Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF INTRAGUILD PREDATION: Potential Competitors That Eat Each Other

Interactions between species are usually categorized as either competition (-), predation/parasitism (+ -), mutualism (+ +), commensalism (+ 0), or amensalism (-0). Intraguild predation (IGP) is a combination of the first two, that is, the killing and eating of species that use similar, often limiting, resources and are thus potential competitors. Intraguild predation is distinguished from traditional concepts of competition by the immediate energetic gains for one participant (the predator). It differs from classical predation because the act reduces potential exploitation competition. Thus, its impact on population dynamics is more complex than either competition or predation alone (see below). Our purpose is to document the ubiquity and importance of intraguild predation and to establish a theoretical framework for its analysis. A taxonomically widespread interaction, IGP significantly affects the distribution, abundance, and evolution of many species. One intriguing conclusion is that IGP promotes the occurrence of alternative stable states in many circumstances. Although sometimes recognized by theoreticians and empirically oriented biologists, this is the first synthesis of IGP into a general work.
Seasonal fat content fluctuations in a gyrinid beetle: comparison between an arctic and a temperate zone population (Coleoptera: Gyrinidae)

Seasonal fluctuations in fat content (percentage of dry body weight) of adult Gyrinus opacus were compared between a lake population at the northern range limit of the species in Greenland (G) and a rock pool population in south-central Sweden (S) near its southern range limit. From equally low values at emergence in summer, beetles of both populations accumulated substantial fat reserves, especially during their first weeks as adults. Hardened S-beetles were fatter than G-beetles at time of onset of hibernation. For late emerging (soft) G-beetles, however, the situation was severe because of an immediate freeze-up of the lake. There was a similar winter fat decline in both populations. During the first month after hibernation there was a significant decrease in fat content of the S-beetles, because they were still utilizing their fat deposits from the previous autumn. This trend was broken at the first emergence peak of chironomids in spring. Hibernating G-beetles used their lesser fat storage to the same extent, and led to some reproductive females reaching extremely low levels of fat. Still lower fat content and smaller body size of beetles in a closely situated small lake to G in early spring shows a between locality variation related to differences in habitat quality at the northern range limit.
Modulation and Control of Transformer less UPFC for Interconnecting Synchronous AC Grids

In this paper, Modulation and control of transformer less unified power flow controller is presented. As is well known the traditional UPFC that exists two back-toback inverters bulky and more complicated zig-zag transformer are completely eliminated. Now a day’s FACTS devices are used to control the flow of power to increase the transmission capacity and to improve the stability of the power system. One of the most commonly used FACTS devices is Unified power flow controller (UPFC). It is well that UPFC (Unified Power flow controllers) are the most versatile FACTS device that can be used to active power flow and reactive power flow control between synchronous grids. The convention UPFC that consist two back-to-back inverters are connecting with series and shunt transformers used for real power and reactive power exchange between grids to UPFC. In Transformer less new FACTS device are used to overcome the problem of convention UPFC such as the bulky, large size, zig-zag transformer, having slow dynamic response, isolation. Although the new transformer less UPFC to remove series and shunt transformers to achieve desired voltage. In case of Transformer we use inductor and capacitor combination series and shunt with H Bridge power MOSFET Inverters. UPFC several advantages over the traditional technology ,such as Transformer less ,light weight, high efficiency, low cost and fast dynamic response. Keywords— Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS), PWM (Plus width modulation), UPFC, Transformer less UPFC, Power flow control, LC Coupler. )
PosterWelfare Quality®: a pan-European integrated project including buffalo

