Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phylogeny and Divergence Time Estimation in Illicium with Implications for New World Biogeography

Abstract Illiciaceae comprise the single genus, Illicium, and approximately 30–40 species distributed in southern and eastern Asia, the southeastern United States, Mexico, and the Greater Antilles. On the basis of perianth morphology, current taxonomic treatments recognize two sections that do not correspond to geographic distributions. A recent phylogenetic study using ITS sequences found strong support for separate Old and New World clades, but did not include all New World species. We elaborate on this previous study by including all known New World species of Illicium, as well as additional Asian species, using ITS and the plastid loci trnL, the trnL-F spacer, and trnG. We estimated divergence times within Illicium using penalized likelihood and multiple fossil calibration points. Our results support separate New and Old World clades, and we re-circumscribe current sectional groupings based on these data. The Illicium crown group appears to have arisen during the Cretaceous, with New World extant taxa diversifying as recently as the late Miocene or early Pliocene. These dates are consistent with recent fossil evidence and molecular estimates for minimum ages of the angiosperms, and for timing of diversification events in other ancient groups, such as Nymphaeales and Chloranthaceae.
Efficacy of Various Corn Herbicides Applied Preplant Incorporated and Preemergence

Abstract Field studies were conducted in central Missouri and central Kansas to evaluate the crop tolerance and efficacy of various combinations of atrazine, flufenacet + isoxaflutole, flumetsulam + clopyralid, isoxaflutole, and S-metolachlor applied PPI or PRE in conventional-till corn. Application technique did not influence crop injury in Kansas. In Missouri, greater crop injury was observed with treatments containing isoxaflutole when applied PPI vs. PRE. Application technique influenced giant foxtail, ivyleaf morningglory, large crabgrass, Palmer amaranth, and common waterhemp control. In dry years, control of these weeds was usually either same or greater with PPI than it was with PRE treatments. In years with average to above average precipitation, isoxaflutole provided greater control as a PRE application than as a PPI application. Palmer amaranth and common waterhemp control was usually greater with atrazine, isoxaflutole, and S-metolachlor applied PRE than it was applied PPI. Differences in control of all weeds between PPI and PRE applications were less obvious with two or three herbicides compared with treatments with a single herbicide. In general, the corn yield was greater with most of the treatments having two, three, or four herbicides than it was with treatments having a single herbicide, which was due to better weed control with the tank-mixtreatments. Nomenclature: Atrazine; clopyralid; flufenacet; flumetsulam; isoxaflutole; S-metolachlor; common waterhemp, Amaranthus rudis Sauer AMATA; giant foxtail, Setaria faberi Herrm. SETFA; ivyleaf morningglory, Ipomoea hederacea Jacq. IPOHE; large crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. DIGSA; Palmer amaranth, Amaranthus palmeri S. Wats. AMAPA; corn, Zea mays L.
The phytochemistry and microbial activity of selected indigenous Helichrysum species

Helichrysum (Asteraceae) is a large genus consisting of approx imately 500 species of which 245 taxa are indigenous to southern Africa. Many Helichrysum species are widely used by the indigenous population to treat various ailments, in cluding coughs, colds, fever, infections, headache, menstrual pain and as a treatment for wou nds. Medicinal uses are often not species-specific but o ften depend on the local availability. Guided by the traditional use and the lack of scien tif c information, nine species of Helichrysum were selected for this study. The essential oils w ere obtained through hydrodistillation and methanol and acetone extracts of he plant material were prepared. The essential oil composition was determined using GC-MS. The oil profiles were mostly dominated by the presence of monoterpenes such as α-pinene, 1,8-cineole and p-cymene. Monoterpenes were largely absent in the essential o il of H. felinum, but this oil was rich in sesquiterpenes with high yields of β-caryophyllene. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils an d plant extracts were of interest due to their traditional use as an antiseptic. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oils and extracts was determined by disc diffusion assays and, following this, the most active species were further investigated using the minimum inhibition concentra tion (MIC) assay. Helichrysum dasyanthum displayed the best activity against B. cereus (MIC = 16 mg/ml) and was the only extract that exhibited activity agains t all three fungal strains tested ( C. neoformans, 1 mm; C. albicans, 3 mm; and A. alternata, 2 mm). The essential oil of H. petiolare and H. felinum exhibited the most pronounced activity against the fungal strains in the disc diffusion assay ( C. albicans, 2mm).
Subsequent Performance of Calves Held at Near Birht Weight for the First Three Weeks of Life

