Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Habitat fragmentation and the distribution of amphibians: patch and landscape correlates in farmland

We studied the effects of agriculturally induced fragmentation of forests and wetlands on amphibian assemblages and their distribution in a landscape of the midwestern United States. Potential breeding pools and upland areas in 30 forest patches of various sizes and degrees of isolation were intensively sampled for amphibians during April through August 1996 and March through August 1997 in Indiana. Species presence was documented using pitfall traps, anuran vocalization surveys, and cover-board sampling for adults and minnow traps and dip nets for larvae. Amphibian, anuran, and salamander assemblages were nonrandomly distributed across the landscape. American toads (Bufo americanus) and gray treefrogs (Hyla versicolor) were ubiquitous, whereas the distributions of several other species were ordered in a predictable manner. Logistic regression was used to develop predictive models of probabilities of occurrence for species in response to forest and wetland patch and landscape variables. Occurrence of redb.
Effect of nitrogen, seeding date and cultivar on oat quality and yield in the eastern Canadian prairies

The proportion of oat (Avena sativa L.) being used for race horses and human consumption has increased over the past 15 yr. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of N, seeding date and cultivar on grain yield components, grain yield and grain quality of oat under a direct seeding system. Four N rates, three seeding dates and two cultivars were tested at Indian Head, Melfort, and Canora, SK, and Brandon, MB. Yield was more responsive to increasing N rates from 15 and 80 kg ha-1 when oat was seeded in early May versus early June. Panicles plant-1 was the yield component that accounted for most of the yield increase achieved from increasing rates of N, while kernel weight was the yield component that decreased as the rate of N increased. Physical seed quality decreased (plump seed decreased and thin seed increased) with delayed seeding and greater N fertilizer rates. Nitrogen fertilizer and seeding date had a much larger effect on the quality of CDC Pacer than AC Assiniboia. Combining early.
Relevance of visual and olfactory cues for host location in the mustard leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae

The relevance of visual and olfactory cues for host‐plant location is investigated in males and females of the oligophagous mustard leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae Fabricius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). Different objects are offered in a walking arena and the behaviour of beetles is observed. Beetles orient toward vertically or horizontally striped black and white pattern independent of stripe orientation. The results suggest that contrast facilitates orientation in the field, whereas the pattern itself may be less important for host location in dense vegetation. The response to green and yellow objects is tested to investigate discrimination abilities between young (green) and mature (yellow) leaves. Beetles prefer green over yellow independent of material (cardboard or leaves of Nasturtium officinale R. Br., Brassicaceae). Preference behaviour tested in a dual‐choice contact assay coincides with visual preferences, where adults prefer young, more nutritious leaves for feeding and oviposition. Furthermore, females discriminate between visual cues of green leaves and green cardboard, whereas males do not, indicating that females are more sensitive in colour discrimination. Differences in colour wavelength influence the choice of beetle behaviour more strongly than differences in intensity. Both sexes of P. cochleariae prefer volatiles of the host plant N. officinale, whereas only females respond to the main volatile compound 2‐phenylethyl isothiocyanate. Given a choice between visual and olfactory cues, males orientate towards the colour cues, whereas females do not show any preferences. In males, visual cues may thus override olfactory cues, whereas, in females, both are equally important, which may reflect different ecological requirements and/or physiological abilities.
CONSEQUENCES OF ALTERNATIVE FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE FORMULATIONS IN MODELS EXPLORING WHALE-FISHERY INTERACTIONS