Abstract Welfare Quality® is the acronym of an European research project focussing on the integration of animal welfare in the food quality chain: from public concern to improved welfare and transparent quality. The project aims to accommodate societal concerns and market demands, to develop reliable on-farm monitoring systems, product information systems, and practical species-specific strategies to improve animal welfare. Forty-four institutes and universities, representing 20 countries participate in this integrated research project concerning 3 animal species (cattle, pigs and chicken). From 2007 dairy buffalo has been also included in the list. Welfare Quality® has been co-financed by the European Commission, within the 6th Framework Programme. In this paper the development of a monitoring system to assess buffalo welfare is described.
Predicting hardness profile of steel specimens subjected to Jominy test using an artificial neural network and electromagnetic nondestructive techniques

ABSTRACT Based on relationships between electromagnetic properties and microstructural changes in steel, the current paper describes the development of an electromagnetic technique to determine steel hardenability, non-destructively. Performing Jominy end-quench test, magnetic hysteresis loop and eddy current methods have been applied to SAE 4140 standard steel samples to explore applicability of the non-destructive techniques for determining hardenability. Different hysteresis loop parameters (maximum magnetic flux density, coercivity, hysteresis loss and maximum differential permeability) as well as eddy current outputs (induced voltage, normalised impedance and phase angle) as a function of distance from the end-quenched surface were investigated and the results show a clear agreement with data obtained by traditional hardness testing. In addition, taking advantage of a generalised regression neural network, magnetic data obtained from hysteresis loop and eddy current methods could be used to accurately estimate results in the hardness profile of a given sample, using a few training data points. This paper shows that coupling the proposed non-destructive methods to Jominy end-quench test facilitates accurate non-destructive hardenability determination of steel samples while reducing time and cost of the test process.
The genus Rhabdocline Syd.

The various entities included under the name Rhabdocline pseudotsugae Syd. , the fungus causing a needle cast of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), have been placed into two species primarily on the basis of differences in structure of their ascus apices. The ascospores of Rhabdocline pseudotsugae (which includes R. pseudotsugae subsp. pseudotsugae and R. pseudotsugae subsp. epiphylla subsp. nov.) are ejected through variously ruptured thin-walled ascus apices, while ascospores of Rhabdocline weirii sp. nov. (which includes R. weirii subsp. weirii, R. weirii subsp. oblonga subsp. nov., and R. weirii subsp. obovata subsp. nov.) are ejected through distinct annular pores. An emendment to the diagnosis of Rhabdocline has been made. R. weirii subsp. weirii was the only entity found to be associated with the imperfect fungus Rhabdogloeum pseudotsugae Syd. The relationship of Rhabdocline to other members of the Hemiphacidiaceae, the significance of the constancy of the fungus and disease symptom.
A New Pliocene Dolphin (Cetacea: Pontoporiidae), from the Lee Creek Mine, North Carolina

With only a single extant species, Pontoporia blainvillei, Pon toporiidae is a relict group that is presently restricted to Atlantic coastal waters of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina (Crespo, 2002). The extinct diversity of this family is much greater, with at least 6 named species, and possibly more if the long-snouted genus Parapontoporia is included (see Barnes, 1985; Godfrey and Barnes, 2008). Extinct taxa are known from the east and west coasts of South America (Burmeister, 1885; Muizon, 1984, 1988a), the East Coast of North America (Morgan, 1994; Godfrey and Barnes, 2008), and the North Sea Basin of the Eastern Atlantic (Lambert and Post, 2005; Pyenson and Hoch, 2007). Both morphological (e.g. Muizon, 1988b; Geisler and San ders, 2003) and molecular data (e.g. Cassens et al, 2000; Nikaido et al, 2001) support the Amazonian River Dolphin Inia geoffren sis as the closest extant taxon to Pontoporia; together these taxa have been placed in the Superfamily Inioidea. While the distribu tions of extant taxa of Inioidea do not hint at the former wider
Transferable production of PER-1 β-lactamase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

