Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetics of diapause in the comma butterfly Polygonia c‐album

The processes of local adaptation and ecological speciation can be better understood by studying the genetic background of life‐history decisions. The sex chromosomes host genes for many population differences in the Lepidoptera and therefore the inheritance of diapause determination in the butterfly Polygonia c‐album may be hypothesized to be sex‐linked. In the present study, Polygonia c‐album (L.) from Spain and Sweden and hybrid offspring are raised under an LD 17 : 7 h photocycle that induces most pure Swedish individuals to develop into the diapausing dark morph and most pure Spanish individuals into the light and directly‐developing morph. If inheritance of the daylength threshold for diapause is X‐linked, as is known to be the case for host‐plant preferences, females should follow the developmental path of their male parents' populations. However, female hybrids instead have a diapause propensity intermediate to that of their parental stocks and, consequentially, diapause determination is not X‐linked. However, male hybrids eclose as the diapausing morph to a higher extent than females and, moreover, this pattern is more pronounced in the Spanish female × Swedish male cross than in the reciprocal cross. Hence, it is concluded that the genetic determination of the critical daylength for diapause is mainly autosomal but with some influence of sex‐linked genes and/or parental effects, possibly as an effect of the importance of protandry for males. Such sex effects could provide a starting point for the evolution of population differences inherited on the sex chromosomes.
Observations on the distribution, ecology, and behaviour of bats on the Galapagos Islands

The distribution of bats on five Galapagos islands was assessed using ultrasonic detectors that can identify the feeding calls of different bat species. Red bats (Lasiurus brachyotis) were present on Santa Cruz and San Cristobal. Hoary bats (L. cinereus) were present on Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Isabela, Floreana and Santiago. Species identifications were confirmed by recordings of bat calls, observations of flying bats, and the capture of 21 red bats and three hoary bats. There was no evidence of other species of bats on the Galapagos. Body size measurements were similar to those of South American red (L. borealis) and hoary (L. c. villosissimus) bats. Species status of L. brachyotis is not supported by morphological data. Both species were active in lowland and highland habitats, and foraging activity was high around street lights. Radio telemetry was used to locate day roosts and the nightly activity areas of four red bats in lowland areas of Santa Cruz. During the day, these bats roosted singly in the foliage of nine species of plant. Nightly activity areas were 10 to 20 ha in size. The activity areas of individuals overlapped, and included their known day roost sites. Both bat species were apparently more active in lowland habitats during the cool garua season, and less active in lowland habitats during the hot season. Female red bats were more abundant in lowland habitats during the cool season than were male red bats. Mesic, upland habitat may be critical to the survival of bats in the Galapagos.
Photoperiod and Temperature Interactions in Growth and Flowering of Strawberry

Growth and flowering of strawberry cultivars were studied in controlled environments. Early cultivars adapted to marginal growing areas in Scandinavia initiated flower buds in all photoperiods including continuous light at temperatures of 12 and 18°C. At 24°C they remained vegetative in photoperiods above 14 or 16 h. The later cultivars ‘Senga Sengana’ and ‘Abundance’ did not initiate flower buds in 24-h photoperiods at any of these temperatures. Their critical photoperiod changed from above 16 h at 12°C to about 14 and 13 h at 18 and 24°C, respectively. It is concluded that at high latitudes temperature is as important as photoperiod in controlling flowering in the strawberry. Stolon formation, petiole elongation, and leaf area growth were stimulated by high temperature and long days, usually with optima at 16 h and 18°C for petiole elongation and 16 h and 24°C for stolon formation. Although growth and flowering responses in general were opposite, the results indicate that they are to some extent independent. The photoperiodic growth responses were mainly of morphogenetic nature. Dry weight of stem and leaves was little influenced by photoperiod when the irradiance was kept constant.
Targeted Disruption of the α-Amylase Gene in the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