We evaluated the utility of Ecosim for exploring interactions between cetacean predators, their prey, and fisheries. We formulated six Ecosim parameterizations, representing alternative hypotheses of feeding interactions (functional response) between cetaceans and their main fish prey, and examined differences in the predicted responses to simulated harvesting regimes for minke whales and their prey. Regardless of the type of function response formulated, intense fishing on the main fish prey of minke whales had a longer-lasting negative impact on minke whales than when minke whale biomass was removed directly by harvesting. Consumption rate, biomass, feeding time and mortality of minke whales were all sensitive to the type of functional response specified. Inclusion of ‘‘handling time’’ limited minke whales consumption at high prey densities and predicted higher consumption at low prey densities; features characteristic of a type II functional response. Predicted decline and recovery rates of minke whales were slower than when consumption rates were not limited. Addition of ‘‘foraging time’’ adjustments resulted in more conservative estimates of decline and recovery. However, when ‘‘other mortality’’ was linked to time spent foraging, exposure to higher mortality at low prey densities, and reduced mortality at high prey densities resulted in dramatic differences in predicted biomass trajectory. Sensitivity to the ‘‘other mortality’’ assumption is important for cetaceans whose predation mortality is only a small proportion of total mortality. Differences in the feeding and biomass dynamics were also observed when prey availability to predators was represented by changes in prey vulnerability, confirming earlier reports that Ecosim predictions are sensitive to this parameter.
Secrecy Outage Analysis of Transmit Antenna Selection Assisted With Wireless Power Beacon

This paper considers a multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) energy-harvesting (EH) system, which is made up of a source (S) and a destination (D) as well as an eavesdropper (E). In this system, S, D and E are equipped with multiple antennas and S can be charged by a power beacon (PB) in the EH phase of the total communication process. To enhance the physical-layer security, we propose optimal antenna selection (OAS) scheme and suboptimal antenna selection (SAS) scheme, relying on whether the global channel state information (CSI) is available or unavailable to S. Moreover, the analysis of the conventional space-time transmission (STT) is carried out as a baseline. In order to intuitively show the effect of the number of antennas on secrecy outage performance, the secrecy diversity analysis for STT, SAS and OAS schemes is carried out through the asymptotic secrecy outage probability as the MER (the average gains between main channel from S to D and wiretap channel from S to E) tends to infinity. Additionally, the results show that the secrecy diversities of STT, SAS and OAS are the product of the number of antennas at S and D, which has no relation to E. Furthermore, the research findings indicate that our proposed OAS scheme performs the best in terms of secrecy outage probability and STT scheme achieves the worst secrecy performance.
Construction and immunogencity of a ΔapxIC/ΔapxIIC double mutant of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovar 1

The apxIC and apxIIC genes of the Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovar 1 strain SLW01, encoding the ApxI- and ApxII-activating proteins, respectively, were deleted successively by a method involving sucrose counterselection. The resulting strain, SLW03, contained no foreign DNA and could secrete unactivated ApxIA and ApxIIA RTX toxins with complete antigenicity. Strain SLW03 was attenuated at least 1000-fold in Balb/C mice and caused no adverse effects in pigs at doses of up to 1 × 109 CFU mL−1. SLW03 was able to induce a significant immune response and provide complete protection from clinical signs upon homologous (serovar 1) and heterologous (serovar 9) challenge of A. pleuropneumoniae. Pigs vaccinated via the intranasal (i.n.) route had significantly higher serum titers and fewer pulmonary lesions than pigs vaccinated via the intramuscular route postchallenge. These results suggest that the mutant strain SLW03 could be used as a candidate live vaccine that can induce reliable cross-serovar protection following i.n. immunization.
Occurrence Pattern of an Unidentified Moth Captured by Sex Pheromone Trap of the Oriental Fruit Moth, Grapholita molesta, and Its Discriminating Molecular Markers

An unidentified moth was captured in sex pheromone traps of the oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta, especially at spring season in apple orchards and their vicinity. Though the captured males were similar in appearance to G. molesta males, they were easily distinguished by a matted difference in body size. Their occurrence pattern was also similar to that of overwintering G. molesta population from April to May, at which more males were captured in the pheromone traps installed in the vicinity of apple orchards than within apple orchards. After May, they were no longer captured in the pheromone traps. To investigate any larval damage due to this unidentified moth, molecular markers needed to be developed. Four PCR-RFLP markers originated from cytochrome b region of mitochondrial DNA could distinguish this unidentified moth from G. molesta.
Checklist of dicotyledons naturalised in New Zealand 18. Asteraceae (Compositae) subfamily Asteroideae