PER-1, an extended-spectrum class A beta-lactamase, has been described only from Pseudomonas aeruginosa RNL-1, which was obtained in France in 1991. During studies on ceftazidime-resistant P. aeruginosa collected from December 1991 to July 1993 in Ankara, Turkey, we found 14 further isolates with PER-1 enzyme, as recognised by isoelectric point (pI 5.4), hydrolytic activity, gene hybridization and DNA sequence. Five of these isolates also had OXA-10 (PSE-2)-related enzymes and one hyper-produced ampC beta-lactamase, whereas eight had PER-1 enzyme alone. The last group, from four wards, appeared to be identical, giving the same DNA restriction patterns and carrying the PER-1 gene on an 8.5 kb HincII fragment. Two more producers were related but the other four were unique. In several representatives of the group of eight replicates, the PER-1 gene was shown to be encoded on a plasmid, larger than 154 kb in size, which transferred to P. aeruginosa PU21. A further isolate had the gene on an even larger conjugative plasmid. By contrast, the PER-1 gene reportedly was chromosomally-inserted in strain RNL-1. The PER-1 producers and their transconjugants were highly resistant to ceftazidime and aztreonam (MIC > or = 128 mg/L) but not to carbapenems or latamoxet. Piperacillin insusceptibility was marginal (MIC 8 mg/L). Clavulanate 4 mg/L, but not tazobactam 4 mg/L, reversed resistance to ceftazidime and carbenicillin. Purification of the enzyme to homogeneity was achieved by three ion exchanges and one gel filtration. We found much lower Vmax rates for aminothiazolyl cephalosporins than reported previously for PER-1 enzyme. This reflected the present assays being in 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7.0, whereas the previous were pH-stat-regulated; concentrated phosphate reduced enzyme activity against ceftazidime, but not against cephaloridine.
Transovarial Transmission of Symbiotic Bacteria in Mastotermes darwiniensis (Isoptera: Mastotermitidae): Ultrastructural Aspects and Phylogenetic Implications

Abstract Intracellular symbiotic bacteria in specialized cells (bacteriocytes) of the fat body are found in all cockroaches and in the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis Froggatt. DNA sequence analysis of the bacteria in the two taxa shows them to be phylogenetically related; thus, it has been suggested that the bacteriocyte symbiosis was established in an ancestor common to cockroaches and termites, with a loss of the symbiosis in all other known termite lineages. The offspring of both cockroaches and Mastotermes acquire the symbiosis via transovarial transmission. However, transmission of the bacteria in Mastotermes has not been examined since the pioneering works carried out by Koch in the 1930s. Here we report on transovariole transmission in primary and neotenic reproductives, and show that the ovarioles of both harbor fat body, which contains bacteriocytes. The conspicuous number of ovarian bacteriocytes in neotenic queens corresponds to the pattern previously observed in female nymphs. Bacterial transmission to offspring during the life of the colony thus occurs through continuous provisioning of symbionts to the ovariole from bacteriocytes in ovarian fat body. This pattern parallels that of cockroaches as does the entire mechanism of transovarial transmission.
Effects of macroinfauna sediment disturbance on nematode vertical distribution

Within a subtropical estuary in southern Brazil, an experiment was carried out to test the hypotheses that the deposit feeding macrofaunal polychaete Laeonereis acuta affects nematode community structure and the vertical distribution patterns of nematodes in sediments. Inclusion cages were deployed with two different densities of the polychaete and meiofaunal nematodes were sampled from six different vertical sediment layers: 0–1, 1–2, 2–4, 4–6, 6–8 and 8–10 cm depth. Although L. acuta did change the vertical distribution of both nematode and trophic groups in the sediment, allowing nematodes to inhabit deeper sediment layers, there were no apparent effects of different polychaete densities.
Attacin A Gene from Tricloplusia ni Reduces Susceptibility to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri in Transgenic Citrus sinensis 'Hamlin'

