Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non-random distribution of weed species abundance in arable fields

Borgy B, Gaba S, Petit S & Reboud X (2012) Non-random distribution of weed species abundance in arable fields. Weed Research52, 383–389. Summary Many decisions for pest control in agriculture are based on densities, rather than species presence only. Little is known about the distribution of pest abundance and even less when several species present in a field may interact. With the aim of developing an ecologically based approach to weed management, we compared observed co-occurrence patterns with a null model, to test whether the abundances of weed species were randomly assembled. The data set covered the pattern of co-occurrence of abundances of weeds within 200-m2 plots located in 1143 arable fields scattered across France. Our results pinpointed a highly significant ‘similar attraction–dissimilar repulsion’ rule, as species reaching similar abundance levels co-occurred significantly more often than expected under the hypothesis of a random distribution of abundance. A similar analysis applied to the 25% plots that had the highest weed densities indicated that the ‘similar attraction–dissimilar repulsion’ rule held true for low-abundance classes, but not in situations where at least one species was observed at densities above 20 individuals m−2. Our analysis extends the analysis of community beyond the sole species richness index by accounting for their abundance. Overall, weed species interfered or responded similarly to an external biotic or abiotic factor, with resulting adjustment of densities at the scale of the agricultural field.
Seed Dispersal of Halophytes in Tidal Salt Marshes

1 Dispersal of halophyte propagules by tidal currents was studied in transects along the tidal gradient in a salt marsh in the Netherlands using standing nets fixed to the soil surface and floating nets. 2 Significant interspecific differences were found in propagules caught in standing or in floating nets. 3 The transport of propagules was mainly determined by the tidal currents: neither wind direction or speed nor the height of the high tide played a significant role. 4 In the vegetated marsh a net upward transport of propagules with the flood currents was found. Comparatively few propagules were transported into the marsh from elsewhere with the incoming tide; a significantly higher number of propagules was transported out of the marsh with the ebb currents. 5 There was substantial exchange of propagules within the marsh. Export of propagules especially of species growing in the lower parts of the marsh indicate a potential exchange between different salt marshes. [KEYWORDS: Estuaries; exchange of propagules; halophytes; tidal currents Dynamics; germination; banks]
Genetic comparison of the aggressive weed mould strains of Trichoderma harzianum from mushroom compost in North America and the British Isles

Genetic characterization of 15 aggressive weed mould strains that were identified morphologically as Trichoderma harzianum (sensu Rifai) from mushroom compost in commercial units in North America (designated T. harzianum group 4) was undertaken using various molecular techniques. RFLP analysis of rDNA revealed homogeneity among these strains; a low level of polymorphism was detected in mitochondrial DNA. RAPD analysis also indicated a very high degree of homogeneity among the T. harzianum group 4 strains. Nucleotide sequence determination of the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 revealed five base pair differences between T. harzianum groups 4 and 2. Comparison of molecular data on T. harzianum group 4 with that of T. harzianum group 2, which caused green mould epidemics in the mushroom industries of the British Isles, indicated that T. harzianum group 4 is not the same as group 2.
Modeling Some Drying Characteristics of High Moisture Potato Slices in Fixed, Semi Fluidized and Fluidized Bed Conditions

Drying properties of high moisture potato slices with initial moisture content of about 4.06 (db) under thin layer fixed, semi fluidized and fluidized bed conditions were studied. Drying air temperatures of 40, 50, 60 and 70°C were applied in experiments using a laboratory fluidized bed convective dryer. In order to predict the drying behavior of potato slices, seven thin layer drying models were applied from where finally Midilli et al. model was selected as the suitable one, based on comparative indices. Effective moisture diffusivity of the potato slices varied between 4.29×10 and 15.70×10 m s for fixed and fluidized bed conditions, respectively. Moisture diffusivity values of the slices were increased as the drying air temperature levels increased. Activation energy values varied between 15.88 and 24.95 kJ mol. Minimum and maximum values of activation energy were obtained at minimum fluidized and fixed bed conditions, respectively. Consumption of specific energy for thin layer drying of high moisture potato slices was obtained between 0.45×10 and 1.64×10 (kJ kg). Increase in the drying air temperature in each bed condition caused increase in energy consumption. The maximum value of energy consumption was obtained at fluidized bed conditions.
Accountability in Australia: Control, Paradox, and Complexity

