Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Making and Breaking Barriers: Assessing the value of mounted police units in the UK

This report outlines findings from an 18-month project examining the value of mounted police in the UK. The research approach took a broad view of the concept of value in police work, including responding to and preventing crime and disorder as well as building public trust and confidence in the police, providing reassurance and visibility. The project also examines the costs associated with mounted policing, and includes an international questionnaire exercise involving senior mounted officers in other countries to place the project findings in a more global context. Chapter 2 provides an overview of mounted police work using available UK police deployment data, prior literature on mounted police and relevant theoretical literature from policing studies. Following this, Chapter 3 examines research findings from mounted police in neighbourhood patrol settings, alongside comparative data for non-mounted police in similar roles, particularly foot patrol officers. The following two chapters examine data gathered on mounted police in public order or crowd control deployments, first in the context of football policing (Chapter 4) and then in other public order settings, including research undertaken with mounted police in music festivals and political demonstrations (Chapter 5). The report then reviews focus groups discussions undertaken with football fans and non-mounted police officers (Chapter 6) to understand how mounted police are experienced by members of the public and other police. Chapter 7 examines the costs of mounted policing through two separate costing exercises, and Chapter 8 presents the findings from the international questionnaire exercise. The conclusions of the study, presented in Chapter 9, provide a synthesis of the findings. The conclusions take into account data from across the multiple and mixed-methods approaches used in the project, which provide evidence of what mounted police do, and how their value may be measured and understood. The study concludes that mounted police provide a unique policing resource that generates positive police visibility in neighbourhood contexts as well as has the capacity to offer effective response to certain public order scenarios. Based on the data, the study suggest that the highest demonstrable value of mounted police is found in neighbourhood settings, which runs contrary to the predominant opinion among police that suggests that police on horseback are primarily a public order resource. In turn, the conclusions suggest that a reorientation in this predominant opinion is warranted.
Litter decomposition by slugs in mixed deciduous woodland

For the one year period considered, it is calculated that 683.5 g m-2 plant litter entered the study area site. Of the six slugs studied, Arion intermedius Normand, the smallest species, had the highest overall consumption rate on the nine test foods (29.1 ± 0.9 mg dry wt g live wt-1 d-1) and the highest overall mean assimilation efficiency (72.0 + 0.9%). The mean faecal production for each of the six slug species was very similar, ranging from 8.4 to 9.9 mg dry wt g live wt-1 d-1. Using regression equations of food consumed on faeces produced, it is estimated that the slug fauna each year consumes 8.4% of the leaf litter input and 6.5% of the total available plant litter. Of the plant material consumed, 13.8 g dry wt m-2 are deposited annually as faeces. The role of slugs in decomposition processes is discussed and compared with that of other soil organisms.
Pattern and Time Specificity in Vocal Responses of Blackbirds Turdus Merula L

Male blackbirds (Turdus merula) were confronted with modified and unmodified playback copies of their own songs presented within the birds normal territories (Fig. 1). The vocal responses of the birds were recorded and correlated to the playback songs in respect to pattern specificity (song matching) and time specificity (distinct latencies). The following results were obtained: 1. The initial element of a song played a key role. If it was erased or masked by a pre-element the birds did not match the playback copies. In contrast erasure of the second element or the rest of the song following the second element did not affect song matching (Figs 3, 4). 2. The second element had an additional effect. The matching preference increased with a shortening of the pause between the first two elements, it decreased when the second element was substituted by an alien element (Figs 2, 3, 4). 3. A series of initial elements (identical or different element types) led to an inhibition of song matching. In contrast, copies including a doubling of the first two or three elements had a supernormal effect (Figs 4, 5). 4. Three types of song responses could be discriminated: in type I responses (latency: L = 0.1 s) the birds did not match the stimulus; in type II responses (L = 0.25-0.8 s) song matching was preferred; type III responses (L > 1 s) showed no time specificity towards onset of playback songs, but still a preference of song matching (Figs 6, 7). 5. In general, late matching responses (type III) were less preferred than rapid ones (type II) but the effects of different song modifications remained the same. 6. In type II responses, the temporal triggering of the reply and the recognition of the heard song class were not completely linked. In contrast to the neglectable influence of the third elements they were well able to trigger a reply (Fig. 9).
Early Evolution and Higher-Level Phylogeny of Sauropod Dinosaurs

