Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dispersion and site fidelity of breeding male grey seals (Halichoevus grypus) on North Rona, Scotland

The daily locations of socially active male grey seals were recorded during three successive breeding seasons on North Rona (Outer Hebrides, Scotland). Areas of occupancy were defined for 38 individually identified males. Socially active males showed a high degree of site fidelity, determined from the overlap of areas and distance moved by individuals between seasons. The degree of site fidelity displayed by individuals was not related to measures of individual mating success, dominance, date of arrival to the colony, length of stay at the colony or changes in these values between seasons. As both male and female grey seals display site fidelity on N. Rona, individual recognition of potential opponents and mates is possible. There is also potential for the production of full sibling offspring in successive seasons.
Plant population effects on few yield parameters in some "Turda" maize hybrids.

Generally the maize yield per unit area responds to density changes. Optimum plant density for maximum grain yield per unit area may differ from hybrid to hybrid. Objective of the study was: to estimate the optimum density for maximum grain yield per unit area to seven hybrids, the density impact on stand uniformity, to evaluate how some hybrids, important yield parameters (yield per plant, ear length and kernel row number) respond to density changes. Experimentation was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Turda, Romania, during the 2006 and 2007 seasons under natural conditions, without irrigation. Seven single-cross hybrids (FAO 320 450) were grown at three densities (2.5, 4.2, 8.4 pl/m). Comparison of means was conducted by least significance difference (LSD) after analysis of variance for a two-factor split-plot design. In maize culture should take the necessary measures to achieve the optimum density for the chosen hybrids and the most uniform stand possible. Rezumat: În general, producţia pe unitatea de suprafaţă, răspunde la schimbarea desimii de cultură. Pentru a se putea obţine o producţie maximă pe unitatea de suprafaţă, desimea de cultură optimă diferă de la un hibrid la altul. Obiectivul acestei lucrări constă în determinarea densităţii care afectează uniformitatea plantelor/parcelă pentru trei caractere cu importanţă agronomică: producţia/plantă, lungimea ştiuletelui, numărul de rânduri pe ştiuletele principal. Experimentarea s-a efectuat la SCDA Turda, în cursul a doi ani 2006 şi 2007 în condiţii naturale, fără irigare,. Şapte hibrizi simpli de porumb (FAO 320 – 450) au fost cultivaţi la trei densităţi (2.5, 4.2, 8.4 pl/m) Compararea mediilor s-a efectuat pe baza gradului de semnificaţie al diferenţelor (DL) după calculul analizei varianţelor pentru o experienţă polifactorială cu parcele subdivizate. În cultura porumbului trebuie avut în vedere uniformitatea terenului precum şi asigurarea unei densităţi optime fiecărui hibrid
Phillipson's Children

Globalization and Language Teaching and The Sociopolitics of English Language Teaching are in a sense two cultural artefacts of an ongoing intellectual shift in applied linguistics that began in the 1990s. This is a shift in the conception of the global spread of the English language as the primary code of intercultural communication, whether intra-nationally or internationally, and the teaching of it for these purposes. The shift saw its symbolic birth with the publication of Robert Phillipson’s book Linguistic Imperialism in 1992. Linguistic Imperialism was not the first publication to raise the issues it does, but qualitatively it seems to have had the most impact. This is something I have noted in my professional life at conferences, seminars and other academic gatherings. More concrete evidence of this impact can be found in the number of book reviews that the book generated (e.g. Canagarajah, 1995; Holborow, 1993; Tollefson, 1994). Subsequent to it, many academics have sought to bring in the social, political and cultural dimensions of English language teaching to ‘non-native speakers’ in their work. I would not argue that this intellectual shift is a paradigmatic one in the Kuhnian sense (1970) because the old guard still dominate in applied linguistics. However, there is now a climate where those representing the social, the political and the cultural are generating a voice which is being heard. Prior to this intellectual shift, there were certain unquestioned givens in the professional-academic discourse associated with the global spread of English. This discourse was (and to a certain extent still is) produced and reproduced by English teachers and their professional associations such as IATEFL and TESOL as well as by academics, by institutions that propagate the global teaching of English such as the British Council, and finally by the mainly British and American publishing companies that produce teacher education publications and teaching materials. These givens can be summarised as follows. First, English is the de facto global lingua franca and should be promoted as such. This is a good thing for the following reasons: English is a neutral vehicle of communication, an empty structural system that does not carry with it cultural, political and ideological baggage. It helps engender international communication which helps business, cultural exchanges, education and development. It not only brings the above benefits to nation-states but can benefit individuals as
QTL influencing kernel chemical composition and seedling stand establishment in sweet corn with the shrunken2 and sugary enhancer1 endosperm mutations