Abstract Thirty-six Holstein calves with mean daily gain from −. 01 to . 44kg during the first 3 wk of life were used to study effects of early gain on performance through 12 wk of age. During the initial 3 wk, calves were fed milk replacer only at fluid intakes of 8 and 10% body weight and dry matter concentrations of 10, 15, and 20%. Starting with the 4th wk of life calves were offered a complete calf starter (guaranteed minimum 15% crude protein) ad libitum. Calves continued to receive replacer once daily in those treatment combinations. All calves were weaned abruptly at 6 wk of age. Fluid intake had no effect on gain anytime from 4 to 12 wk of age. Mean daily gain from 4 to 12 wk was . 67 and . 68kg for calves fed fluid intakes of 8 and 10% body weight. Dry matter concentration of replacer had no effect on gain during wk 4 to 6. However, during wk 7 to 8, immediate post weaning, mean daily gains were . 56, . 60, and . 38kg for calves previously fed replacer at 10, 15, or 20% dry matter. Gains from 4 to 12 wk were . 67, . 69, and . 66 kg/day for calves fed 10, 15, or 20% dry matter. Intake of starter dry matter during wk 4 to 6 decreased with increasing fluid intake and concentration of replacer. Calves can be maintained near birth weight for up to 3 wk without detrimental effects on performance through 12 wk of age.
MICROBIALITE OCCURRENCE AND PATTERNS IN HOLOCENE REEFS OF BORA BORA, SOCIETY ISLANDS

Abstract: The thickness of microbialite crusts in Holocene barrier and fringing reefs of Bora Bora was quantified in drill cores from windward and leeward settings to decipher possible spatial and temporal patterns as well as controlling environmental factors. Based on the analysis of 145 occurrences in nine rotary cores, microbialite thickness ranges from 0.1–11.0 cm with an average value of 1.97 cm (SD = 2.47). Microbialites occur only from 9.5–5.6 ka corresponding to a period of rapid sea-level rise and reef accretion in the early Holocene. However, there is no statistically significant correlation between microbialite thickness and reef accretion rate. Also, there is no correlation between microbialite abundance and age. The upcore increase in microbialite abundance, however, suggests that time available for carbonate accretion in shallow water plays a role in microbialite formation. Crust thickness is greater on windward as compared to leeward fringing reef settings indicating that flushing of pore space is a likely factor controlling microbialite accretion. Other environmental factors potentially being responsible for the Holocene decrease in microbialite abundance include climate, i.e., decreasing temperatures and precipitation (supporting nutrient input by runoff) as well as decreasing seawater alkalinity. At the mesoscale, structureless and laminated microbialites are by far the most common types. Coated debris, boring infill, and digitate types are less common. Textures at the microscale, including laminated, clotted, and peloidal, do not necessarily match mesoscale textures. The Bora Bora microbialites consist in more or less equal parts of high-magnesium calcite and aragonite. The δ13C values range from +3.0 to +4.1‰ and the δ 18O from -0.8 to +0.1‰. The contents of easy soluble sulfate (ESS) and carbonate associated sulfate (CAS) are relatively high. The δ 18OCAS (+11.0 to +12.7‰) and δ 34SCAS values (+21.9 to +23.6‰) exceed the seawater sulfate standard NBS-127 value and are in the same range as observed in other cryptic, Holocene reefal microbialites. The Bora Bora microbialites contain lipid biomarkers derived from sulfate-reducing bacteria (2–8 wt%), marine plankton, land plants, and unspecified bacteria. The former include branched, short-chain fatty acids and terminally branched fatty acids, whereby iso -fatty acids are more abundant than anteiso -fatty acids. Other compounds with terminally branched alkyl chains include iso - and anteiso -C15 and -C17 alcohols, which are interpreted as degradation products of monoalkyl glycerol ethers (MAGE). Collectively, the organic and inorganic geochemical data together with the sedimentological and mineralogical data suggest that sulfate-reducing bacteria were involved in microbialite development. The temporal and spatial distribution patterns suggest that factors such as exposure to waves and currents, time, nutrient availability, alkalinity, and climate play important roles, however, more quantitative data from other occurrences are needed to be able to better discriminate among them.
Microalgal classes and their signature pigments