ABSTRACT Although sauropods played a major role in terrestrial ecosystems during much of the Mesozoic Era, little effort has been directed toward diagnosing Sauropoda and establishing higher-level interrelationships among sauropods. As a consequence, the origin and evolution of major skeletal adaptations in sauropods has remained largely speculative. The cladistic analysis presented here focuses on higher-level relationships among sauropods. Based on 109 characters (32 cranial, 24 axial, 53 appendicular) for 10 sauropod taxa, the most parsimonious arrangement places four genera (Vulcanodon, Shunosaurus, Barapasaurus, and Omeisaurus) as a sequence of sister-taxa to a group of advanced sauropods, defined here as Neosauropoda. Neosauropoda, in turn, is composed of the sister-clades Diplodocoidea and Macronaria; the latter is a new taxon that includes Haplocanthosaurus, Camarasaurus, and Titanosauriformes. Titanosauriformes includes Brachiosauridae and Somphospondyli, a new taxon uniting Euhelopus and Titanos.
Cattle Grazing In A Hummock Grassland Regenerating After Fire: The Short-Term Effects Of Cattle Exclusion On Vegetation In South-Western Queensland

In the Simpson Desert of western Queensland fire is being used increasingly by pastoralists to manipulate hard spinifex (Triodia basedowii) pastures. In this study I investigated the short-term (20 month) effects of cattle grazing on hummock grasslands regenerating after fire in the Simpson Desert. Dung counts were used to determine if cattle grazed preferentially in areas regenerating after fire. Cattle exclosures and vegetation surveys were used to determine if grazing by cattle affected the structure and species composition of vegetation regenerating after fire. Cattle grazed preferentially in areas regenerating after fire. Cattle grazing reduced the cover, height, vertical density and species richness of regrowth vegetation. Grazing reduced the cover of Ptilotus polystachyus and reduced the proportion of Eragrostis eriopodia individuals bearing flowers and seed. Grazing visibly disrupted microbiotic soil crusts. It is recommended, as a precaution until additional data is available, that areas regenerating after fire be rested from grazing during the first post-fire wet season. Resting during this period will assist the establishment of vegetation cover and provide opportunities for grasses to set seed.
MULTIPLE INCENTIVES FOR PARENTAL OPTIMISM AND BROOD REDUCTION IN BLACKBIRDS

Why do parent birds hatch their young asynchronously? This phenotypic handicap exacts a cost of reduced growth and elevated mortality from the last-hatched or “marginal” offspring, while conferring advantages to the more senior “core” brood. David Lack long ago proposed that marginal offspring allow parents to track resources that are uncertain at the time of clutch initiation. If food is insufficient for the entire brood, hatching asynchrony allows surplus marginal offspring to be culled from the brood efficiently. This in effect represents a secondary adjustment of clutch size. Today Lack's hypothesis remains a central, although controversial, component, of discussions of hatching asynchrony and avian brood reduction. Most field workers report results inconsistent with Lack's hypothesis (e.g., a failure of asynchronously hatching broods to produce more fledglings than do experimentally synchronized broods) and have offered a variety of alternative explanations. Previous workers have focused, with limite.
Clonal variation in morphological and physiological responses to irradiance and photoperiod for the aquatic angiosperm Potamogeton pectinatus