Citrus canker, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis Starr and Garces pv. citri (Hasse) Vauterin et al., is one of the main problems affecting citrus production. In order to obtain resistance to phytopathogenic bacteria, insect genes, coding for antimicrobial proteins, have been used in plant genetic transformation. In this study, transgenic Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb. 'Hamlin' plants expressing the antimicrobial insect-derived attacin A gene (attA) were obtained by Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smith and Towns.) Conn-mediated transformation. Initially, the cDNA clone was used to construct a binary plasmid vector (pCattA 2300). The construction included the native signal peptide (SP) responsible for directing the insect protein to the extracellular space where bacteria is supposed to accumulate in vivo. In order to investigate the native SP effectiveness in a plant model system, onion (Allium cepa L.) epidermal cells were transformed, via biobalistics, using plasmids containing the attA gene with or without SP, fused with the green fluorescent protein gene (pattA 1303 and pSPattA 1303). Fluorescence accumulation surrounding the cells was observed only in tissues transformed with the plasmid containing the gene with SP, indicating the protein secretion to the apoplast. Citrus transformation was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot hybridization analysis in 12 regenerated plants. Transcrip- tion of attA gene was detected by Northern blot analysis in all transgenic plants. Eight selected transgenic lines were propagated and inoculated with a 10 6 cfu/mL suspension of the pathogen X. axonopodis pv. citri. Compared to control (non-transformed plant), seven transgenic lines showed a significant reduction in susceptibility to citrus canker. The results obtained here indicate the potential use of antibacterial proteins to protect citrus from bacterial diseases.
Increasing the copper sensitivity of microorganisms by restricting iron supply, a strategy for bio‐management practices

Pollution by copper (Cu2+) extensively used as antimicrobial in agriculture and farming represents a threat to the environment and human health. Finding ways to make microorganisms sensitive to lower metal concentrations could help decreasing the use of Cu2+ in agriculture. In this respect, we showed that limiting iron (Fe) uptake makes bacteria much more susceptible to Cu2+ or Cd2+ poisoning. Using efflux mutants of the purple bacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus, we showed that Cu+ and Cd2+ resistance relies on the expression of the Fur‐regulated FbpABC and Ftr iron transporters. To support this conclusion, inactivation of these Fe‐importers in the Cu+ or Cd2+‐ATPase efflux mutants gave rise to hypersensitivity towards these ions. Moreover, in metal overloaded cells the expression of FbpA, the periplasmic iron‐binding component of the ferric ion transport FbpABC system was induced, suggesting that cells perceived an ‘iron‐starvation’ situation and responded to it by inducing Fe‐importers. In this context, the Fe‐Sod activity increased in response to Fe homoeostasis dysregulation. Similar results were obtained for Vibrio cholerae and Escherichia coli, suggesting that perturbation of Fe‐homoeostasis by metal excess appeared as an adaptive response commonly used by a variety of bacteria. The presented data support a model in which metal excess induces Fe‐uptake to support [4Fe‐4S] synthesis and thereby induce ROS detoxification system.
Ultrafast optical modulation of Dirac electrons in gated single-layer graphene

Fermi level dependence of ultrafast optical responses of single-layer graphene has been investigated using sub-10-fs pump-probe spectroscopy under bias voltages. We observe the ultrafast thermalization of photoexcited carriers, whose dynamics can be modulated via bias-induced change of the Fermi level. The relaxation time and the amplitude of the electronic response are maximized when the Fermi level reaches approximately half of the excitation photon energy. From the analysis of the pump-pulse-induced optical conductivity change, we find that the bias-induced blocking of the relaxation pathways and the pump-induced change of the electronic temperature and the Fermi level significantly contribute to the observed ultrafast optical modulation. The results demonstrate the controllability of the ultrafast optical responses in single-layer graphene, which could be useful for future ultrafast electro-optic graphene devices.
Identification and characterization of antifungal compounds from a Burkholderia strain against plant pathogenic fungi