ABSTRACT Sulfolobus solfataricus secretes an acid-resistant α-amylase (amyA) during growth on starch as the sole carbon and energy source. Synthesis of this activity is subject to catabolite repression. To better understand α-amylase function and regulation, the structural gene was identified and disrupted and the resulting mutant was characterized. Internal α-amylase peptide sequences obtained by tandem mass spectroscopy were used to identify the amyA coding sequence. Anti-α-amylase antibodies raised against the purified protein immunoprecipitated secreted α-amylase activity and verified the enzymatic identity of the sequenced protein. A new gene replacement method was used to disrupt the amyA coding sequence by insertion of a modified allele of the S. solfataricus lacS gene. PCR and DNA sequence analysis were used to characterize the altered amyA locus in the recombinant strain. The amyA::lacS mutant lost the ability to grow on starch, glycogen, or pullulan as sole carbon and energy sources. During growth on a non-catabolite-repressing carbon source with added starch, the mutant produced no detectable secreted amylase activity as determined by enzyme assay, plate assay, or Western blot analysis. These results clarify the biological role of the α-amylase and provide additional methods for the directed genetic manipulation of the S. solfataricus genome.
A 48-week update of a multicentre real-life experience of dupilumab in adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis

The long-term efficacy and safety of dupilumab has been demonstrated in clinical trials and only in few real-world studies. We conducted an extension analysis from a previous 16-week study on 109 adult patients affected by moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis treated with dupilumab. Eczema-Area-and-Severity-Index (EASI), itch numerical-rating-score (itch-NRS), Dermatology-Life-Quality-Index (DLQI) scores, drug survival rate and occurrence of adverse events after 24 and 48 weeks of dupilumab treatment were retrospectively collected. Dupilumab demonstrated sustained improvement of disease severity, pruritus, and quality of life in our series with an increasing percentage of patients gaining EASI75 and EASI90 response during the study period. Few patients interrupted treatment resulting in a very high drug survival rate. We also confirmed the favorable safety profile of the drug with absence of serious adverse events and serious infections throughout the 48-week period. The prevalence of conjunctivitis was low and mainly occurred in the mid-term with resolution of the majority of cases at 48 weeks.
Identifying Predictors of Physical Abuse Evaluation of Injured Infants

Objectives To identify predictors of physical abuse evaluation in infants younger than 6 months with visible injury and to determine the prevalence of occult fracture and intracranial hemorrhage in those evaluated. Methods Infants 6.0 months or younger who presented with visible injury to a pediatric hospital-affiliated emergency department or urgent care between July 2013 and January 2017 were included. Potential predictors included sociodemographics, treatment site, provider, injury characteristics, and history. Outcome variables included completion of a radiographic skeletal survey and identification of fracture (suspected or occult) and intracranial hemorrhage. Results Visible injury was identified in 378 infants, 47% of whom did not receive a skeletal survey. Of those with bruising, burns, or intraoral injuries, skeletal survey was less likely in patients 3 months or older, of black race, presenting to an urgent care or satellite location, evaluated by a non–pediatric emergency medicine-trained physician or nurse practitioner, or with a burn. Of these, 25% had an occult fracture, and 24% had intracranial hemorrhage. Occult fractures were also found in infants with apparently isolated abrasion/laceration (14%), subconjunctival hemorrhage (33%), and scalp hematoma/swelling (13%). Conclusions About half of preambulatory infants with visible injury were not evaluated for physical abuse. Targeted education is recommended as provider experience and training influenced the likelihood of physical abuse evaluation. Occult fractures and intracranial hemorrhage were often found in infants presenting with seemingly isolated “minor” injuries. Physical abuse should be considered when any injury is identified in an infant younger than 6 months.
The influence of habitat availability on juvenile fish abundance in a northeastern New Zealand estuary