The microalgae that make up the extensive phytoplankton pastures of the world's oceans originated in ancient evolutionary times. They obtained their primitive ‘plastids’ from an unknown ancestral cyanobacterium with photosynthetic oxygen-evolving capabilities (Bhattacharya, 1997; Delwiche, 1999; McFadden, 2001; Palmer, 2003; Keeling, 2004a, b). Serial symbioses within heterotrophic hosts gave rise to the present wide diversity of photosynthetic microalgae, which evolved a range of photosynthetic pigments capable of collectively harvesting most of the wavelengths of light available to them in underwater marine habitats (Jeffrey and Wright, 2006). At the present time, the marine phytoplankton contribute at least a quarter of the biomass of the world's vegetation, and constitute the base of the food web that supports either directly or indirectly all the animal populations of the open sea. Some microalgae also contribute significantly to climatic processes, providing nuclei for atmospheric water condensation (Aiken et al., 1992). All microalgae, by their photosynthetic activities, contribute to atmospheric carbon dioxide ‘draw-down’ (Jeffrey and Mantoura, 1997), thus helping to ameliorate green-house gases, by removing nearly a third of the anthropogenic carbon released to the atmosphere (Sabine and Feely, 2007).
EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE, NITROGEN SUPPLY, AND TISSUE NITROGEN ON AMMONIUM UPTAKE RATES OF THE CHLOROPHYTE SEAWEEDS ULVA CURVATA AND CODIUM DECORTICATUM 1

Nitrogen uptake rates of Ulva curvata (Kütz.) de Toni (Ulvales) and Codium decorticatum (Woodw.) Howe (Caulerpales) grown under several N addition regimes were determined by perturbation and continuous mode techniques, and as N demand, by the product of growth rate and tissue N. Uptake rates are reported as the slope of rate vs. concentration curves in each case. N uptake rates of U. curvata were inversely correlated with tissue N and affected only slightly by temperature. There was no correlation of N uptake rate with tissue N in C. decorticatum. N uptake rates of C. decorticatum were affected by temperature but to a lesser degree than were growth rates. Neither N addition per se nor light affected N uptake capacity of either species. The proximal mechanism for seaweeds accumulation of N at low light and temperatures may be that N uptake is less limited by light and temperature than is growth. This in turn may partially compensate for the effects of reduced light and temperature on growth by increasing pigment and enzyme levels. Perturbation uptake rates were higher than continuous mode or N demand rates in Ulva but not in Codium. N uptake rates of Ulva were higher than those of Codium, but N storage capacities were lower. These two observations suggest that Ulva experiences a fundamentally more variable N supply than does Codium. This is consistent with the clarification of Ulva as an ephemeral form and of Codium as persistent. A seaweed's functional form therefore appears to influence the spectrum of resource variability available to it as well as its ability to persist in the environment.
Eomakhaira molossus, A New Saber-Toothed Sparassodont (Metatheria: Thylacosmilinae) from the Early Oligocene (?Tinguirirican) Cachapoal Locality, Andean Main Range, Chile