Accountability in the Australian federal system has changed in distinctive ways during the last three decades of public sector reform. In association with each major environmental change has been an extension to accountability from the traditional features of ministerial responsibility and bureaucratic hierarchy to new modes of external scrutiny, accountability management, and most recently accountability within market and governance contexts. Each experiment at the national level, however, has had limitations that produce knock on effects. The paradox of accountability is that attempts to satisfy needs for control have led new forms and variations. The result has been the multiplication of accountability mechanisms and increasing complexity.
The NF-κB pathway in human endometrium and first trimester decidua

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) regulates proinflammatory genes and may be involved in inflammation associated with reproductive events e.g. menstruation, implantation. Activation of NF-κB involves several protein kinases and subsequent degradation of an endogenous inhibitor, IκBα. This study details expression of NF-κB pathway intermediates in human endometrium and first trimester decidua. Messenger RNA was detected for IκBα, and IκB kinase γ (IKKγ, a scaffolding protein) and the protein kinases, IKKα ,I KKβ ,N F-κB inducing kinase (NIK), mitogenactivated protein kinase Erk kinase kinase 1 (MEKK1) and TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). IκBα and TBK1 mRNA were increased in the perimenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle. This suggests that there is activation of NF-κB due to premenstrual progesterone withdrawal, since NF-κB activity increases IκBα gene expression. Differential expression of NF-κB pathway intermediates occurred when progesterone concentrations increased in early pregnancy; IKKα and NIK mRNA levels increased in decidua whilst IKKβ and MEKK1 mRNA levels declined. Expression profiles of IKKα and NIK proteins were determined immunohistochemically. Both were detected in glandular epithelium and endothelium of endometrium. In decidua, both were present in epithelium and decidualized stromal cells. The results of this study suggest that NF-κB is activated during menstruation. During early pregnancy, NF-κB may also be activated (via IKKα–NIK) and may regulate the expression of molecules vital for implantation and successful pregnancy. However, proinflammatory signalling to NF-κB (via IKKβ–MEKK1) may be down-regulated in early pregnancy, contributing to the immunosuppressive mechanisms which prevail at this time.
Role of the Agonist Binding Site in Up-Regulation of Neuronal Nicotinic α4β2 Receptors

Long-term exposure to nicotinic ligands results in up-regulation of neuronal nicotinic α4β2 receptors in the brain and in heterologous expression systems. Up-regulation can be produced by a variety of drugs, including nicotinic agonists and competitive antagonists, but previous studies have indicated that the signal for up-regulation does not reflect a traditional nicotinic pharmacology, and the initial steps in signal transduction are not clear. We examined the signal for up-regulation and the possible involvement of the nicotine binding site in signal reception using mutated subunits transiently expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The data indicate that receptor activation and desensitization are not part of the signaling pathway. However, mutations to residues in the binding site can affect up-regulation. These results provide evidence that the binding site is directly involved in receiving the signal for up-regulation.
Liver Function and Bacteriology of Organs in Broiler Inoculated with Nalidixic Acid-Resistant Salmonella Typhimurium and Treated with Organic Acids

An experiment was carried out with 630 one day-old chicks to evaluate the effects of organic acids when birds were experimentally inoculated with Salmonella Typhimurium. Liver damage and the persistence of the bacterium in the organs were evaluated as well. Broilers were distributed in a completely randomised experimental design in a 3×2 factorial arrangement of six treatments with seven replicates of 15 birds each. Birds were inoculated with saline solution or the bacterium via gavage at 1 day of age, or were offered a feed containing or not the organic acid blend for the period of 7 to 14 days of age. A dose of 5.0x102 colony-forming units (CFU)/0.5 mL of Salmonella Typhimurium was used for inoculation both via gavage and feed. The parameters evaluated are weight, liver histopathology, liver and serum biochemistry, and bacteriological analyses of the caeca, crop, spleen, and liver and heart pool. At 21 and 28 days of age, the liver of the non-inoculated groups was significantly lighter as compared to the other treatments. Birds fed organic acids presented lower bacterial isolation rates in all organs tested. Birds inoculated in the crop and treated with organic acids presented lower E. coli CFU counts (P<0.05). Birds inoculated with Salmonella presented significant changes (P<0.05) in liver enzymes, as detected by serum biochemistry, and in liver histopathology. It was concluded that organic acids effectively controlled Salmonella Typhimurium and did not cause any liver damage.
Seasonal pattern of the coastal fish assemblage in Anegada Bay, Argentina

