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction rather than by NMR, primarily because of the strong dependence on the distance and angle relationships required to categorize and understand such interactions (NMR structures are highly dependent on appropriate force fields to define conformation; unfortunately, current force fields do not properly treat interactions involving halogens). A survey of the 16 June 2009 release of the Protein Data Bank (PDB; Berman et al., 2000) showed that there were 2670 entries containing a halogen atom (Table 23.6.1.1). In other words, nearly 5% of the more than 58 000 entries from this release contained at least one molecular halogen, indicating that halogens are an important component in biomolecular structures.
ASSESSMENT THE KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOUR OF ADULT RELATED TO COLORECTAL CANCER IN WESTREN REGION OF SAUDI ARABIA. A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY OF 819 PARTICIPANTS

Colorectal cancer (CRC)is the third most common cancer in the world and the fourth most common cause of death. It is the second most common cancer and third cause of death from cancer in women and the third most common cancer and fourth cause of death from cancer in men worldwide but its the second most common cancer in men as well as women in Saudi Arabia. This cross – sectional study was conducted at western region of Saudi Arabia from June 2016 to October 2016to assess knowledge and behavior of the participants relevant to prevelance, symptoms and risk factors of CRCand to compare if there any variations between the overall knowledge of participants and their gender, educational level and occupation weather medicals or non mdicals.A sample of 819 subjects were selected and pretested electronic self administrated questionnaire was used as a toolfor data collection and coolecteddta was analysedusing SPSS Version 20. Main findings of this study included that 61% of participants know most symptoms of CRC while only 45% know about risk factors of developing CRC.
Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Followed by ‘Post-Cyclophosphamide’: The Future of Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (Allo-HCT) is a potentially curative therapy for many malignant and nonmalignant hematological diseases. However, a suitable human leukocyte antigens (HLAs)-matched donor may not be available when the patient is in urgent need of a stem cell transplant. This challenge has been ameliorated to a large extent by the introduction of haploidentical donors. This type of donor shares one HLA haplotype with the recipient. Therefore, a patient's full sibling has a 50% chance of being haploidentical and a patient's biologic parents and children will all be haploidentical, thus providing an immediately accessible, motivated donor for almost every recipient. Haploidentical transplants previously incurred prohibitively poor outcomes, preventing their widespread use. However, several recent advances have dramatically improved the results, making them a more viable donor source. In this review, we discuss different types of donors used for Allo-HCT with a particular focus on the use of haploidentical donors and their future potential.
Photoperiod and vernalization response of wheat under controlled environment and field conditions

Characterization of large numbers of breeding lines for vernalization and photoperiod response in wheat is needed to enhance adaptation. A total of 20 wheat lines were evaluated for response to vernalization and photoperiod under two controlled environments and high ambient air temperatures under field conditions. Vernalized and non-vernalized seedlings were transplanted into pots and placed in three photoperiod (8, 12 and 16 h of light) cabinets, in the greenhouse or in growth chambers. Days to anthesis decreased with increasing photoperiod. Vernalized plants flowered earlier than non-vernalized. There was a significant correlation between days to anthesis in the greenhouse and the growth chamber (r = 0.88, P < 0.001). Basal vegetative period, effect of vernalization and photoperiod from the two screening techniques were positively correlated with each other. Growth habit, vernalization requirement and heading date in the field were highly correlated with the main effect of vernalization in the two controlled environments. The results indicate that selection for vernalization response in a large number of genotypes can be achieved under high ambient air temperatures in the field and the selected material can subsequently be screened for photoperiod response under greenhouse conditions.
Fundamentals of ecology

Preface. Eugene P. Odum and Gary W. Barrett. 1. The Scope of Ecology. 2. The Ecosystem. 3. Energy in Ecological Systems. 4. Biogeochemical Cycles. 5. Limiting and Regulatory Factors. 6. Population Ecology. 7. Community Ecology. 8. Ecosystem Development. 9. Landscape Ecology. 10. Regional Ecology: Major Ecosystem Types and Biomes. 11. Global Ecology. 12. Statistical Thinking for Students of Ecology. Glossary. References. Index.
Understanding international tourists: A cultural intelligence perspective

Using Chinese tourists as research objects this paper investigates how the ability of an individual to adapt to a certain culture might has influence on his or her revisit intention and willingness to introduce the destination to others. This paper introduces cultural intelligence to the tourism research and proposes a strong positive relationship between cultural intelligence, tourists’ revisit intention and electronic word-of-mouth, and regards tourists’ enjoyment and satisfaction as intermediates of such relationship. Moreover, this paper also proposes that tourists’ perceived peer influence has a moderating effect on tourists’ positive emotion and post consumption evaluation. To understand such relationships precisely this paper employs online survey for data collection and structural equation modelling for data analysis technique. The research outcome would make contribution on both the application of cultural intelligence theory and destination marketing and management.
Early seeding dates improve oat yield and quality in the eastern prairies