Management of fish populations is often focused on the exploitation of adult fish. Maintaining the habitat requirements of all life stages may also be an important consideration. We investigated the value of structured habitat to juvenile fishes within a northeastern New Zealand harbour using artificial seagrass units (ASUs). Specifically, we deployed ASUs across treatments with high vs. low habitat manipulations. We hypothesised that if the abundance of recruiting juvenile fishes was greater on the high habitat availability treatments this would suggest that the availability of habitat was limiting juvenile fish abundance. Our analyses were focused on the four most abundant fishes that settled on our ASUs: snapper (Pagrus auratus); spotty (Notolabrus celidotus); trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex); and an assemblage of pipefish species. For snapper, spotty and pipefish, abundance was greater on the high habitat availability treatments. This result would be unlikely to occur if the availability of juvenile fishes was limiting, suggesting that juvenile fish abundance is more likely to be limited by habitat. In terms of spatial gradients, spotty abundance and size increased with distance into the harbour. The spatial gradient present for spotty indicates the importance of placing the habitat dependency of juvenile fish into a landscape context. Overall, these results demonstrate that maintaining structured habitats may be an important consideration for some valuable inshore fish populations in northeastern New Zealand.
Factors associated with unmet need for limiting childbirth among women living with HIV in Togo: An averaging approach

Background Access to antiretroviral treatment has improved the life expectancy of HIV-positive patients, most often associated with a desire to limit childbearing. Women living with HIV (WLHIV) commonly have unmet need for contraception and could be at risk of unintended pregnancy. Preventing unintended pregnancies among women living with HIV are effective strategies to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Objective The aim of this study was to assess unmet need for limiting childbirth and its associated factors among women living with HIV in Togo. Methods This facility based cross-sectional study was conducted, between June and August 2016, among WLHIV in their reproductive age (15–49 years) in HIV-care settings in Centrale and Kara regions Data was collected using a structured and pretested questionnaire. WLHIV who desired to limit childbirth but not using contraception were considered to have unmet need of birth limitations. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression models with robust variance were performed to identify associated factors with unmet needs. A multi-model averaging approach was used to estimate the degree of the association between these factors and the unmet need of birth limitations. Results A total of 443 WLHIV were enrolled, with mean age of 34.5 years (standard deviation [SD] = 7.0). Among them 244 (55.1%) were in couple and 200 (45.1%) had at least the secondary level of education. 39.1% were followed-up in a private healthcare facility. At the time of the survey, 40.0% did not desire childbearing but only 9.0% (95% CI [6.7–12.1]) of them expressed unmet needs for limiting childbirth. In multivariable analysis, associated factors with unmet needs of birth limitations were: being aged 35 years or more (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 3.11, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) [1.52–6.38]), living in couple (aPR = 2.32 [1.15–4.65]), living in Kara region (aPR = 0.10 [0.01–0.76]), being followed in a private healthcare facility (aPR = 0.08[0.01–0.53]) and having severe HIV symptoms (aPR = 3.50 [1.31–9.37]). Conclusion Even though the unmet need for births limitation was relatively low among WLHIV in Togo, interventions to improve more access to contraceptive methods, and targeting 35 to 49 years old women, those in couple or followed in the public healthcare facilities would contribute to the eradication of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Water-Conducting Cells in Early Fossil Land Plants: Implications for the Early Evolution of Tracheophytes