1 Widely distributed plants are exposed to contrasting gradients in irradiance and photoperiod across latitude. We investigated the relative contribution of local specialization and phenotypic plasticity to variation in plant growth for three clones of the aquatic angiosperm Potamogeton pectinatus L. , originating from 42.5 to 68° N. Plants were grown at a factorial combination of two irradiances (50 and 350 µmol m−2 s−1) and three photoperiods (13, 16 and 22 h) and morphology, gas‐exchange rate and biomass accumulation were recorded. 2 The overall response to variation in irradiance and photoperiod was similar for all three clones. 3 Differences in irradiance resulted in strong acclimative changes in morphological and physiological characteristics. At low irradiance, pronounced vertical shoot extension compensated for the limited plasticity in leaf area production, while photosynthetic capacity, apparent quantum yield and total chlorophyll concentration increased. As a result, biomass yield at the end of the experimental period was similar in both treatments. 4 A decrease in photoperiod also resulted in plastic changes in morphology (increase of leaf biomass per unit plant biomass) and physiology (increase of photosynthetic capacity). However, these acclimative responses did not fully compensate for differences in photoperiod, since biomass was significantly lower under 13 and 16 h photoperiods than at 22 h. 5 P. pectinatus is therefore phenotypically plastic, rather than locally specialized to differences in irradiance and photoperiod.
Effect of Innovation on the Performance of SMEs Organizations in Nigeria

This study investigates how innovation affects business performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an up-and-coming market, like Nigeria. Data was collected from 200 respondents of six SMEs companies based in Nigeria. Innovation was measured using the OECD Oslo scale (2005). The study demonstrated that there is a high correlation among factors used to measure innovation. And secondly, innovation was found to influence business performance.
INTRASPECIFIC VARIATION IN HOME-RANGE SIZE IN SOME ANOLIS LIZARDS'

Intraspecific variation in home-range area is investigated using observations on 896 individuals in four Anolis species distributed over 16 sites in the Bahamas. A. sagrei, a highly terri- torial, polygynous species, typically has smaller home ranges than the three more arboreal species; areas are as small or smaller than recorded for any other lizard. Adult males have larger home ranges than adult females. Adult male home-range area, relative to that of females, in all species but distichus, is over twice as great as expected from relative energetic requirements. Subadult-male ranges are especially variable, possibly indicating variation from a territorial to a wide-ranging, nonterritorial strategy. In sagrei, but not the other species, home-range area increases more strongly with body size in males than females; one female sagrei regression is significantly negative. Regressions of two other species frequently have negative slopes. The rate of increase in home-range area with body size for sagrei males, but not the other species, is similar to the rate for interspecific lizard regressions. Variation about the regression line in most cases is high. Within a sex and site, home-range area is unrelated to relative growth rate or to survival. In the largest sagrei data sets, the number of adult females within an adult male's home range is significantly related to both the male's home-range area and his body size. Home-range area in classes of sagrei is inversely related to density of the same and other classes; in adult females and subadult males the relation is strongest using density of all conspecifics; in adult males it is strongest using adult male density. In two other species, the relation frequently is not inverse, especially in subadults.
Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-diabetic Activity of Cadaba Fruticosa R.Br.

Alcohol and aqueous extract of Cadaba fruticosa (leaves) were subjected for hypoglycemic activity in wistar rats (160-200 g). The oral administration of leaf extracts at dose 1000 mg/kg led to a significant blood glucose reduction. Phytochemical analysis of alcohol extract revealed the presence of terpenoids, flavanoids, steroids, proteins, alkaloids, gums, sugars and saponins but negative result was observed in aqueous extract except terpenoids, flavonaids, proteins, furans, gums and sugars. This study brings out the evidence regarding pharmacological and phytochemical activities of C. fruticosa .
Evaluation of Identification Methods for Staphylococcus aureus and Development of Modified Detection Methods for Staphylococcal Enterotoxin A