This study was conducted to identify the chromosomal location and magnitude of effect of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling sweet corn (Zea mays L.) stand establishment and investigate the impact of dry kernel characteristics on seedling emergence under field conditions. Genetic and chemical analysis was performed on two F2:3 populations (one homozygous for su1 and segregating for se1, the other homozygous for sh2 endosperm carbohydrate mutations) derived from crosses between parental inbreds that differed in field emergence and kernel chemical compo- sition. A series of restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP) and phenotypic markers distributed throughout the sweet corn genome were used to construct a genetic linkage map for each population. F2:3 families from the two populations were evaluated for seedling emergence and growth rate at four locations. Mature dry kernels of each fam- ily were assayed for kernel chemical and physiological parameters. Composite interval analysis revealed significant QTL associations with emergence and kernel chemical and physiological variables. Improved emergence was positively correlated with lower seed leachate conductivity, greater embryo dry weight, and higher kernel starch content. QTL affecting both field emergence and kernel characteristics were detected in both populations. In the su1 se1 population genomic regions significantly influencing emergence across all four environments were found associated with the se1 gene on chromosome 2 and the RFLP loci php200020 on chromosome 7 and umc160 on chromosome 8. In the sh2 population the RFLP loci umc131 on chromosome 2 and bnl9.08 on chromosome 8 were linked to QTL significantly affecting emergence. Since seedling emergence and kernel sugar content have been shown to be negatively correlated, undesirable effects on sweet corn eating quality associated with each emergence QTL is discussed. Segregating QTL linked to RFLP loci in these populations that exert significant effects on the studied traits are candidates for molecular marker-assisted selection to improve sweet corn seed quality.
Changing workplace geographies in the COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed workplace geographies with large proportions of people working at home during the ‘Great Lockdown’. This commentary argues that working at home has emerged as a key policy response and one in which inequalities are embedded. We outline the nature of these social and spatial inequalities by examining existing evidence and data for the Global North, and consider some of the economic and policy challenges ahead.
Morphological and Physiological Changes in Sedum spectabile during Flower Formation Induced by Photoperiod

Sedum spectabile is an ornamental herbaceous perennial considered as a long-day plant. Varying levels of hormones and sugars possibly affect flower bud formation. This study aimed to determine the changes in endogenous hormones, sugars, and respiration levels in leaves and in apical buds. In addition, the current research was also conducted to observe the morphological changes during the induction, initiation and development of flower buds. Results showed that the periods of floral induction, initiation and development of S. spectabile were the period from 0 d to 1 d, 2 d to 10 d and after 11 d respectively under long day of 20 hours. High zeatin level in apical buds was conducive to floral induction; the increasing levels of gibberrelin and indole acetic acid favor floral initiation; floral development was regulated by mutually synergistic and antagonistic relationships of hormones. The total starch content in leaves remarkably decreased during floral induction. Moreover, soluble sugar content increased and reached the maximum level at 20 d of the treatment period. Afterward, soluble sugar content declined rapidly and was probably transported to the apical buds for rapid floral development. Furthermore, the total respiration of leaves maintained an upward trend; the cytochrome pathway also maintained an increasing trend after the plants were treated for 20 d. Such changes may favour the morphological differentiation of apical buds in floral development.
THE DIVERSITY–DISTURBANCE RELATIONSHIP: IS IT GENERALLY STRONG AND PEAKED?