Demand for high quality oat (Avena sativa L.) for consumption by humans and race horses has increased, leading to increased oat production on the Canadian prairies. Little information exists on the best management practices for producing high-quality, high-yielding oat using direct seeding systems and cropping practices developed and adopted over the past 15 yr. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of early seeding on grain yield and quality of oat cultivars currently grown in the eastern prairie region. Four seeding dates and four cultivars were tested at Indian Head, Melfort, and Brandon over 3 yr. Moving the seeding date from mid-June to early May increased oat yield, seeds per panicle, kernel weight, test weight and plump seed by 76, 33, 10, 13 and 11%, respectively, when averaged across all locations and years. This increase in yield and quality was probably due to improved environmental conditions and a reduction in crown rust infection (Puccina coronata Corda). Crown rust has a l.
Structural Aspects of Root Thickening in Beta vulgaris L.: Comparative Thickening in Sugarbeet and Chard

Root thickening in Beta vulgaris L. occurs through the initiation of numerous concentric anomalous cambia and by the production of heavily parenchymatous tissues between those cambia. Comparisons of sugarbeet and chard storage roots revealed similarities in cambium numbers, cell division rates, and the relative contributions of the various intercambial zones to root thickening. Large differences in cell expansion were the main factors accounting for differences in root sizes. Intercambial cell enlargement patterns are discussed in terms of rate and duration of cell expansion with reference to the origins of the intercambial cells.
Biochemical characterisation of B-glucosidase from the midgut of Aelia acuminata L. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Aelia acuminata is a wheat injurious bug causing considerable damage to wheat at vegetative growth stage and grain. In this study, some enzymatic properties of β-glucosidase from midgut of A. acuminata were determined. The activity ofβ-glucosidase in the midgut was obtained as 0.122 U/mg protein. Optimal pH for β-glucosidase activity in the midgut was 4.0 and 6.0. The enzyme was considerably stable at different pHs from pH 4.0 to 6.0 for 10 hr. Optimal temperature for β-glucosidase activity in midgut was obtained at 35°C. Increasing the temperature (34 and 44°C) remarkably decreased the stability of the enzyme during 10 days. Activity of the enzyme was retained from 5 to 40°C. Temperatures above 40°C steadily decreased the activity of the enzyme. Activity levels of midgut β-glucosidase was increased with concentrations of Na+, Mg2+, K+ and Ca2+ and decreased in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate, urea, Cu2+ andTris.
Spatial and temporal structures of pheromone plumes in fields and forests

Wind‐borne odour stimuli from a small point‐source of pheromone are intermittent owing to the effects of atmospheric turbulence on the odour plume. The work reported here measures the characteristics of the intermittent stimulus in open fields and forests during typical daytime atmospheric conditions. To model the pheromone plume, negatively charged atmospheric ions were used as a tracer. They were released from an ion generator, and ion detectors measured the fluctuating flux of ions at positions up to 20 m downwind in the open field case and 10 m in the forest. In both the open field and in the forest, ion signals were highly intermittent, with a signal present only 20% of the time. Ion signals recorded in the forest consisted of bursts with gaps between them of at least three‐fold greater duration than those from the open field. In both environments, bursts generally each comprised a series of ‘spikes’, on average three in the field and seven in the forest. To validate the use of ionized air plumes as models of pheromone plumes, the antennae of male Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth) were used as detectors to quantify the plume of synthetic (+)‐disparlure emanating from a 2000 ng point source placed ≈ 10 cm from the ion source. A comparison of ion signals and EAGs (electronantennograms) suggests that the antennae respond to the main spikes within a burst, but no consistent relationship between the strength of the spikes and the magnitude of the EAG response was found. The average strengths of bursts in the ion detector signal decreased systematically as the distance from the ion generator to the ion detector increased. A similar trend, however, was not detected in the EAG response.
Effects of Nutrient Enrichment and Flood Frequency on Periphyton Biomass in Northern Ozark Streams