The seasonal variation of the inshore fish assemblage of Anegada Bay, North Patagonia, Argentina is described here. Three areas were seasonally sampled from 2007 to 2009 by means of a gang of bottom gill-nets. We found 21 coastal fish species, but species richness and fish number and weight changed throughout the year. The six species classified as dominant have national and regional value for artisanal and recreational fishing and were responsible for the seasonal variation in the fish assemblage. Both cluster and non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses based on fish number and fish weight indicated two major sample groups encompassing spring and summer (the warmer seasons) and autumn and winter (the colder seasons). The fish assemblage had higher species richness, dominance and abundance during the warmer seasons than during the colder seasons in the same years and at the same sites. Water temperature was the main environmental factor structuring the fish assemblage in Anegada Bay. We suggest that partial breeding migration toward the bay during warmer months could explain the seasonal pattern observed. Nevertheless, variation in temperature conditions agreed well with the pattern of seasonal changes, leading to an interaction between abiotic and biotic influences in determining the variability in this seasonal fish assemblage. We conclude that an understanding of species temporal and spatial patterns in areas of high ecological and economic value, as exemplified by Anegada Bay, are essential for the implementation of a management approach oriented toward ecosystem sustainability.
A synopsis of the genus Philosina with descriptions of the larvae of P. alba and P. buchi (Odonata: Megapodagrionidae)

A synopsis of the genus Philosina is provided. Larvae of the two known species, P. alba and P. buchi are described for the first time. The distribution of both species is discussed and information on behaviour and habitat is summarized. The specialized larvae of Philosina show a strong resemblance to those of Rhinagrion, suggesting that they are sister genera. The unique characters of the larva, especially the arrangement and structure of the caudal lamellae, mean that neither genus fits into any of the currently recognized families of Zygoptera. It is noted that these genera could be placed in their own family. However, caution is exercised pending a better understanding of the family Megapodagrionidae based on DNA work, and they are therefore retained in Megapodagrionidae.
Classifying fish schools and estimating their species proportions in fishery-acoustic surveys

Fablet, R. , Lefort, R. , Karoui, I. , Berger, L. , Masse, J., Scalabrin, C. , and Boucher, J-M. 2009. Classifying fish schools and estimating their species proportions in fishery-acoustic surveys. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 66: 1136-1142.Automated or computer-assisted tools are needed for estimating the proportion of species and their biomass in echosounder surveys of marine ecosystems. Operational systems rely mainly on school morphologies or the frequency responses of scatterers to identify target species in echograms. This paper presents two complementary methods for classifying schools and estimating their species proportion in a multispecies, pelagic environment. One method relies on the training of probabilistic school classifiers; the other exploits echogram similarities to infer species proportions directly from the proportions known at trawled sites. The methods are demonstrated with empirical and simulated data. School classifications and species-proportion estimates are compared to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Antimicrobial activity of some common spices against certain human pathogens.

Antibacterial activity of Allium sativum (garlic), Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Piper nigrum (pepper) extracts has been evaluated against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Morganella morgani, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli and Proteus vulgaris. Among ten extracts evaluated for antimicrobial activity garlic extract showed excellent antibacterial activity against P. vulgaris and M. morgani and the garlic extracts showed excellent antimicrobial activity against almost of all pathogens tested. The ginger extract, however, showed only a moderate antimicrobial activity against P. aureus, whereas the pepper extract showed the least activity against the test organisms.
Robotic surgery for liver, pancreas, and bile duct pathologies: A critical analysis and personal views

At the beginning of this millennium robotic surgery was launched and quickly became accepted in many surgical specialties. Initially only resection procedures were performed with a few surgical steps made towards reconstructive elements. Robotic surgery helped to overcome disadvantages seen and experienced when performing laparoscopic procedures, mainly lack of haptic feedback, lack of ‘free movement’ in the abdominal cavity and inferior visualization. Since its initiation, robotic surgery was utilized more and more in complex procedures. Its use in complex liver and pancreatic surgery is still controversial as it requires a high volume center and superb training to achieve acceptable results. Robotic surgery for hepato-pancreato-biliary disease is only performed by a few centers in the United States. A team approach is mandatory and the bed side assistant is as important as the console surgeon in achieving acceptable oncological outcome. This article aims to review the most recent literature and gives some personal views into the near future with anticipated development of this exciting technology. Copyright © 2019, Society of Gastrointestinal Intervention.
Mapping the Landscape of Creativity Support Tools in HCI

