Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seagrass coastal protection services reduced by invasive species expansion and megaherbivore grazing

Seagrasses provide an important ecosystem service by creating a stable erosion‐resistant seabed that contributes to effective coastal protection. Variable morphologies and life‐history strategies, however, are likely to impact the sediment stabilization capacity of different seagrass species. We question how opportunistic invasive species and increasing grazing by megaherbivores may alter sediment stabilization services provided by established seagrass meadows, using the Caribbean as a case study. Utilizing two portable field‐flumes that simulate unidirectional and oscillatory flow regimes, we compared the sediment stabilization capacity of natural seagrass meadows in situ under current‐ and wave‐dominated regimes. Monospecific patches of a native (Thalassia testudinum) and an invasive (Halophila stipulacea) seagrass species were compared, along with the effect of three levels of megaherbivore grazing on T. testudinum: ungrazed, lightly grazed and intensively grazed. For both hydrodynamic regimes, the long‐leaved, dense meadows of the climax species, T. testudinum provided the highest stabilization. However, the loss of above‐ground biomass by intensive grazing reduced the capacity of the native seagrass to stabilize the surface sediment. Caribbean seagrass meadows are presently threatened by the rapid spread of the invasive opportunistic seagrass, H. stipulacea. The dense meadows of H. stipulacea were found to accumulate fine sediment, and thereby, appear to be effective in reducing bottom shear stress during calm periods. This fine sediment within the invasive meadows, however, is easily resuspended by hydrodynamic forces, and the low below‐ground biomass of H. stipulacea make it susceptible to uprooting during storm events, potentially leaving large regions vulnerable to erosion. Overall, this present study highlights that intensive megaherbivore grazing and opportunistic invasive species threaten the coastal protection services provided by mildly grazed native species. Synthesis. Seagrass meadows of dense, long‐leaved species stabilize the sediment surface and maintain the seabed integrity, thereby contributing to coastal protection. These services are threatened by intensive megaherbivore grazing, which reduces the stability of the surface sediment, and opportunistic invasive species, which are susceptible to uprooting in storms and thereby can leave the seabed vulnerable to erosion.
New species of Nanocladius Kieffer, 1913 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) from Neotropical region

The genus Nanocladius Kieffer, 1913 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Orthocladiinae) has been frequently found in aquatic habitats of the Neotropical region. However, until now only one species was described living symphoretically on Ephemeroptera and no free-living species has been cited or formally described from the region. In the present study, two new species of Nanocladius are described and figured as male, pupa and larva: N. communis and N. longispicula. The specimens were collected from different streams in Brazil and are the first recorded species of the genus to the country.
Effects of CO2 Enrichment and Sucrose Concentration Under High Photon Fluxes on Plantlet Growth of Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) in Tissue Culture During the Preparation Stage

Explants of tissue-cultured carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) plantlets were cultured in preparation for growth during the acclimatization stage. Plantlets werecultured in glass test tubes with plastic formed caps in a room with CO2 concentration of 1000-1500vpm and a photosynthetic photon flux of 150μmol m-2s-1 (400-700nm). The effects of the sucrose concentration in the medium on the plantlet growth were also examined under the above mentioned culture conditions.The plantlet growth was promoted, to a large extent, by CO2 enrichment under high photon flux. The order of largest to smallest of fresh and dry weight increases of the plantlets during the culture was CO2 enriched treatment with 1% sucrose, CO2 enriched treatment with 0% sucrose, CO2 enriched treatment with 2% sucrose, CO2 nonenriched treatments with 2% sucrose, 1% sucrose, and 0% sucrose. Plantlets grew autotrophically by CO2 enrichment with high photon flux.The net photosynthetic and dark respiration rates of the plantlets and the dry weight decreases in total sugar and nutrient salts in the medium were estimated to explain the differences in the dry weight increase of the plantlets in the various treatments. The implications of the results for developing a new mass propagation system of tissue-cultured plantlets are discussed.
Influencia de la línea Duroc y del sexo sobre los resultados productivos, calidad de la canal, de la carne y de la grasa de cerdos destinados a la producción de jamón de Teruel