ABSTRACT Thylacosmiline sparassodonts (previously recognized as thylacosmilids) are among the most iconic groups of endemic South American Cenozoic mammals due to their distinctive morphology and convergent resemblance to saber-toothed placental carnivores. However, the early evolution of this group and its relationship to other sparassodonts remains poorly understood, primarily because only highly specialized Neogene taxa such as Thylacosmilus, Anachlysictis, and Patagosmilus are well known. Here, we describe a new Paleogene sparassodont, Eomakhaira molossus, from the Cachapoal locality of central Chile, the first sparassodont reported from early Oligocene strata of the Abanico Formation. Eomakhaira shares features with both Neogene thylacosmilines and Paleogene “proborhyaenids,” and phylogenetic analyses recover this taxon as sister to the clade of Patagosmilus + Thylacosmilus. This broader clade, in turn, is nested within the group conventionally termed Proborhyaenidae. Our analyses support prior hypotheses of a close relationship between thylacosmilines and traditionally recognized proborhyaenids and provide the strongest evidence to date that thylacosmilines are proborhyaenids (i.e, the latter name as conventionally used refers to a paraphyletic group). To reflect the internestedness of these taxa, we propose use of Riggs' (1933) original name Thylacosmilinae for the less inclusive grouping and Proborhyaenidae for the more inclusive one. Saber teeth arose just once among metatherians (among thylacosmilines), perhaps reflecting a developmental constraint related to nonreplacement of canines in metatherians; hypselodonty may have relaxed this potential constraint in thylacosmilines. The occurrence of Eomakhaira in strata of early Oligocene age from the Chilean Andes demonstrates that the stratigraphic range of thylacosmilines spanned almost 30 million years, far surpassing those of saber-toothed placental lineages.
Age, growth, and mortality of Loligo vulgaris wild paralarvae: implications for understanding of the life cycle and longevity

Gonzalez, A. F. , Otero, J., Pierce, G. J., and Guerra, A. 2010. Age, growth, and mortality of Loligo vulgaris wild paralarvae: implications for understanding of the life cycle and longevity. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1119-1127.Age, growth, and mortality were estimated for the first time in wild paralarvae of the common squid, Loligo vulgaris, by examining growth increments in the statoliths of 273 animals collected off the Ria de Vigo (NW Spain, NE Atlantic). Hatching was all year round for the period 2003-2005, with a peak during late spring and a secondary peak during early autumn. Paralarvae varied from 1260 to 7580 μm, and their abundance decreased abruptly as they grew. Statolith increments were clearly visible without grinding in almost all material, allowing reliable estimation of age. Paralarvae are planktonic for at least 3 months. Growth in dorsal mantle length (DML) during that period fitted an exponential equation. The instantaneous relative growth rates were 2.11, 2.15, and 1.82% DML d −1 for 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively, and there were no significant differences in size-at-age between the 3 years. Taking into account the growth rates estimated for the whole cycle of L. vulgaris, we suggest that the lifespan may previously have been underestimated by 3 months, because the proximity of the rings deposited during paralarval and early juvenile stages would prevent accuracy in enumerating the number of growth increments in later stages. The estimated instantaneous rate of total mortality during the first 90 d of a paralarva life was 9.6, 5.3, and 4.8% d −1 for 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively. Eye diameter was a reliable and rapid way of estimating DML and age.
Competitive effects between rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon in natural and artificial streams

Competition with non-native species may impede the restoration of native species, but differences in competitive abilities among intraspecific native populations may make some populations more suitable for reintroduction than others. Here, juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from two allopatric populations (LaHave and Sebago) being used for reintroduction into Lake Ontario were placed into two natural stream sites differing in the presence of ecologically similar rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). We assessed the effects of competition in the natural streams on fitness-related traits and habitat use of the Atlantic salmon. We then compared these effects to those observed in artificial streams from a previous study. Atlantic salmon in natural streams had reduced fitness-related traits that were associated with suboptimal microhabitats in the presence of rainbow trout, but utilised optimal microhabitats in their absence. In the presence of rainbow trout, the two Atlantic salmon populations exhibited comparable recapture proportions to each other, but the individuals from the Sebago population had better performance (body size and condition) than those from the LaHave population. Responses of both Atlantic salmon populations to competition with rainbow trout were generally similar in both direction and magnitude when compared to results from the artificial stream study. The combined results suggest that native species restoration efforts should be focused on candidate populations that are ecologically suitable to reintroduction environments, as well as on suitable habitats that do not contain exotic competitors. Moreover, this study highlights the value of controlled experiments in artificial environments for predicting fitness-related performance in natural environments.
Andean Influences on the Biogeochemistry and Ecology of the Amazon River