We evaluated whether the agar plate method using a Baird Parker + rabbit plasma fibrinogen (RPF) agar could be used in place of the combination of a latex agglutination test (PS-latex) and a tube coagulase test for identification of Staphylococcus aureus from other strains of staphylococci. The PS-latex and tube coagulase tests showed positive results for 96 (100%) and 87 (90.6%) S. aureus strains, respectively. However, the PS-latex test showed positive results for 32 non-S. aureus strains. On the other hand, the agar plate method was positive for all the strains of S. aureus and showed no false-positive or -negative results. Next, we developed a highly sensitive and selective enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). The interference by protein A and an unknown protein were eliminated using proteolytic digestion. This improved method is useful for SEA detection.
A Case Report of Babesia caballi Infection in a Foal

Abstract Aslani, M.R. 2000. A case report of Babesia caballi infection in a foal. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 17: 253–256. Babesiosis due to B. caballi infection was diagnosed for the first time in Iran in a young native foal. Clinical signs of the affected animal included inappetence, anemia, fever, ataxia, tachycardia, dyspnea, ecchymosis of the third eyelid as well as on the mucosa of the mouth. Peripheral blood smear examinations revealed intraerythocyticparasites morphologically similar to B. caballi. The ticks isolated from the affected foal included Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Hyalomma excavatum. Treatment of the foal with quinuronium sulfate (Pirorazi), at a dose rate routinely used for treatment of ovine and bovine babesiosis, was unsuccessful and toxic causing death.
Anatomical and ultrastructural aspects of leaf galls in Ficus microcarpa L.f. (Moraceae) induced by Gynaikothrips ficorum Marchal (Thysanoptera)

Several species of Ficus present leaf galls and the goal of this research is to study the structural alterations involved in the formation of leaf galls caused by Gynaikothrips ficorum on F. microcarpa, an ornamental plant. The galls of young and mature leaves were separated into two developmental stages based on the presence of lesions on leaf lamina and the degree of leaf folding. Swellings of the lamina were observed in young and mature leaves during gall development which coincided with the areas of cellular hypertrophy and tissue hyperplasia. Swellings were detected in a greater amount and more precociously on young leaves when compared to mature ones. In young leaves, the cecidogenetic responses were quicker and led to further structural differences because younger cells are not completely differentiated. Cell hypertrophy and tissue hyperplasia were striking processes involved in the ontogenesis of the studied gall, similar to other galls induced by thrips. Nevertheless, in spite of the numerous sites of feeding and the wide area of attack, F microcarpa galls can be considered rudimentary, since no new tissue differentiation was observed.
Elliptic Fourier analysis of the form of genitalia in two Spodoptera species and their hybrids (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract S. latifascia and S. descoinsi are two closely related species of Noctuid moths. In laboratory conditions they hybridize, and F1, F2 and backcross hybrids may be obtained easily. Some interspecific matings do not succeed due to anatomical incompatibilities resulting from morphological differences in the genitalia of the species. One of these differences involves the clasper, a highly sclerotized process of the male genitalia. The overall contour of the clasper in S. descoinsi , S. latifascia , F1, F2, and backcross hybrids was analysed using elliptic Fourier analysis. All outlines were rotated along a common direction defined by two homologous landmarks, centered, and normalized for size. Fourier descriptors were used in a canonical variate analysis. Shape variations along factorial axes, or more generally along any variate of interest, such as size, were modelized by a multivariate regressive approach and visualized by inverse Fourier reconstructions of shapes. This approach allows a direct visualization of the shape transformations, negating the so-called impossibility or difficulty to interpret results of Fourier analyses. The results emphasize the specificity of the male clasper in the parental species. Most hybrids and backcrosses segregate from their parents. Many of them are displaced towards one of the parental forms. These results suggest that morphological differences may be controlled by a polygenic system with maternal effect in F1 and parental dominance in backcross hybrids.
An Evaluation of the Efficiency of Minnow Traps for Estimating the Abundance of Minnows in Desert Spring Systems