The contemporary literature accepts that disturbance strongly influences pat- terns of species diversity, and that the relationship is peaked, with a maximum at inter- mediate levels of disturbance. We tested this hypothesis using a compilation of published species diversity-disturbance relationships that were gleaned from a literature search of papers published from 1985 through 1996 and from references therein. We identified 116 species richness-, 53 diversity-, and 28 evenness-disturbance relationships in the literature, which we grouped according to shape of relationship (nonsignificant, peaked, negative monotonic, positive monotonic, or U-shaped). We tested the relationships between the strength and shapes of these relationships and attributes of the community, disturbance, and sampling and study design. Nonsignificant relationships were the most common, com- prising 35% of richness, 28% of diversity, and 50% of evenness studies. Peaked responses were reported in only 16% of richness, 19% of diversity, and 11% of evenness cases. Explained variation in the three measures of diversity was variable among studies but averaged -50%. It was higher when few samples and few disturbance levels were examined and when organisms within the samples were not exhaustively censused, suggesting that procedural artifact contributes to these relationships. Explained variation was also higher in studies in which disturbance was measured as a gradient of time passed since the last disturbance (mean r2 = 61%), vs. studies of spatial variation in richness (mean r2 = 42%). Peaked richness relationships had the greatest odds of being observed when sampled area and actual evapotranspiration were small, when disturbances were natural rather than an- thropogenic in origin, and when few disturbance levels were examined. Thus, on average, diversity-disturbance relationships do not have consistently high r2 and are not as consis- tently peaked as the contemporary consensus would suggest.
Provenance, Guts, and Fate: Field and Experimental Evidence in a Host-Mistletoe-Bird System

Abstract: Theory suggests that host—parasite interaction should lead to local adaptation of parasites to their host. In mistletoe— host tree interactions the foraging patterns of fruit-eating birds can play an important role in host local adaptation, depending on the tree species on which the mistletoe fruits were consumed (host provenance) and the tree species on which the mistletoe seeds were deposited (host fate). Yet this interaction has not been previously documented. To determine the effects of host provenance, bird gut processing, and host fate on mistletoe seed germination and seedling establishment of Psittacanthus calyculatus, we conducted a seed inoculation experiment in Tlaxcala, Mexico. Mistletoe fruits were collected from Crataegus pubescens (Cp), Prunus serotina (Ps), and Salix bonplandiana (Sb) and measured. We then manually removed the exocarp and pulp of half the fruits, and the other half were given to grey silky-flycatchers (Ptilogonys cinereus) for gut processing. Obtained seeds of both groups of fruits were measured and deposited on branches of other trees of the same 3 host species in a full factorial design. Mistletoe fruit size varied significantly among host tree species, but differences did not coincide with those in gut retention time. Bird gut processing and the host provenance × host fate interaction were the best predictors for the occurrence of germination and establishment of seedlings. Seed germination and seedling establishment were more likely when seeds were gut processed by birds, but gut retention time had no significant effects. The significant host provenance × host fate interaction was largely due to higher success of mistletoe seeds from Sb to Sb and lower success from Sb to Ps. Our results suggest that to understand the efficiency of infection of P. calyculatus and possibly other mistletoe species, the linked effects of the digestive processes undergone by mistletoe seeds and the species of host trees where the seeds were consumed and ultimately deposited should be considered. Nomenclature: Kuijt, 2009.
Cordyline terminalis plants respond to foliar sprays and medium drenches of paclobutrazol

Potted Cordyline terminalis L.Prins Alber', a foliage plant, was treated with foliar sprays or growth medium drenches of paclobutrazol for plant growth control. Paclobutrazol effectively reduced shoot length measured 4 months following application, the drench being more effective than the spray. Application of paclobutrazol at 200 ppm by either method gave a desirable compact and marketable product. Drench applications at 1000 ppm promoted side-shoot formation (.)
Biodiversity and Conservation of Tropical Peat Swamp Forests