Segun un diseno experimental factorial que observo dos lineas paternales comerciales de la raza Duroc: M (magra) y G (grasa), y dos sexos (machos castrados vs hembras) se utilizaron 43 cerdos Duroc x (Landrace x Large White) destinados a la produccion de Jamon de Teruel. La fase de cebo transcurrio entre los 22,50 y 125,26 kg, y todos los animales consumieron el mismo pienso durante el periodo experimental. Los cerdos procedentes de la linea G consumieron mas pienso que los de la M y los machos castrados exhibieron mayor consumo y crecimiento que las hembras. Los cerdos derivados de la linea G tuvieron valores superiores del perimetro del jamon, espesor de grasa a nivel de la decima costilla y cobertura grasa a nivel del musculo Biceps femoris. El espesor de grasa a nivel de la decima costilla fue superior en los machos castrados que en las hembras. El porcentaje rechazado de canales de hembras en el matadero fue superior que el de machos castrados. La linea paterna no tuvo efecto sobre los porcentajes de humedad (H), proteina (P) y grasa intramuscular (GIM) del musculo Longissimus dorsi, pero el pH del lomo, tomado 45 minutos despues del sacrificio (pH45), fue superior en los cerdos procedentes de la linea M que en los de la G. Los machos castrados tuvieron mayor porcentaje de GIM que las hembras. Los cerdos procedentes de la linea G tuvieron mayores proporciones de C10:0, C15:1, C16:0 y total de acidos grasos saturados (�° SAT) y menores proporciones de C20:3 n-9 y C20:4 n-6 que los de la linea M. Los machos castrados tuvieron proporciones superiores de C14:0, C16:1, C18:1n-9 y total de acidos grasos monoinsaturados (�° MONO) e inferiores proporciones de C18:2 n-6, total de acidos grasos poliinsaturados (�° POLI) y n-6 (�° n-6) que las hembras. El porcentaje de GIM afecto a las proporciones: C14:0, C16:0, C17:0, C18:1n-9, C18:2 n-6, C20:1, C20:4 n-6, �° SAT, �° MONO, �° POLI, �° n-6 y a las relaciones �° n-6/�° n-3 y �° POLI/ �° SAT y detectadas en la GIM. Se concluye que la utilizacion de una linea paterna Duroc grasa no afecta negativamente a los resultados productivos, incrementa ligeramente el engrasamiento de la canal y satura la GIM. Los machos castrados presentan una canal mas adecuada que las hembras para la produccion del jamon de Teruel.
Growth and water relations of simulated swards of Lolium perenne L. selection lines with contrasting leaf osmotic potentials

Two selection lines of Lolium perenne, which had different leaf lamina osmotic potential (Ψs) when droughted in controlled environments, were grown as vegetative simulated swards in containers of soil 1·0 × 1·3 × 0·9 m deep in the glasshouse. Water was withheld during July, August and September. Under irrigation the low-ψs line had leaf lamina and leaf base ψs 0·06 MPa lower than the high-ψs line. Under drought, the two lines did not differ significantly in lamina ψs but leaf base ψs was 0·16 MPa lower in the low line than in the high line. Upon rewatering, most of the osmotic adjustment in the leaf bases was lost within 2 d, but that in the laminae was more stable. Herbage growth under irrigation was similar in the two lines until September, when it was greater in the highψs line. Drought reduced herbage growth, and also regrowth rates following rewatering, but the two lines did not differ in their sensitivity to drought. Selection for low ψs also increased leaf extension rates, and reduced tillering and leaf water conductance of irrigated plants. The results are discussed in relation to selecting for improved drought resistance on the basis of physiological characters.
Designing and analyzing a modern MIMO‐UWB antenna with a novel stub for stop band characteristics and reduced mutual coupling

A dual notched band MIMO‐UWB antenna is presented in this article. High isolation between radiating elements is achieved with novel elliptical T‐shape stub and dual bands are notched with the help of a novel G‐shape stub; extended from ground plan. The proposed antenna is resonates between 3 and 11 GHz. The size of antenna is 18 × 36 × 1.6 mm3. The antenna is evaluated in term of isolation, envelope correlation coefficient, gain, efficiency, current distribution, and radiation pattern.
On Alternative Reproductive Tactics in Anurans: Dynamic Games with Density and Frequency Dependence

Intense mating competition and mate choice has favored the evolution of alternative mating tactics in many species. We developed a stochastic dynamic game to evaluate the choice among three alternative mating tactics by male anurans: call, satellite, or leave the chorus to forage or hide. The strategies were assumed to differ in mating success (call > satellite forage = hide), predation risk (call > satellite > forage > hide), and energetic expense (call > satellite = hide > forage). Six major predictions were derived. First, in relatively stable environments, males should enter a chorus in a synchronous pulsed pattern, with first-year males primarily choosing to be satellites on older calling males. The pulsed pattern is caused by the relatively high energetic cost of calling and the dependence of female arrival rates on chorus size (which promotes synchronization). In unstable environments, energetic constraints are reduced because favorable conditions are rare, so most males should call on favorable nights. Under all conditions, energy-constrained males should forage. Second, with an accelerating relationship between female arrival rate (measured per calling male) and chorus size, first-year males in a stable environment should drop out of choruses before the end of the breeding season because the payoff to attendance decreases as the population declines; with a decelerating function, first-year males should remain the entire year. In an unstable environment, males should enter a chorus on favorable days, irrespective of the shape of the female arrival function. Third, variation in the form of predation risk with respect to chorus size has little or no effect on mating patterns; however, high mean predation risk should increase the frequency of satellites in the chorus. Fourth, conflicts can occur between old males that are selected to call and young males that are selected to act as satellites. Under some conditions, the only resolution to this conflict is for all males to abandon the chorus. Fifth, if there are differences among first-year males in when they come into breeding condition, the few males that mature early should be satellites. Later in the season, first-year males should tend to call. This prediction is unaffected by density dependence in predation risk, but it does not hold when female arrival rate is density independent. Finally, first-year males should call more when their mating success decreases with an increase in the number of calling older males in comparison with conditions in which mating success is a fixed fraction of the mating success of older males. We show that the properties of a number of anuran species make them amenable to test these predictions.
Continuous Image Generation From Low-Update-Rate Images and Physical Sensors Through a Conditional GAN for Robot Teleoperation