AbstractDesert springs are sensitive aquatic ecosystems that pose unique challenges to natural resource managers and researchers. Among the most important of these is the need to accurately quantify population parameters for resident fish, particularly when the species are of special conservation concern. We evaluated the efficiency of baited minnow traps for estimating the abundance of two at-risk species, Foskett Speckled Dace Rhinichthys osculus ssp. and Borax Lake Chub Gila boraxobius, in desert spring systems in southeastern Oregon. We evaluated alternative sample designs using simulation and found that capture–recapture designs with four capture occasions would maximize the accuracy of estimates and minimize fish handling. We implemented the design and estimated capture and recapture probabilities using the Huggins closed-capture estimator. Trap capture probabilities averaged 23% and 26% for Foskett Speckled Dace and Borax Lake Chub, respectively, but differed substantially among sample locations, t.
The distribution of errors associated with genotype and environment during the prediction of the water-soluble carbohydrate concentration of perennial ryegrass cultivars using near infrared reflectance spectroscopy

Significant deviations associated with site or cultivars within sites were detected in 4 of 6 independent near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) calibrations developed to predict water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) concentrations in perennial ryegrass herbage harvested from 2 sites. These effects were observed both when calibration subsets were selected on the basis of spectral characteristics, and when calibration sets were balanced with respect to a priori knowledge of the structure of the data set. However, there were also instances when non-random deviations were not significant, demonstrating that it was possible to develop broadly based NIRS calibrations to predict WSC in perennial ryegrass. Deviations between NIRS predictions and reference values should be monitored, with reference to the structure of the experiment from which the samples were derived, before NIRS estimates of WSC concentration are used in agronomy or plant breeding.
The Relationship between Transmitting Tissue, Pollen Tube, and Ovule Number: A Study across 10 Angiosperm Families

In this study we quantified features of the transmitting tissue for a broad range of angiosperm species to compare these values to pollen tube number and ovule number. Pistils from 25 species, from 10 angiosperm families, including one monocotyledon, were serially sectioned at the base of the style, and the cellular and noncellular areas within the transmitting tissue were determined using an image analysis package. Transmitting tissue cell number and whole stylar area were also measured. Overall stylar structure and tissue areas were generally consistent within families but differed significantly among families. There was a positive overall relationship between quantity of transmitting tissue, pollen tube number, and ovule number. However, the ratio of transmitting tissue intercellular space to pollen tubes was ≤ \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $$1.1\times 10^{2}$$ \end{document} μm2/pollen tube for species with multiple ovules, whereas it ranged from 0.9 to \documentclass{aastex} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{bm} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{pifont} \usepackage{stmaryrd} \usepackage{textcomp} \usepackage{portland,xspace} \usepackage{amsmath,amsxtra} \usepackage[OT2,OT1]{fontenc} \newcommand\cyr{ \renewcommand\rmdefault{wncyr} \renewcommand\sfdefault{wncyss} \renewcommand\encodingdefault{OT2} \normalfont \selectfont} \DeclareTextFontCommand{\textcyr}{\cyr} \pagestyle{empty} \DeclareMathSizes{10}{9}{7}{6} \begin{document} \landscape $$22.6\times 10^{2}$$ \end{document} μm2/pollen tube in species with one or two ovules, and for species with multiple ovules, the ratio of transmitting tissue cells to pollen tubes was lower than for species with few ovules. The results are discussed in terms of relative investment in seed production.
The effect of the addition of large amounts of cod-liver oil to the rations of yearling heifers on their rate of live-weight gain

1. Groups of twenty-four heifers were used in three experiments lasting 51–98 days. The effect on rate of live-weight gain of the addition of 150 ml. cod-liver oil to the daily ration was studied. 2. The same treatments were used in each experiment: a basal diet consisting of hay and concentrates and two experimental diets consisting of the basal diet plus (a) 3 lb. concentrates, (b) 150 ml. (0·30 lb.) cod-liver oil. In one experiment flaked maize was used in the concentrates in place of crushed barley.