Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Artificial neural networks for predicting unsaturated soil hydraulic characteristics at different applied tensions

Direct measurement of unsaturated hydraulic parameters that are crucial inputs in any modeling of water flow or solute transport through the vadose zone is costly and time-consuming. Therefore, indirect methods like artificial neural networks (ANNs) can be used to estimate these parameters. Different ANNs conditions [two training algorithms (Trainlm and Traingd), two transfer functions (Tansig and Logsig), and different combinations of the input variables sand, silt, clay, bulk density (BD), soil organic matter (SOM) and initial (⊖i) and saturated (⊖s) volumetric water content] were used to predict the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, K ψ [at six applied tensions (ψ) of 0–0.2 m] and sorptive number, α (at five ψ values of 0.03–0.2 m) that correspond to 138 soil samples from two neighboring study areas located in the Agricultural College, Shiraz University, Islamic Republic of Iran. A four-layer ANNs with three and four nodes in the hidden layers, performed the best in predicting K ψ and α. Traingd produced the best predictions over all input variables when Tansig and Logsig transfer functions were used for K ψ and α at different values of ψ, respectively. ‘Silt + clay + sand + BD + SOM’ was the most basic influential input variable for predictions of K ψ and α at almost all values of ψ. The accuracy of ANNs-predicted K ψ decreased with decreasing ψ from 0.2 to 0.1 m, followed by an increase to a ψ value of 0 m; a specific relationship was not observed for α. Therefore, ANNs can be used to predict K ψ with greater confidence at moderate values of ψ than at lower or higher values. The normalized root mean square error, NRMSE, confirmed that ANNs predictions for K ψ were more accurate than predictions for α. Because reliable predictions were obtained for K ψ, and to a lesser extent for α, it is recommended that such intelligence models are used to predict these vital soil hydraulic attributes.
Biochemical evidence of hybrid gene introgression in some reservoir populations of tilapia in southern Sri Lanka

Two species of tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) and O. niloticus (L.), from five reservoirs in southern Sri Lanka as well as fish from a fish hatchery and laboratory stock were studied by starch gel electrophoresis at 18 enzyme loci, to determine the degree of mixing of the two species. Two reservoirs showed little or no mixing between O. mossambicus and O. niloticus, while two other reservoirs as well as the hatchery stock showed a high degree of mixing of the two species. The laboratory stock of O. niloticus also showed introgression of O. mossambicus alleles. The similarities of the local stocks to the original African as well as other Asian stocks is discussed.
Rat PPARδ Contains a CGG Triplet Repeat and Is Prominently Expressed in the Thalamic Nuclei

Abstract We have isolated a new rat sequence containing motifs of a nuclear hormone receptor from a brain cDNA library. The deduced amino acid sequence encoded by the cDNA clone showed a strong homology to the human NUCI and the mouse peroxisome proliferator activated receptor δ (PPARδ). We therefore refer to this new clone as rat PPARδ (rPPARδ). The new feature of rPPARδ is a 14 CGG triplet repeat on the 5′ untranslated region, not previously reported in either NUCI or mPPARδ. We found that rPPARδ was expressed as a 3.5-kb transcript which showed a wide distribution in adult rat tissues. Abundant expression was detected in brain, heart, skeletal muscle, kidney and lung. Weaker expression was noted in the liver, spleen and testis. To determine the specific brain localization of rPPARδ we performed in situ hybridization analysis. Prominent expression was observed in the thalamus, particularly in the posterior part of the ventral medial nucleus, a site responsive to pain and cold stress. These results raise the possibility that PPARδ might play a role in modulating response to thermal and pain sensations.
Estimation of total polyphenols contents in Ocimum basilicum L., Origanum vulgare L. and Thymus vulgaris L. commercial samples.