Abstract One hundred and forty-two taxa of Asteraceae subfamily Asteroideae (27 Anthemideae, 28 Astereae, 5 Calenduleae, 7 Eupatorieae, 27 Heliantheae, 21 Inuleae, 23 Senecioneae, 4 Tageteae) are reported as naturalised in New Zealand. Records of 12 further taxa (3 Anthemideae, 4 Heliantheae, 2 Inuleae, 3 Senecioneae) are unsubstantiated.
Influences of pre-presented information on multi-armed bandit task

Various information are taken into account on decision making. For example, we determine the transportation means or outfit of the day based on “weather forecast”. In addition, the behavior of a person also depend on the reliability of the information. In this study, we consider the case of repeating the action of selecting one from multiple choices with unknown rewards, which is well known task as multi-armed bandit, in pre-presented information. At the first time, pre-presented information is unreliable, and the effect of the information to the behavior is small. Participants can easily modify information to match the results of task if the information should be incorrect. We assume that participants may become difficult to correct the behavior due to prior information after correct information continues to be presented. It is because the reliability of information increases by repetitive correct information. Therefore, we verified how the information is corrected by the actual results and how the correction could be modified by the reliability of the pre-presented information. In particular, we analysis the participant behavior in the situation that the incorrect information is suddenly presented after the correct information is continuously presented. As a result, we found that the ratio of the incorrect choice is increased and the fixation of the behavior is delayed after the repetitive correct information.
Synthesis of aroma compounds by apples supplied with alcohols and methyl esters of fatty acids

Ester synthesis by apples supplied with alcohols (C2–C8) and methyl esters of short chain fatty acids (C4–C8) was studied using gas chromatographic analysis of the products. The substrates were supplied as vapours to whole fruits stored in 2% O2 at 3°C. The alcohols were converted to the corresponding acetate ester; butanol, pentanol and hexanol were converted most rapidly. The methyl esters of short chain fatty acids (Cn) were converted to esters with an alkyl group (Cn-2, Cn-4) confirming the presence in whole fruits of an active β-oxidation pathway for fatty acids. Ester synthesis was stimulated when apples were supplied with methyl octanoate at different periods during long term storage in 2% O2. Treatment of the fruit immediately postharvest did not enhance ethylene synthesis.
Duration of development and number of nymphal instars are differentially regulated by photoperiod in the cricket Modicogryllus siamensis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

The effect of photoperiod on nymphal development in the cricket Modicogryllus siamensis was studied. In constant longdays with 16 hr light at 25°C, nymphs matured within 40 days undergoing 7 moults, while in constant short-days with 12 hr light, 12~23 weeks and 11 or more moults were necessary for nymphal development. When nymphs were transferred from long to short day conditions in the 2nd instar, both the number of nymphal instars and the nymphal duration increased. However, only the nym­ phal duration increased when transferred to short day conditions in the 3rd instar or later. When the reciprocal transfer was made, the accelerating effect of long-days was less pronounced. The earlier the transfer was made, the fewer the nymphal instars and the shorter the nymphal duration. The decelerating effect of short-days or accelerating effect of long-days on nymphal development varied depending on instar. These results suggest that the photoperiod differentially controls the number of nymphal instars and the duration of each instar, and that the stage most important for the photoperiodic response is the 2nd instar.
A Study on Characteristic Flavor Compounds in Traditional Chinese Rice Wine — Guyue Longshan Rice Wine

The objective of the study was to systematically investigate flavor compounds in Chinese rice wine (CRW) using chromatography technology. In twelve CRW samples, 93 different flavor compounds were detected and identified including 16 alcohols in addition to ethanol, 29 esters, 9 aldehydes, 9 organic acids, 19 amino acids and 11 fatty acids. Statistical analysis by principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that seventeen flavor compounds in Guyue Longshan rice wine made a large contribution to its special flavor. These compounds were benzaldehyde, acetaldehyde, ethyl 2-hydroxy-4-methylvalerate, ethyl butyrate, phenyl ethyl isobutyrate, ethyl benzoate, ethyl phenyl-acetate, methyl dodecanoate, methyl oleate, ethyl dedecanoate, 1-butanol, 3-ethoxyl-1-propanol, 1-enanthol, dodecanol, lactic acid, fumaric acid and lauric acid.
Development of androgen receptor ligands by application of ten-vertex para-carborane as a novel hydrophobic core structure