When a robot is teleoperated, its operator control is based on transmitted images. Network limitations and/or a remote distance usually cause delays or interruptions of the image transmission, which is one of the reasons for the instability of teleoperation systems. In this article, we propose a high-update-rate image generation method using past low update image and current grip position and electrical motor current of gripper received by sensors during teleoperation via a conditional generative adversarial network. The main challenge is that such a network can generate current high-update-rate images from past low-update-rate one, the current high-update-rate grip force, and the grip angle. We equipped a robot gripper with a camera and a grip force sensor and collected a large data set of robot vision, grip force, and grip angle sequences; objects with deformation, including irregular deformation, and rigid objects were tested in the experiment to verify the possibility of high-update-rate image generation under various grip conditions. We found that the proposed network allows the generation of current images with high update rate.
Effective combination of quadratic boost converter with voltage multiplier cell to increase voltage gain

This study proposes a high step-up DC–DC converter based on quadratic boost converter. The proposed converter is composed of a quadratic boost converter and a multiplier cell. The converter can be used in low power applications which need to increase output voltage with high gain. In order to reduce number of the components, the multiplier cell is composed with the quadratic boost converter in a way to share one of their inductors. The found location of the multiplier adds some advantages to the proposed converter in comparison to the similar converters. The converter advantages include higher voltage gain, lower voltage stress on diodes and capacitors and requiring smaller inductors. To verify the points, principle operation of the converter is analysed and it has been compared with other converters. The proposed converter is designed and implemented using its main equations. Experiments are done along the lines of the analysis to prove that they have good accordance with each other. Operation quality factors such as voltage stress, voltage gain, efficiency, dynamic of the converter and operation in transient conditions are investigated using the experiments.
Mixed-Reality Robotic Games: Design Guidelines for Effective Entertainment With Consumer Robots

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of robotic technology at home. A number of service robots appeared on the market, supporting customers in the execution of everyday tasks. Roughly at the same time, consumer-level robots started to be used also as toys or gaming companions. However, gaming possibilities provided by current off-the-shelf robotic products are generally quite limited, and this fact makes them quickly loose their attractiveness. A way that has been proven capable to boost robotic gaming and related devices consists in creating playful experiences in which physical and digital elements are combined together using mixed-reality technologies. However, these games differ significantly from digital- or physical-only experiences, and new design principles are required to support developers in their creative work. This article addresses such need, by drafting a set of guidelines which summarize developments carried out by the research community and their findings.
Effects of sublethal concentrations of formalin on weight gain in the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Teugals)

The African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, was exposed to various sublethal concentrations (25.0, 12.50, 6.25, 3.125, 1.56 and 0.0 mgl-1) of formalin to investigate their effects on the weight gain of the fish. Decrease in weight gain, directly proportional to the toxicant concentration, was observed in fish exposed to concentrations above 3.12 mgl-1. There was significant difference in weight gain of fish exposed to the various toxicants and the fish in the control tank (P Key words : Clarias gariepinus, formalin, toxicity and weight gain. Journal of Aquatic Sciences Vol.17(1) 2002: 66-69
Boundary-Aware and Semiautomatic Segmentation of 3-D Object in Point Clouds

Scene understanding in 3-D point clouds requires to annotate points manually at the model training stage. To reduce manual efforts in labeling points, this letter focuses on proposing an efficient method to implement semiautomatic segmentation of 3-D objects in 3-D point clouds. Specifically, to handle point clouds with high point density, supervoxels are treated as basic operating units during the object segmentation procedure. To obtain the valuable boundaries for guiding 3-D object segmentation, we propose to filter meaningless boundaries obtained by a traditional boundary detection method. Once valuable boundaries are obtained, we propose a boundary-aware Markov random field (MRF) model to consider the object-boundary constraint into generating the boundary-preserved segmentation results. Extensive experiments on two data sets show the effectiveness of our proposed framework on segmenting 3-D objects from point cloud scenes.
α‐Synuclein promoter confers susceptibility to Parkinson's disease