The plants from Lamiaceae family are used in medicine, cosmetic and for food as a spice. Phenolic compounds: flavonoids and phenolic acids, the main constituents of this plants have proven multi-directional biological activity. Poyphenols has an antioxidative activity and may act in prevention of many disorders. The estimation of total polyphenols content in commercial samples of Ocimum basilicum L. , Origanum vulgare L. and Thymus vulgaris L. herbs, derived from several producers and with different part number, was performed. Total polyphenol contents in plant materials were estimated by means of spectrophotometric method with Folin-ciocalteu reagent was performed and shown as total polyphenols in dry herb calculated as pyrogallol, gallic acid and caffeic acid. The amount of total polyphenols in O. vulgare i T. vulgaris herb were similar and higher than in O. basilicum herb.
ASSESSMENT OF THE BURIAL OF CATTLEDUNG BY AUSTRALIAN DUNG BEETLES

The droppings of cattle are utilised extensively by dung beetles native to the southern highlands of Australia, and in spring and autumn these insects (particularly Onthophagus granulatus Boheman) bury or disturb a significant proportion of the dung. The amount of dung utilised proved not be a simple function of the numbers of beetles found in the pads.
Sex determination in Cagle's map turtle: implications for evolution, development, and conservation

Sex determination was investigated in Cagle's map turtle, Graptemys caglei, which has a restricted distribution which is the southernmost of all Graptemys species. This species exhibits temperature-dependent sex determination, with high incubation temperatures producing only females and low temperatures producing only males. The estimated pivotal temperature (approximately 30.0 °C) is higher than those reported for other species of Graptemys in North America; however, the interspecific variations in pivotal temperature are small (approximately 0.5–1.0 °C). Temperature appears to affect the ovarian or testicular nature of the gonads in an "all or none" fashion, but exerts a graded effect on the length of ovaries. In addition, temperature appears to exert a graded effect on the regression of the oviducts in males. The occurrence of temperature-dependent sex determination in this species is also of conservational importance, since alterations to a single river system could potentially impact the reproductive.
A Checklist of the Seaweeds of the Mediterranean and Atlantic Coasts of Morocco. IV. Rhodophyceae - Ceramiales

Abstract A checklist of Moroccan Ceramiales (Rhodophyceae), based on both literature records and some original data, is presented. The distribution of each taxon for this region (12 Mediterranean and 26 Atlantic localities) is given. Using present-day taxonomy, 161 species and infraspecific taxa of this order are accepted for the Moroccan coasts.
A test of three hypotheses for latitudinal segregation of the sexes in wintering birds

Three hypotheses have been proposed to explain sexual differences in wintering latitude for different bird species: (1) intersexual behavioral dominance leads the subordinate sex to migrate farther to avoid competition; (2) intrasexual selection favors those individuals of one sex that arrive earlier and thus selects for wintering closer to the breeding ground; and (3) sexual differences in physiological tolerance allow the larger sex to survive harsher climates. Using sex, age, date, and location data from specimens collected south of the breeding range in the western hemisphere, I tested predictions of these hypotheses for two scolopacid shorebirds showing reverse sexual size dimorphism, the red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius, and the sanderling, Calidris alba.Neither red phalaropes nor adult sanderlings showed any sexual difference in wintering latitude. First-winter male sanderlings tended to winter farther south than first-winter females. Combined with comparative data from other species of shorebi.
Host selection by winged colonisers within the Myzus persicae group: a contribution towards understanding host specialisation

Abstract. 1. Myzus persicae sensu lato demonstrates considerable genetic variation in respect to adaptation to host plants. The subspecies M. persicae nicotianae shows a preference for tobacco, while M. persicae sensu stricto (s. str.) for other herbaceous plants. Given that winged colonisers of several aphid species play an important role in selecting host plants, here their role in the host specialisation observed in M. persicae was examined in choice and no‐choice tests conducted outdoors, in performance studies, and in DC Electrical Penetration Graph (DC‐EPG) studies.
Foliage biomass distribution of loblolly pine as affected by tree dominance, crown size, and stand characteristics