Aims: Biocontrol of fungal plant pathogens using beneficial microorganisms is a safer alternative over synthetic fungicides. PHP12 is a bacterial strain isolated from healthy oil palm rhizosphere and is closely related to the recently described Burkholderia stagnalis, a member of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. This study aimed to characterize the antifungal activity spectrum of PHP12 and identify the antifungal compounds produced by the strain. Methodology and results: The antifungal activity of PHP12 was characterized by growing fungal strains in the presence and absence of PHP12 and measuring the radius of the antifungal zone. PHP12 inhibited the growth of fungal pathogens including Ganoderma boninense, Curvularia oryzae, Phellinus noxius and Colletotrichum capsici. However, PHP12 did not inhibit the growth of Trichoderma asperellum, a known fungal biocontrol agent. The antifungal compounds of PHP12 were precipitated using ammonium sulfate and further purified with HPLC followed by identification using Liquid Chromatography Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometric (LC/ESI-MS). The LC/ESI-MS analysis showed the presence of an oligopeptide with a molecular weight of 1210.63 Da. The peptide consists of heavily modified amino acids that are linked by a hexose residue. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Although characteristics of the antifungal compounds are similar to other antifungal peptides from Burkholderia such as occidiofungin, there have been no reports of antifungal peptides from B. stagnalis with the corresponding molecular weight or fragmentation profile. The novelty of the compound, as well as its antifungal spectrum, makes PHP12 an interesting strain to be investigated further as a biocontrol agent.
MODEL-FREE OUTPUT FEEDBACK CONTROLLER DESIGN FOR TWIN ROTOR SYSTEMS

In this work, tracking control of twin rotor systems is aimed. The control problem is restricted by the lack of mathematical model of the twin rotor and further complicated by the unavailability of the angular velocity measurements. A model–free controller in conjunction with a high gain observer is designed. Experiments performed on a twin rotor system demonstrates the viability of the controller–observer couple.
Media Effects in the Viewer’s Choice Era: Testing Revised Agenda-Setting and Priming Hypotheses

ABSTRACT One of the not-so-minimal effects of media exposure is the ability of the media to set the agenda for political discussion and debate, to tell voters what to think about, if not what to think. Most experimental studies of agenda-setting probably over-estimate its actual effects, however, by forcing exposure to a story on some particular topic – an especially unrealistic setting in today’s viewer’s choice media environment. We avoid this problem by exploring agenda-setting and priming in a more realistic campaign environment, a 10-wave panel study where we randomly varied the opportunity to learn particular policy stands from competing gubernatorial, House, and Senate candidates in a mock off-year election campaign. We find correlational evidence that explicit attention to stories about a particular political issue is associated with greater perceived importance of that issue, but random assignment of exposure to such stories has no causal effect on perceived importance. We find weak evidence that agenda-setting is limited to in-party partisans.
Effects of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation in maternal diets on reproductive performance and the expression of genes that regulate lactation in sows.

One hundred Yorkshire × Landrace sows were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments (diet ND: 6,000 IU vitamin D3 /d feed; diet 25-D: 200 μg/day 25OHD3 feed). The experiment began on d 90 of gestation and continued until weaning on day 21 of lactation. In sows that received 25OHD3 , the growth rate of the piglets before weaning was significantly accelerated (0.266 kg/day, p < .05). Sow serum was collected after weaning, and those in the 25OHD3 group were found to have significantly higher serum calcium (CA) and phosphorus (PI) levels (p < .05). Interestingly, the oestrus cycle of sows fed 25OHD3 was significantly shortened (p < .05), the oestrus time was concentrated on the fifth day after weaning, and the piglets were born with a higher degree of uniformity (p < .05). Colostrum was collected on the day of delivery, and the colostrum of sows fed 25OHD3 contained higher milk fat content than the control group (p < .05). 25OHD3 supplementation increased the mRNA and protein expression of INSIG1 and SREBP1, which regulate milk fat synthesis, in the mammary gland of lactating sows (p < .05). In conclusion, 25OHD3 supplementation in maternal diets improved reproductive performance, milk fat content and the mRNA and protein levels of genes regulating milk fat synthesis in lactating sows.