ABSTRACT Although mountains often constitute only a small fraction of river basin area, they can supply the bulk of transported materials and exert strong regulatory controls on the ecological characteristics of river reaches and floodplains downstream. The Amazon River exemplifies this phenomenon. Its muddy waters and its expansive and highly productive white-water floodplains are largely the products of forces originating in distant Andean mountain ranges. The Amazon's character has been shaped by these influences for more than 10 million years, and its present form and host of diverse organisms are adapted to the annual and interannual cycles of Andean inputs. Although the Andes constitute only 13% of the Amazon River basin, they are the predominant source of sediments and mineral nutrients to the river's main stem, and Andean tributaries form productive corridors extending across the vast Amazonian lowlands. Many of the Amazon's most important fish species rely on the productivity of Andean tributaries and main-stem floodplains, and annual fish migrations distribute Andean-dependent energy and nutrient resources to adjacent lower-productivity aquatic systems. Mountain-lowland linkages are threatened, however, by expanding human activities in the Andean Amazon, with consequences that are eventually felt thousands of kilometers away.
A Study of Factors Influencing Students' Enrolment in Social Studies Education at the Post-Secondary School Level in Nigeria

The purpose of this paper was to find out the factors influencing students’ enrollment in social studies education at the post secondary level of education in Nigeria. The population included all students enrolled in social studies programme in tertiary institutions of learning in Edo State, Nigeria while the sample of the study consisted of one hundred and seventy-five (175) social studies students. The questionnaire was used to collect data while the chi-square test was used to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that job prospects or employment opportunities, gender and environmental factors have significant influence on students’ enrollment in social studies programme whereas socio-economic, teacher-related, and parental factors do not influence students’ enrollment in social studies. Therefore, the paper recommended that teachers, parents and other stakeholders should change their dispositions and attitude towards the subject.Similarly, social studies practitioners, professors, associations like Social Studies Association of Nigeria (SOSAN), government, social studies teachers and other professionals should do more to sensitize and enlighten the public on the benefits accruable from the course.
Karyomorphological study of nine Tanacetum taxa (Asteraceae, Anthemideae) from Iran

Chromosome number and morphology in nine taxa belonging to 10 populations of Tanacetum L. (Asteraceae) were investigated using karyological techniques. The chromosome number found in eight species was 2n = 18 (T. balsamita, T. budjnurdense, T. sonbolii, T. archibaldii, T. persicum, T. parthenium and T. canescens) while T. polycephalum subsp. duderanum and T. polycephalum subsp. azerbaidjanicum had 2n = 36. Six records are new while four records confirmed the previous data. At mitotic metaphase, all chromosomes had median point (M), median region (m), submedian (sm) or subterminal (st) centromeres. The karyotypes are classified in types 2A or 2B, showing the presence of a primitive symmetrical karyotype in the genus Tanacetum. An updated checklist of karyological data of the genus is also presented.
Help! Is my chatbot falling into the uncanny valley? An empirical study of user experience in human-chatbot interaction

: Advances in artificial intelligence strengthen chatbots’ ability to resemble human conversational agents. For some application areas, it may be tempting not to be transparent regarding a conversational agent’s nature as chatbot or human. However, the uncanny valley theory suggests that such lack in transparency may cause uneasy feelings in the user. In this study, we combined quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate this issue. First, we used a 2 x 2 experimental research design ( n = 28) to investigate effects of lack in transparency on the perceived pleasantness of the conversation in addition to perceived human likeness and affinity for the conversational agent. Second, we conducted an exploratory analysis of qualitative participant reports on these conversations. We did not find that a lack in transparency negatively affected user experience, but we identified three factors important to participants’ assessments. The findings are of theoretical and practical significance and motivate future research.