Horizontal and vertical distributions of foliage biomass of loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) were analyzed for 30 trees in a plantation that had developed 12 years after several site-preparation treatments in the Georgia Piedmont, U.S.A. Regression analyses indicated that foliage biomass of individual branches increased with branch diameter and with branch relative height. Weibull models were used to characterize foliage biomass distributions and analyses revealed that branch foliage biomass distribution varied with branch-level, tree-level, and stand-level variables. Results indicate that the proportion of foliage biomass occurring within the inner crown increased with branch diameter and relative height. For trees of greater dominance, branch foliage biomass was more evenly distributed across the branch length. With increasing crown ratio of a tree, branch foliage biomass shifted from the inner to the outer crown. For trees of greater dominance, the vertical distribution of crown foliage biomass was more even, whereas less dominant trees shifted their foliage to the top of the crown. For trees of similar dominance, crown foliage tended to shift upward as stand leaf area index increased.
Compostos bioativos e atividade antioxidante do café (Coffea arabica L.)

Conduziu-se este trabalho, com a proposta de avaliar o potencial antioxidante de dois padroes da bebida do cafe (rio e mole), verdes e torrados, utilizando modelos in vitro. Foram determinados o teor de fenolicos totais, acido clorogenico (acido 5-cafeoilquinico) e cafeina das bebidas. A avaliacao in vitro do potencial antioxidante foi investigada pelos metodos de captacao do radical DPPH e pelo poder redutor de metais. Os dois padroes de bebida do cafe analisados nao apresentaram diferencas quanto aos parâmetros cor, acido clorogenico e cafeina. Observou-se que houve reducao nos valores de acido clorogenico a medida que os graos foram torrados. O cafe verde bebida rio apresentou maior teor de fenolicos totais que o cafe bebida mole. Nos graos torrados nao foi observada diferenca. A bebida do cafe independente da qualidade sensorial apresentou alto poder redutor e importante atividade sequestrante de radicais livres. A atividade sequestrante de radicais livres foi significativamente superior nas amostras obtidas a partir dos graos torrados, quando comparados aos extratos dos graos verdes. A torracao, porem, reduziu o poder redutor das bebidas do cafe. Os dados obtidos permitem sugerir que, independente da classificacao sensorial da bebida, o cafe apresenta expressiva capacidade sequestrante de radicais livres e poder redutor de metais.
Holcus azoricus M. Seq. & Castrov. (Poaceae), a new species from the Azores Islands

A new species of Holcus L. (Poaceae), endemic to the Azores archipelago (Portugal), is described. The vegetative and reproductive structures were studied. The diagnostic characters were compared with those of closely related species. New chromosome counts in Holcus azoricus M. Seq. & Castrov. (2n = 35) and H. rigidus Hochst. (2n = 28) are included. A possible hybrid origin is hypothesized; the potential parents are H. lanatus L. and H. rigidus. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 154, 259–267.
Concentration-dependent effects of toxic and non-toxic isolates of the brown tide alga Aureococcus anophagefferens on growth of juvenile bivalves

Suspension-feeding bivalve mollusks are highly susceptible to the deleterious effects of blooms of the picoplankter Aureococcus anophagefferens (brown tide) in coastal bays of the mid- Atlantic USA. Although short-term exposure to A. anophagefferens is known to cause feeding inhi- bition of bivalves, longer-term effects on growth and survival are poorly documented. This laboratory study examines the concentration-dependent effects of 2 Long Island, New York, isolates of A. anophagefferens on the juvenile hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria and the mussel Mytilus edulis. Concentrations ≥ 400 × 10 3 cells ml -1 of a toxic A. anophagefferens isolate (CCMP 1708) arrested shell growth and caused significant soft-tissue weight loss and reduced condition in both species, effects comparable to those of starvation, but did not induce mortalities over the 3 wk study period. No histopathology was detected at the cellular level; brown tide caused reduction in digestive epithe- lium height and overall appearance of absorptive cells similar to that observed under starvation. Optimum concentrations of non-toxic, nutritious algae in a mixed assemblage with A. anophagef- ferens CCMP 1708 did not mitigate effects of brown tide at 400 × 10 3 cells ml -1 , but at 80 × 10 3 A. anophagefferens cells ml -1 the mixture resulted in positive growth and progressive acclimation to the diet. In contrast, exposure of hard clams to 400 × 10 3 and 1 × 10 6 cells ml -1 of a non-toxic A. anophag- efferens strain (CCMP 1784) supported growth rates only 18 and 29% below a volume-equivalent control diet of Isochrysis galbana respectively. We thus conclusively demonstrate that the detrimen- tal effects of brown tide on bivalve growth are mainly attributable to cell toxicity, rather than high cell density, nutritional deficiency or poor retention of small (2 µm) cells. The implications of these results to recruitment success and stock-enhancement efforts of bivalve populations in brown tide-affected estuaries are discussed.
BOOK REVIEWS