Wall structure in the water-conducting cells of Rhynia gwynne-vaughanii and Asteroxylon mackiei from the Lower Devonian Rhynie Chert was examined and compared using thin sections and scanning electron microscopy of etched sections. Although the internal thickenings of these cells are superficially similar in both plants, there are significant differences in other aspects of wall structure. The tracheids of A. mackiei are shown to be of a basic type (G-type) that is common in some early land plant fossils such as zosterophylls and lycopods, and they are comparable to protoxylem elements in some extant `pteridophytes'. The "tracheids" of R. gwynne-vaughanii are more similar to another kind of water-conducting cell (S-type) that combines certain features of tracheids and moss hydroids. The S-type cell is known from two other Lower Devonian sporophytes, Stockmansella langii and Huvenia kleui, supporting recent suggestions that these three taxa form a natural group. S-type cells are also found in the gametophyte Sciadophyton sp. as well as two taxa, Sennicaulis hippocrepiformis and Taeniocrada dubia, for which reproductive structures are unknown. The water-conducting tissues of other early land plants are briefly reviewed and detailed reconstructions of the S-type and G-type cell are provided. A preliminary cladistic analysis focusing on the Rhyniophytina of Banks results in the recognition of a `protracheophyte' grade, as well as a small clade, the Rhyniaceae, comprising Rhynia, Stockmansella, and Huvenia. If the tracheid-like features of S-type and G-type cells are regarded as homologous, then the Rhyniaceae are resolved as the basal clade that forms the sister group to all other tracheophytes. The occurrence of a more or less isomorphic alternation of generations in some Devonian `protracheophytes' and the Rhyniaceae implies that the gametophytes of all extant `pteridophytes' are phylogenetically reduced.
Selective inhibition of penicillin-binding proteins and its effects on growth and architecture of Staphylococcus aureus

We found that the three high molecular weight penicillin-binding proteins (PBP) 1, 2, and 3 of Staphylococcus aureus could be blocked by the β-lactam antibiotics imipenem, cefotaxime, and mecillinam, respectively. The inhibition of any of these PBPs was not sufficient for an antibacterial effect. Even the simultaneous blocking of PBPs 2 and 3, previously supposed to be the lethal targets of β-lactam antibiotics, did not induce bacteriolysis, nor did the combined saturation of PBPs 2, 3, and 4. Instead, PBP 1 seems to play a key role, because on one hand the combined inhibition of PBP 1 with any of the other high molecular weight PBPs led to bacteriolysis, on the other hand, only inhibition of PBP 1 led to a loss of the ‘splitting system’ of the staphylococcal cross wall, similar to that observed in penicillin G-treated cells earlier.
BACTERICIDAL EFFICIENCIES OF COMMERCIAL DISINFECTANTS AGAINST LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES ON SURFACES

The efficiencies of potassium persulphate, isopropanol, hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid, quaternary ammonium compound, hypochlorite, sodium dichloroisocyanurate, ethanol and phenol derivatives, tertiary alkylamines and dimethyl alamine betaine-based disinfectants and a hypochlorite-based disinfecting cleaning agent were evaluated against eight Listeria monocytogenes strains representing three different ribotypes. All the disinfectants were effective in a suspension test with an exposure time of 30 s at the lowest concentrations recommended by the manufacturer. The efficiencies on surfaces were reduced. However, on clean surfaces all the agents were considered effective when the exposure time was 5 min and the concentration was the average recommended by the manufacturer. Five of nine disinfectants and the disinfecting cleaning agent were considered effective in soiled conditions in the surface test. The most efficient agent was isopropanol-based and the least effective was the disinfectant containing tertiary alkylamine and dimethyl alamine betaine. Differences in bactericidal efficiencies of disinfectants against different L. monocytogenes strains on meat soiled surfaces were found.
Desert shrub responses to experimental modification of precipitation seasonality and soil depth: relationship to the two‐layer hypothesis and ecohydrological niche