Ambient nutrient concentrations (TN and TP) and periphyton biomass (Chl a) were measured every 2 wk during March–November in 1985 and 1986 at 22 sites on 12 streams in the northern Ozarks, Missouri. Benthic Chl a was positively correlated in both years with log TN (R2 = 0.58, 0.60) and with log TP (R2 = 0.47, 0.60). When sites were grouped by the degree of enrichment and plotted over time, benthic Chl a decreased at all sites after flood events, but rebounded more rapidly at highly enriched sites. Differences in recovery following flooding were most obvious in fall 1986, when both high and moderately enriched sites exhibited similar biomass accrual patterns, reaching mean benthic Chl a of 397.4 and 321.1 mg∙m−2, respectively, within 42 d after a catastrophic flood. In contrast, average benthic Chl a at nutrient-poor sites reached a maximum level of 76.8 mg∙m−2 within 28 d after flooding, suggesting that maximum standing crops are influenced by both nutrient supply and the length of the flood-free period.
Chemical and physical characteristics of phosphate rock materials of varying reactivity

Several chemical and physical properties of 10 phosphate rock (PR) materials of varying reactivity were evaluated. These included North Carolina phosphate rock (NCPR), Sechura phosphate rock (SPR), Chatham Rise phosphorite (CRP), Arad phosphate rock (APR), Gafsa phosphate rock (GPR), North Florida phosphate rock (NFPR), Jordanian phosphate rock (JPR), Mexican phosphate rock (MPR), Nauru Island phosphate rock (NIPR), and Makatea Island phosphate rock (MIPR). Concentrations of As and Cd were highest in NCPR and U was higher in APR and CRP than in the other reactive PR materials. Because Cd and U can accumulate in biological systems, it may be necessary to direct more attention towards the likely implications of Cd and U concentrations when evaluating a PR for direct application. Three sequential extractions with 2% citric acid may be more useful for comparing the chemical solubility of PR materials, particularly for those containing appreciable CaCO3. For each particle-size fraction from 500 μm, SPR was more soluble in 2% citric acid than was NCPR. The higher solubility of SPR than NCPR in 2% citric acid, 2% formic acid, and neutral ammonium citrate possibly results from a higher chemical reactivity rather than from any difference in the surface area presented for dissolution. The poor relationship obtained between surface area and the solubility of the PR materials in the three chemical extractants suggests that surface area plays a secondary role to chemical reactivity in controlling the solubility of a PR in a chemical extractant. A Promesh plot provided an effective method for describing the particle-size characteristics of those PR materials which occurred as sands. Fundamental characteristics, such as mean particle size and uniformity, can readily be determined from a Promesh plot.
Smoothed Analysis of Resource Augmentation

The predominant approach to ﬁnd decent solutions for hard optimization problems is to compute an approximation. An alternative approach is resource augmentation (a form of problem relaxation), where you consider an optimal solution subject to slightly weaker problem constraints. This alternative approach has considerably less traction in theoretical computer science than approximation algorithms have. We study optimization problems with natural resource augmentations and show that the bit-precision of their optimal solution can be bounded using smoothed analysis of their augmentation. Our results imply that for realistic problem constraints, the optimal solution to a augmented version of a problem yields an optimal solution for the original problem. We hope our results help solidify the traction that resource augmentation has in theoretical computer science.
Cochlear Implants and Brain Plasticity

Behavioral data indicate the existence of sensitive periods in the development of audition and language. Neurophysiological data demonstrate deficits in the cerebral cortex of auditory-deprived animals, mainly in reduced cochleotopy and deficits in corticocortical and corticothalamic loops. In addition to current spread in the cochlea, reduced cochleotopy leads to channel interactions after cochlear implantation. Deficits in corticocortical and corticothalamic loops interfere with normal processing of auditory activity in cortical areas. Thus, the deprived auditory cortex cannot mature normally in congenital deafness. This maturation can be achieved using auditory experience through cochlear implants. However, implantation is necessary within the sensitive period of the auditory system. The functional role of long-term potentiation and long-term depression, inhibition, cholinergic modulation and neurotrophins in auditory development and sensitive periods are discussed. Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel Humans use symbolic communication, language, for the exchange of information. This communication is based on intact hearing. The ability to acquire language is inborn, but language has to be learned under appropriate acoustic stimulation. Congenital hearing loss therefore strongly affects the development of language competence. This development takes place in sensitive periods, i.e. age spans in which the nervous system requires external stimulation to develop competence for processing the inputs. Deprivation often results in a nonfunctional neural system. The present review is focused on the cortical nervous processes taking place after early and late cochlear implantation in congenitally deaf patients. First, we will review evidence for behavioral deficits following congenital deprivation of the audition-language system, secondly the functional neural processes taking place in primary and higher-order cortical areas in congenital deprivation and cochlear implantation will be addressed. Behavioral Deficits in Congenital Deprivation Behavioral manifestations for sensitive periods can be found both in language-deprived and auditorily deprived children. Language Deprivation and Language Development Language is a human-specific phenomenon [Pinker, 1994]. The cortical areas involved in language processing (here called language system) have been identified by case reports and electrical stimulation of the cortex in unanes-