theorised’, leading to ‘definitional confusion, fuzzy policy, flawed projects and ineffectual reforms’. Just as earlier aid to ‘the economy’ was wasted because it ignored political realities, so governance programs often act as if they can avoid confronting vested power structures. In Dick’s words, ‘institutional reform is not a politically disembodied “quick fix”’. As a contribution to overcoming this posited paucity of theory, the volume endeavours to establish some frameworks to examine the categories of governance, corruption and legal reform, and to test those frameworks in the cases of Indonesia and Vietnam, and in a comparative piece on former Soviet-bloc Europe. Kanishka Jayasuriya identifies the new prominence of governance as part of a ‘post-Washington consensus’, which he sees as retaining key elements of the old Washington consensus of open markets, liberalisation and structural adjustment. In particular, the new consensus retains an instrumentalist attitude to ‘politics as the effective implementation of agreed technical procedures’ rather than as an arena of conflict, bargaining and compromise. Lindsey also sees more continuities than discontinuities in the apparently new thinking on governance, and concludes that ‘there is little reason to believe that the lessons of the 1970s have been learnt’. Dick argues for a BOOK REVIEWS
The effect of increased ground-level habitat complexity on mouse population dynamics

We investigated experimentally the influence of habitat structure on the population dynamics of house mice. Three habitat types were used. In one, dense stands of regenerating cypress pine were felled and left in situ to cover at least 40% of experimental plots, providing high complexity at ground level; in another, dense stands of regenerating pine were left intact, providing low complexity at ground level; in the third, open grassland adjacent to dense stands of regenerating pine also provided low complexity at ground level. Mouse populations occurred at higher densities in felled pine plots compared with both the standing pine and grassland plots, consistent with the hypothesis that the presence of increased habitat complexity at ground level reduced the impact of predation. Even though populations responded to the felled pine, they dropped to very low densities over winter, suggesting that the habitat was still marginal for the persistence of mice, probably due to a lack of food. The results are discussed with reference to their implications for the influence that habitat structure may have on the impact of introduced predators on native species.
IONOPHORE A23187: CATION BINDING AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES *

Key requirements in understanding the role of Ca2+ as a cellular control mediator and to other aspects of its biochemistry are the ability to manipulate the activity of the cation in subcellular compartments and to alter specifically transmembrane Ca2+ flux with a minimal disturbance to other properties of the system. An important advance in this area was the discovery of A23 187, a divalent cationselective ionophore. A23 187 became available approximately five years ago. ' Since that time over two thousand publications have appeared in which A23187 has been employed to investigate Caz+ metabolism and its.involvement in control mechanisms in a wide variety of tissues, cells. and subcellular organelles. Recent excellent rebiews have covered much of this literature. *J In contrast to its biochemical properties, which have received intensive study. knowledge of the chemistry of ,423187, which must underlie those biochemical activities, is much more limited. In this presentation we will summarize what is currently known of the chemistry and biophysics of this ionophore. The data may seem meager in some areas. We hope this will emphasize the need for caution in interpreting biochemical effects of A23 187 and will stimulate additional work. Since this is the only paper on the agenda devoted to Ca*+ ionophores, we will first discuss briefly other compounds which are known to have been proposed to have this activity. Another widely studied Ca2+ ionophore is lasalocid A. previously called X537A. Like A23187, lasalocid is a carboxylic acid and a member of the polyether class of ionophores (see Reference 4 for structure). A further similarity to A23187 is its partially aromatic character. which distinguishes both ionophores from other members of their cla Lasalocid produces profound physiological effects in a wide variety of systems. * A23 187 and lasalocid may often be used interchangeably with similar results, and many authors have interpreted its physiological activities in terms of an ability to act as a Ca2+ ionophore. However, available chemical and biophysical data indicate that lasalocid is less useful for the specific perturbation of transmembrane Ca2+ gradients than is A23187. It transports monoand tri-
Effects of two silvicultural regimes with large tree retention on epiphytic macrolichen communities in Adirondack northern hardwoods, New York, USA