Ecohydrological niches are important for understanding plant community responses to climate shifts, particularly in dry lands. According to the two‐layer hypothesis, selective use of deep‐soil water increases growth or persistence of woody species during warm and dry summer periods and thereby contributes to their coexistence with shallow‐rooted herbs in dry ecosystems. The resource‐pool hypothesis further suggests that shallow‐soil water benefits growth of all plants while deep‐soil water primarily enhances physiological maintenance and survival of woody species. Few studies have directly tested these by manipulating deep‐soil water availability and observing the long‐term outcomes. We predicted that factors promoting infiltration and storage of water in deep soils, specifically greater winter precipitation and soil depth, would enhance Artemisia tridentata (big sagebrush) in cold, winter‐wet/summer‐dry desert. Sagebrush responses to 20 years of winter irrigation were compared to summer‐ or no irrigation, on plots having relatively deep or shallow soils (2 m vs. 1 m depths). Winter irrigation increased sagebrush cover, and crown and canopy volumes, but not density (individuals/plot) compared to summer or no irrigation, on deep‐soil plots. On shallow‐soil plots, winter irrigation surprisingly decreased shrub cover and size, and summer irrigation had no effect. Furthermore, multiple regression suggested that the variations in growth were related (i) firstly to water in shallow soils (0–0.2 m) and secondly to deeper soils (> 1 m deep) and (ii) more by springtime than by midsummer soil water. Water‐use efficiency increased considerably on shallow soils without irrigation and was lowest with winter irrigation. Synthesis. Sagebrush was more responsive to the seasonal timing of precipitation than to total annual precipitation. Factors that enhanced deep‐water storage (deeper soils plus more winter precipitation) led to increases in Artemisia tridentata that were consistent with the two‐layer hypothesis, and the contribution of shallow water to growth on these plots was consistent with the resource‐pool hypothesis. However, shallow‐soil water also had negative effects on sagebrush, suggesting an ecohydrological trade‐off not considered in these or related theories. The interaction between precipitation timing and soil depth indicates that increased winter precipitation could lead to a mosaic of increases and decreases in A. tridentata across landscapes having variable soil depth.
Avoiding “Band-Aid” Solutions in Ecosystem Restorations

Acknowledgments We thank Adam Puderbaugh, Cassie Herringshaw, Dan Anderson, and Rebecca Burch for assistance with sample collection and processing, and Jimmie Thompson, Dean Biechler, Scott Brunsheen, Don Farrar, Kevin Shawgo, John Pearson, and Steve Lekwa for identification of and permission to use sample sites. Support for this project was provided by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the Pioneer Foundation, and McIntire-Stennis funds.
Age‐ and individual‐related specificities in the effects of standardized ginseng extract on learning and memory (experiments on rats)

Using a two‐way active avoidance with punishment (electric shock) reinforcement (shuttle box) we investigated the effects of Panax ginseng extract, standardized according to the content of ginsenosides on learning and memory in 2‐, 10‐, and 22‐month old Wistar rats and in rats of the same age (5‐month old) which, after a preliminary training with the same method, had been classified as ‘good’, ‘poor’ and ‘satisfactory’ learners. In experiments on rats of different ages G115 was administered orally daily for 10 consecutive days before training at increasing doses of 3, 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg body weight. The animals were trained for 5 days and the retention test was given 14 days after the last administration of G115 (10 days after the last training session). In experiments on rats with different learning capabilities G115 was administered orally at a dose of 10 mg/kg for 10 days after shuttle box training. The retention test was performed on the day following the last treatment with G115. It was found that G115 exerted the most favourable effects on learning and memory when these processes were decayed as a result either of senescence or of individual specificities.
Multiscale Processes Regulate Brassy Minnow Persistence in a Great Plains River

Abstract Brassy minnow Hybognathus hankinsoni, a threatened species in Colorado, live in harsh, fluctuating stream environments subject to summer drying and winter freezing in the western Great Plains and yet may be capable of rapid dispersal and reproduction during the wet season. We studied brassy minnow populations at multiple spatial scales in the Arikaree River basin of eastern Colorado to determine the underlying mechanisms driving local extinction and colonization and regional persistence. Habitat units in three 6.4-km segments, arrayed across a gradient of stream intermittency from perennial to seasonally dry, were sampled five times in 2000 and 2001, the two driest summers on record. Logistic regression showed that brassy minnow were more likely to persist through summer drying in deeper pools connected to other habitat units and were more likely to persist in pools in the more perennial segments. The main cause of fish extirpation was pool drying, which logistic regression showed was more likely.