Tropical peat swamp forest is a unique ecosystem that is most extensive in Southeast Asia, where it is under enormous threat from logging, fire, and land conversion. Recent research has shown this ecosystem's significance as a global carbon store, but its value for biodiversity remains poorly understood. We review the current status and biological knowledge of tropical peat swamp forests, as well as the impacts of human disturbances. We demonstrate that these forests have distinct floral compositions, provide habitat for a considerable proportion of the region's fauna, and are important for the conservation of threatened taxa, particularly specialized freshwater fishes. However, we estimate that only 36% of the historical peat swamp forest area remains, with only 9% currently in designated protected areas. Given that peat swamp forests are more vulnerable to synergies between human disturbances than other forest ecosystems, their protection and restoration are conservation priorities that require urgent action.
Growth Curves for Graptemys, with a Comparison to Other Emydid Turtles

Abstract Von Bertalanffy growth-curve parameters were calculated from plastral annuli of specimens of Graptemys ouachitensis and G. pseudogeographica kohnii captured in western Kentucky, and museum specimens of G. ernsti from Alabama and G. caglei (males only) from Texas. Males had estimated values of k (intrinsic rate of growth toward asymptotic plastron length, PLA) ranging from 0.264 to 0.498. Values of k for females of three species (range 0.110–0.182) were significantly less than the corresponding values for males, whereas PLA values for females (range 175.3–220.2 mm) greatly exceeded PLA values of males (range 91.5–114.5 mm). There was a significant negative correlation of PLA with k within 13 emydid turtle populations for which von Bertalanffy parameter estimates were available, with a slope similar to those reported for fish taxa; however, this relationship was not evident for either male values or female values when data were analyzed by phylogenetically independent contrasts. Use of the Richards model, a parent growth curve to the von Bertalanffy model, improved model fit for only one of seven data sets, whereas use of sine-wave versions of the von Bertalanffy and Richards models improved model fit for only two of seven data sets.
CARBOXYLIC IONOPHORES ENHANCE THE CYTOTOXIC POTENCY OF LIGAND- AND ANTIBODY-DELIVER ED

Monoclonal antibodies and receptor ligands can deliver covalently coupled toxic ricin A chain to selected cell membrane targets but, for cytotoxicity to result, internalization and passage into the cytosol must also ensue. This prerequisite binding and entry, which allows A chain to come in contact with and enzymatically inactivate ribosomes (1), also provides a safeguard against affecting innocent bystander cells that lack the appropriate receptor or antigen. We have constructed a toxic conjugate composed of human transferrin disulfide linked to ricin A chain (TF-A chain) ~ so that this receptor-mediate d iron delivery pathway can be used to explore the more subtle aspects of A chain intoxication (2). While passage of transferrin into and back out of cells occurs in a matter of minutes (3, 4), the toxic conjugate required 6 h to inhibit cellular protein synthesis (2). This indicated that its speed of action was dictated by some slow or infrequent event divorced from the normal cycle. Therefore, we tested TF-A chain along with the carboxylic ionophores monensin and nigericin, which can raise the pH and otherwise disturb the stability of vesicle compartments within the cell (5). In the presence of ionophore, inhibition of protein synthesis by TF-A chain was accelerated 15-fold, occurring with a half-time (tl/2) of only 24 min. Potency was correspondingly raised by several orders of magnitude and the number of receptor sites required for toxicity was also dramatically reduced. Ricin A chain delivered into cells by a monoclonal antibody directed against common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (CALLA) determinants (6) responded to the potentiating influences of carboxylic ionophores in a similar manner.
Effects of Fragment Size and Habitat Heterogeneity on Cryptogam Diversity in the Low-boreal Forest of Western Canada