We report here the design, synthesis, androgenic activity and anti-androgenic activity of novel derivatives of hexadecahedral 1,10-dicarba-closo-decaborane, which is generally called ten-vertex para-carborane. The synthesized compounds exhibited very high binding affinity for the androgen receptor and showed anti-androgenic activity toward the androgen-dependent SC-3 cell line. Two compounds also exhibited partial agonistic activity in SC-3 assay. The docking studies of carborane derivatives to AR demonstrate that ten-vertex carborane is useful for development of novel bioactive compounds as well as twelve-vertex carboranes that are well known to be versatile pharmacophores. Ten-vertex carborane, which has not previously been applied in the field of medicinal chemistry, appears to have potential as a hydrophobic pharmacophore with characteristic properties.
Melatonin-Loaded Nanoparticles for Enhanced Antidepressant Effects and HPA Hormone Modulation

Background. The present work aims at formulating the melatonin-loaded nanoparticles (MTNPs) exhibiting the controlled-release and pH-sensitivity to repurpose the use of melatonin in the treatment of depressive-like behaviors and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation. Methods. MTNPs were characterized for the size, drug incorporation, and in vitro release in the different pH environments. Its merits were in vivo tested on the pinealectomized rats presenting the depressive-like behaviors and the abnormal HPA axis activity by calculating the improvement on saccharin preference, swimming immobility time, and the negative feedback of HPA axis. Results. Results revealed that MTNPs showed nanometer size, 15.77% of drug loading, 33.82% of encapsulation efficiency, the different controlled-release profiles in different pH environments (pH 1.2, pH 6.8, and pH 7.4), more sensitivity release in simulated intestinal fluid (pH 7.4) and blood (pH 6.8), and less sensitivity release in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2). Furthermore, MTNPs displayed better antidepressant actions in reducing the immobility time of forced swimming test, increasing the preference for saccharin, and sensitizing the blunt negative feedback of HPA axis, when compared to the free melatonin. Conclusions. The controlled-release nanoparticles is shown to be an effective improvement on the dosage form for melatonin, which is worthy of futuristic and complete evaluation.
Antarctic demersal finfish around the Elephant and the South Orkney islands: distribution, abundance and biological characteristics

A research survey for demersal finfish was completed using bottom trawl fishing gear, following a random stratified sampling design, between 50 and 500 m on shelf areas of subarea 48.1 (Elephant Island) and Subarea 48.2 (South Orkney Island). An acoustic survey was simultaneously carried out to enhance knowledge of bathymetry and the distribution of fish and krill in the studied area. The cruise took place between the 6 and 27 January 2018. A total of 36 hauls were carried out, 15 around Elephant Island and 21 around the South Orkney Islands. A total of 37 fish species were caught with a total biomass of 19,112 kg. The main species encountered included Notothenia rossii and Champsocephalus gunnari , with nominal catches weighing 16,204 (85%) and 876 kg (5%), respectively. Other species of fish accounted noticeably for lower amounts (11%), such as Gobionotothen gibberifrons (330 kg), Chaenocephalus aceratus (322 kg), and Pseudochaenichthys georgianus (299 kg). Indicative estimates of standing stock biomass suggested that in this cruise, N. rossii was the most abundant demersal finfish species in the Elephant Island area, followed by C. gunnari . Differently, on the South Orkney Islands shelf, the most abundant species was G. gibberifrons , followed by P. georgianus . The study provides biological data (length frequency distribution, median size, sex ratio, gonad maturity stages, length-weight relationship) on the main species captured during the survey, and the oceanographic characteristics (depth profiles of temperature, salinity, density) obtained with CTD around the South Orkney Islands.
Sexing Blue Tits Parus caeruleus during the winter, with comments on reporting sexing criteria