Familial Parkinson's disease (PD) has been linked to missense and genomic multiplication mutations of the α‐synuclein gene (SNCA). Genetic variability within SNCA has been implicated in idiopathic PD in many populations. We now confirm and extend these findings, within a Belgian sample, using a high‐resolution map of genetic markers across the SNCA locus. Our study implicates the SNCA promoter in susceptibility to PD, and more specifically defines a minimum promoter haplotype, spanning approximately 15.3kb of sequence, which is overrepresented in patients. Our findings represent a biomarker for PD and may have implications for patient diagnosis, longitudinal evaluation, and treatment. Ann Neurol 2004;56:591–595
Association of leaf rust and powdery mildew resistance in a recombinant derived from a Hordeum vulgare × Hordeum bulbosum hybrid

While studying powdery mildew resistance in a recombinant line (code 81882 derived from a Hordeum vulgare (cv. 'Vada') × Hordeum bulbosum hybrid, a low infection type of resistance to leaf rust was observed. To determine the mode of inheritance of the leaf rust resistance and whether there was linkage between the two resistances, F 2 and F 3 progenies from crosses between 81882 and 'Vada' were inoculated with the leaf rust and powdery mildew pathogens. Southern blots were prepared using restricted DNA extracted from leaves of 82 F 2 plants and four chromosome 2HS sequences were hybridized with the blots to define the length of the introgression. The leaf rust resistance appears to be inherited as a single dominant gene on chromosome 2HS, which co-segregates with the powdery mildew resistance. There was an almost complete association between the resistances and the respective molecular markers, but it is likely that the strong linkage results from the frequent inheritance of the introgressed H. bulbosum DNA as an intact segment of chromatin with only low levels of recombination within the segment.
The effect of environmental temperature and humidity on the ear temperatures of Ayrshire calves

1. The surface temperature of the right and left ears of 4-month-old Ayrshire bull calves subjected to temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40° C. at a low humidity of 17 mg. /l. absolute humidity and to 30, 35 and 40° C. at a high humidity of 7 mg. /l. saturation deficit, have been measured in a climatic room. 2. From 20 to 40° C. at both humidities, but excluding 40° C. at high humidity, the ear-surface temperatures behaved exactly as did the mean surface temperature of the trunk as expressed in the relation
Respiratory nervous activity in the isolated nerve cord of the larval dragonfly, and location of the respiratory oscillator

ABSTRACT. Rhythmic respiratory nerve activity was recorded in the dragonfly larvae, Anax parthenope Julius Brauer (Anisoptera). Alternating expiratory and inspiratory bursts of spikes occurred in abdominal nerve cords isolated from all peripheral connections. These bursts are similar to the activity recorded in semi‐intact preparations, suggesting that the respiratory rhythm can be generated without peripheral sensory feedback. Expiratory bursts started and ended at the same time in different segments of semi‐intact preparations. When connectives were severed, the nerve cord separated from the last abdominal ganglion did not normally show rhythmic bursts; the last ganglion alone and the nerve cord connected to the last ganglion exhibited the rhythmic bursts. However, in a few cases the nerve cord separated from the last ganglion exhibited the rhythm. The results suggest that the last ganglion contains the main oscillator, but that other weak oscillators occur elsewhere.
The Mechanics of Root Lodging in Winter Wheat, Triticum aestivum L.

The anchorage of winter wheat, Triticum aestivum L. , is provided by a cone of rigid coronal roots which emerge from around the stem base. During root lodging this cone rotates at its windward edge below the soil surface, the soil inside the cone moving as a block and compressing the soil beneath. A theoretical model of anchorage suggested that lodging resistance should be dependent on the diameter of the root-soil cone, coronal root bending strength and soil shear strength. We tested the predictions of the anchorage model by carrying out two series of experiments. In the first, varieties of contrasting lodging resistances were artificially lodged. The moment required to rotate plants into the soil, the diameter of the root-soil cone, and the bending strength of the coronal roots were recorded. The lodging moment was correlated with the size of the soil cone, as predicted. Generally, differences in anchorage strength between varieties were due to differences in root-soil cone diameter, although coronal root strength was also important. A second series of tests was carried out using model plants anchored by plastic discs. The behaviour of the models during artificial lodging supported the anchorage model; the force resisting lodging was similar to that of plants with root-soil cones of the same size and the resisting force was dependent on the soil strength. These results suggest that root lodging resistance might be improved by increasing both the angle of spread and the bending strength of the coronal roots.