We sampled epiphytic lichen communities in nine Adirondack northern hardwood stands: three old growth, three reserve shelterwood, and three single-tree selection systems. Our objectives were to assess the effects of treatment, tree diameter at breast height, and their interaction on lichen communities and to determine whether lichen traits were associated with particular habitats. Lichen community composition was strongly related to tree diameter at breast height and differed between old growth and reserve shelterwoods. Lichen community composition was also related to an interaction between tree size and stand type. Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. was associated with large trees in old growth, whereas Evernia mesomorpha Nyl. , Parmelia sulcata Taylor, and Physcia millegrana Degel. characterized those in shelterwood stands. Nitrophilous lichens were most common on small trees and in reserve shelterwoods, whereas small trees in selection systems and old growth supported lichens that were found to be most asso.
Improving Common Bean Performance under Drought Stress

Drought is the second major constraint to common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L) production after disease. This study examined yield under drought, yield potential, drought susceptibility index, harvest index, and geometric mean as potential indicators of drought resistant genotypes. The performance of two common bean populations, consisting of 78 and 95 recombinant inbred lines, was examined under moisture stress and nonstress regimes. Experiments were conducted at seven locations (1990-1994) in Michigan and Mexico to identify effective selection criteria for drought resistance. Two genotypes from each population yielded in the top 10% under both stress and nonstress conditions. Heritability estimates for yield in the Sierra/AC1028 population, based on 5 yr of data, ranged from 0.55 to 0.59 for stress and nonstress, respectively, and from 0.20 to 0.19 for stress and nonstress, respectively, in the Sierra/Lef-2RB population. Heritability for plant biomass was 0.52 for stress and 0.55 for nonstress in the Sierra/ AC1028 population and 0.15 under stress and 0.05 under nonstress in the Sierra/Lef-2RB population. One-hundred seed weight was the most highly heritable trait in both populations with heritability estimates of 0.80 for the Sierra/AC1028 population and 0.65 for the Sierra/Lef-2RB population. The geometric mean of the two moisture regimes was the single strongest indicator of performance under stress and nonstress, and a breeding strategy that involves selection based first on the geometric mean, followed by selection based on yield under stress, was suggested as the most effective strategy to improve drought resistance in common bean.
The nutritive value of mixtures of white leaf protein and food proteins

White leaf protein products were obtained from Medicago sativa by precipitation with isopropanol and from Chenopodium quinoa by heat fractionation and ultrafiltration/diafiltration. The isopropanol precipitated protein concentrate from Medicago contained less protein and more ash than the heat fractionated preparation from Chenopodium. The biological value of the protein fraction obtained from Medicago, estimated on rats using the Thomas-Mitchell balance method, was 59. The biological value of the protein preparation from Chenopodium was low (36). The preparations obtained were mixed with soya bean meal, wheat gluten, bone-meat meal, fish meal, skim milk and whey in a protein ratio 1:1. In every case, except fish meal, the biological value of the mixtures was higher than that of each component separately. This improvement of the nutritive value can not be explained from the amino acid composition; possibly the lysine availability was low. White leaf protein can, with advantage, supplement other food proteins.