Abstract The effects of fragmentation of the sub-humid low-boreal forest in agro environments on bryophyte and lichen diversity were analyzed on 44 woodlots in three regions of northern Alberta, Canada. Woodlots were selected to cover a wide variety of shapes and sizes in each area. Several microclimatic variables, which included temperature at three different heights above the forest floor, relative humidity, and the amount of light penetration were measured in five m diameter circular sample plots along transects that covered the length and the width of each fragment. The number of microhabitats that included living trees with creviced and smooth bark, standing dead, different decay classes of downed woody debris, soil and rock were tabulated at each sample plot. Bryophyte and lichen presence was noted for all microhabitats found within each plot. There was a trend of decreasing temperature and light intensity and increasing humidity up to 15 m from the edge of the fragments. A multiple regression analysis revealed that the distance from edge and the habitat heterogeneity were the most important variables affecting bryophyte and lichen species richness. Further analysis indicated that edge effects were significant for bryophytes, but not for lichens. The size and shape of fragments had a significant effect on habitat heterogeneity, and bryophyte and lichen diversity. Although there was a distinction between the floras in each region, the effects of fragment size and habitat heterogeneity were similar. An indicator species analysis selected several indicators of large, medium, and small fragments that were also indicators of habitat heterogeneity and species richness. The presence or absence of several indicator species is used to produce performance benchmarks for habitat heterogeneity and species richness. The use of indicator species offers an inexpensive and relatively easy method to evaluate edge effects and habitat heterogeneity on bryophyte and lichen diversity in woodlots.
Infant exposure to persistent organochlorine compounds is higher in Denmark than in Finland.

Significantly poorer male reproductive health has been documented in Danish compared to Finnish men, including a higher prevalence of cryptorchidism and hypospadias. Exposure to environmental pollutants with endocrine disrupting activities has been suggested as a possible contributing factor. In this study, we investigated whether there was a difference in milk and placenta concentrations of persistent organohalogen compounds between the two countries. Organohalogens were analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry in human milk samples from Finland (n=65) and Denmark (n=65) and placentas (n=168 Danish, 112 Finnish), selected from a population-based cohort. p, p’-DDE was the dominant pollutant. β-HCH, HCB, END-I, dieldrin, OXC, c-HE, and p, p’-DDT were the other main organochlorines detected. Danish samples had significantly higher concentrations of p, p’-DDE, p, p’-DDT, β-HCH, HCB, dieldrin, c-HE, and OXC than Finnish. The organochlorine levels were higher in Danish samples, which suggests higher exposure of Danish infants.
Primary seed dispersal by three Neotropical seed-predating primates (Cacajao melanocephalus ouakary, Chiropotes chiropotes and Chiropotes albinasus)

Abstract: The Neotropics house two guilds of large arboreal vertebrate seed predators: parrots and the pitheciin primates. Both have diets dominated by immature fruits. The possibility of members of the Pitheciinae (genera Cacajao, Chiropotes and Pithecia) acting as occasional seed dispersers has been mooted, but not experimentally shown. We combined primate behavioural data and seed germination data from three separate field studies in the Brazilian states of Amazonas and Pará to analyse patterns of post-consumption seed survivorship for seeds discarded by three pitheciin species (Cacajao melanocephalus ouakary, Chiropotes chiropotes and Chiropotes albinasus). We then calculated the frequency of dispersal events for four species eaten by C. m. ouakary. All three primate species dropped intact seeds while feeding, and 30.7% of 674 dropped seeds germinated ex situ. Undamaged seeds from unripe and ripe samples germinated (29.3% and 42.7%, respectively), and all three primate species carried some fruits up to 20 m from the parent tree before consuming them. Potential seed-dispersal events varied from 1 (Macrolobium acaciifolium) per fruiting cycle to more than 6500 (Duroia velutina), suggesting that there are differences in dispersal potential. In summary, although they are highly specialized seed predators, these primates may also act as important dispersers for some plant species, and effective dispersal is not restricted to ripe fruits, as immature fruits removed from a tree may continue to mature and the seeds later germinate, a much-neglected aspect of dispersal ecology. The possibility that similar events occur in parrots should be experimentally investigated.