Some suggestions are made about reporting the reliability of sexing criteria, with emphasis on their sensitivities and predictive values. Sexing criteria with imperfect sensitivities have lower predictive value for the rarer sex and can bias estimates of sex ratios. Blue Tits Parus caeruleus wintering in East Sussex were easier to sex than those in a Scottish population (Scott 1993). It is possible that this was because the extent of sexual dimorphism varies between Blue Tit populations; mean wing length appears to vary more between populations among females than among males. Comparisons of the sex ratios of samples caught at different net sites suggested that during the winter females foraged at greater heights than males. Females did not forage significantly further from cover than males, but more data are required.
Cannabidiol attenuates methamphetamine-induced conditioned place preference via the Sigma1R/AKT/GSK-3β/CREB signaling pathway in rats.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a highly addictive psychostimulant. Cannabidiol (CBD) is an exogenous cannabinoid without psychostimulating activity, which has potential therapeutic effects on opioid addiction. However, it is unclear whether CBD has therapeutic effects on METH-induced motivational effects. The present study examines whether CBD has a protective effect on METH-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in rats by regulating the Sigma1R and AKT-GSK3β-CREB signaling pathway. Seventy rats were equally and randomly divided into seven groups. The rat CPP model was established via the intraperitoneal injection (IP) of 2 mg/kg of METH. Next, the intraperitoneal injection of 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg CBD was performed 1 h prior to the injection of saline or METH. The protein expression levels of Sigma1R, AKT, p-AKT, GSK-3β, p-GSK-3β, CREB, and p-CREB in the rats' prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus and ventral tegmental were detected using western blot analysis. CBD was found to inhibit METH-induced CPP in a dose-dependent fashion. The expression levels of Sigma1R, p-AKT, p-GSK3β, and p-CREB increased significantly in the METH-induced CPP model. Treatment involving different doses of CBD caused differential inhibitory responses in the cellular protein abundance of Sigma1R, p-AKT, p-GSK3β, and p-CREB across various brain regions. The present study found that METH can induce CPP in rats. When a pretreatment of CBD is applied, the CBD can weaken CPP in METH-induced rats by regulating the SigmaR1/AKT/GSK-3β/CREB signaling pathway. The results of this study indicate that CBD has a potential therapeutic effect on METH-induced rewarding effects.
The Influence of Groundwater on the Population Size and Total Length of Warmwater Stream Fishes

Abstract - Groundwater influences stream environments in numerous ways including structuring biotic assemblages. However, associations between groundwater influence and warmwater fish assemblages are under-studied. We examined relationships between groundwater contribution, population size, and total length (TL) for 5 warmwater fishes at 32 stream reaches in the Ozark Highlands ecoregion. When we controlled for distance from an impoundment, population size and TL were significantly related to groundwater influence for all 5 species. Sunfishes were significantly less abundant in reaches with high levels of groundwater contribution (HGC reaches), whereas Ambloplites rupestris (Rock Bass) and Nocomis asper (Redspot Chub) TLs were significantly greater at HGC reaches. Reach-scale groundwater contribution explained nearly 4 times more unexplained variation among fish densities than did TL. Our study provides insight into the structuring role of groundwater on warmwater fish populations.
INFLUENCE OF CECECTOMY AND DIETARY ANTIBIOTICS ON THE FATE OF INGESTED INTACT GLUCOSINOLATES IN POULTRY

A series of experiments involving the use of cecectomized hens and dietary antibiotics as means of controlling hindgut fermentation was conducted to follow the disappearance of intact glucosinolates (IG) from the GI tract of poultry. In addition, a balance study was conducted with colostomized roosters to determine the role of the kidney in the excretion of IG and thiocyanate ion (SCN). Recovery of IG in cecectomized hens was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in intact hens (80.5 vs. 33.6 mmol 7 d−1). Similarly, IG recovery was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in antibiotic-fed hens than in hens fed no antibiotics. The effect varied among antibiotics with chlorotetracycline and lincomycin showing the greatest response. Both aliphatic and aromatic (glucosinalbin and indoles) IG disappeared from the GI tract to a significantly (P < 0.01) greater extent in intact hens than in cecectomized hens but the absolute amount of disappearance was greater for aliphatic IG than for aromatic IG. Thiocyanate ion (SCN) .