Creativity Support Tools (CSTs) play a fundamental role in the study of creativity in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Even so, there is no consensus definition of the term 'CST' in HCI, and in most studies, CSTs have been construed as one-off exploratory prototypes, typically built by the researchers themselves. This makes it difficult to clearly demarcate CST research, but also to compare findings across studies, which impedes advancement in digital creativity as a growing field of research. Based on a literature review of 143 papers from the ACM Digital Library (1999-2018), we contribute a first overview of the key characteristics of CSTs developed by the HCI community. Moreover, we propose a tentative definition of a CST to help strengthen knowledge sharing across CST studies. We end by discussing our study's implications for future HCI research on CSTs and digital creativity.
IL-10 and TGF-β Control the Establishment of Persistent and Transmissible Infections Produced by Leishmania tropica in C57BL/6 Mice

Leishmania tropica is the causative agent of Old World anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, which is characterized by lesions that take an extended period of time to heal, often resulting in disfiguring scars, and are more refractory to treatment than leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major. Immunologic studies involving experimental animal models of L. tropica infection are virtually nonexistent. In the current study, infectious-stage L. tropica were used to establish dermal infections in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. In both strains, the lesions were slow to develop and showed minimal pathology. They nonetheless contained a stable number of between 104 and 105 parasites for over 1 year, which were efficiently picked up by a natural sand fly vector, Phlebotomus sergenti. Control of parasite growth depended on the development of a Th1 response, as C57BL/6 mice genetically deficient in Th1 cytokines and BALB/c mice treated with Abs to IFN-γ harbored significantly more parasites. By contrast, IL-10-deficient mice harbored significantly fewer parasites throughout the infection. To further study the immunologic mechanisms that may prevent efficient clearance of the parasites, IL-10 and TGF-β signaling were abrogated during the chronic phase of infection in wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Distinct from chronic L. major infection, IL-10 blockade alone had no effect on L. tropica, but required simultaneous treatment with anti-TGF-β Abs to promote efficient parasite clearance from the infection site. Thus, chronic infection with L. tropica appears to be established via multiple suppressive factors, which together maintain the host as a long-term reservoir of infection for vector sand flies.
Constraint-based workflow management systems : shifting control to users

Many organizations use information technology to support various aspects of their business processes: the operational aspect, collaboration between employees, etc. Workow management systems aim at supporting the operational aspect of complex business processes by using process models to automate the ordering of activities (i.e., ow of work). The term `support' here relates to the ability of workow management systems to control the execution of business processes. Contemporary workow management systems lack exibility, i.e., the system controls in detail how employees should execute business processes. While work- ow management systems deal well with predictable business processes, they are not able to handle unforeseen situations, which occur often in real-life business processes. Although employees mostly have the knowledge and experience that enables them to deal with exceptional situations, they are not able to apply the right action because the system enforces the standard procedure of work. This often has various undesired consequences: work is done `outside' the system, work cannot be done in the appropriate way, dissatisfaction of employees, resistance towards the system, etc. As a result, workow management systems cannot be used properly if it is necessary that employees control the execution of business processes. This thesis proposes a new approach to workow management systems that can facilitate contemporary business processes in a better way by enabling a better balance between exibility and support. As opposed to traditional approaches which use procedural process models to explicitly (i.e., step-by-step) specify the execution procedure, the proposed approach aims at the specification of business processes using constraints, i.e., processes are modeled by rules that should be followed while executing business processes. Constraint-based models implicitly specify the execution procedure by means of constraints: any execution that does not violate constraints is possible. In addition to proposing a constrainbased approach, a concrete language for specification of constraints is given and the proof-of-concept prototype declare is described. On the one hand, constraint-based management systems are exible, which allows employees to deal with specific (e/g/. unpredicted) situations in the most adequate way. On the other hand, constraint-based management systems can support employees when it comes to aspects of business processes that are too complex for humans to handle. There are several ways in which constraintbased management systems can provide both exibility and support.
Time to be creative? : self-regulation of time in creative professions

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