Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Glades in Acacia Bushland and Their Edge Effects in Laikipia, Kenya

Throughout the Laikipia ecosystem in Kenya, isolated glades occur within acacia bushland and woodland communities. These glades are at least several decades old. They are reported to be old settlement sites of traditional pastoralists no longer present, and their size, location, and orientation are consistent with the settlement sites of related pastoralists studied elsewhere. The purpose of this study was to document the effects of these glades at the local and landscape levels. Working in central Laikipia, we documented differences in vegetation, animal use, and soils at four of these glades, and at increasing distances from glade edges. Four "glade specialists" dominated the plant communities within glades, and were very rare outside of glades. Pennisetum stramineum, one of six glade edge species, formed a ring of dense tall grass around most glade edges. The transition to acacia bushland at the glade edges was not always abrupt (depending on the trait con- sidered), resulting in edge effects that differed in depth and sharpness. Edge depth, defined as the distance required to attain two-thirds of background levels for a trait, ranged from 0 to 200 m. Understory plant species richness and diversity were lowest inside glades, and gradually increased with distance from glades. However, because glades supported species not found elsewhere, the presence of glades increased overall species diversity. The density of wild and domestic large mammal dung was up to 10 times greater inside the glades, and declined with distance from glade edges. Similarly, soil nitrogen, potassium, carbon, calcium, and sodium were greatest inside glades. Soil phosphorus, magnesium, and man- ganese were not elevated inside glades or within 100 m of glades, but instead were much more abundant in background samples. These glades may be maintained by high densities of large mammals, either through herbivory or through changes in soil chemistry. Glades may be attractive to mammals because of the high quality of food there, or as part of an anti-predator strategy. The result is a relatively permanent community mosaic that increases ecosystem heterogeneity and resource use by domestic and wild animals. The spatial nature of this heterogeneity differs among species, depending on their distributions relative to the glades.
Seasonal variations of Fo, Fm, and Fv/Fm in an epiphytic population of the lichen Punctelia subrudecta (Nyl.) Krog

Abstract: Chlorophyll a fluorescence was measured every three months from December 2003 to December 2004 in ten, randomly selected thalli of the epiphytic lichen Punctelia subrudecta (Nyl.) Krog occurring in a deciduous, thermophilous downy oak wood in southern Tuscany (central Italy). In situ measurements were carried out with a photosynthesis yield analyser Mini-PAM (Walz, Effeltrich, Germany) on the same measuring points of 30-minute dark-adapted, fully hydrated thalli. The results show a remarkable seasonal change in Fo, Fm, and Fv/Fm, probably caused by a long-term physiological-structural adaptation of the photobiont to the gradual modification of the climatic conditions of each measurement period and the light regime of the understorey. However, P. subrudecta is also sensitive to rapid changes in microclimatic conditions as the PSII functionality is affected by the light regime of the days preceding the field measurements. Some critical observations on the statistical analysis of chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters are also made.
The Case of the Hypothesis That Never Was; Uncovering the Deceptive Use of Post Hoc Hypotheses

The Provocations and Provocateurs section thrives on the idea of challenging conventional thought, action, and practice. When someone wants to publish an essay anonymously, you know that essay either has the potential to be explosive or someone is assuming anonymity to protect the semi-innocent or the demonstrably guilty. The following essay is by an author who has requested anonymity for both reasons. It concerns a practice that apparently has become increasingly common in organization study: constructing hypotheses after analyzing the data and then presenting those hypotheses as if they were guiding the study. Unwittingly deceiving one’s self is a fascinating process; wittingly deceiving others is something else entirely. Yet, if we are to believe our anonymous author, both processes can be at play. Read the piece. This one could get you going as a commentary on how questionable practices can insinuate themselves into the fabric of our field.
Investigations on the physiology of yield in winter wheat, by comparisons of varieties and by artificial variation in grain number per ear

Elliott (1962) estimated that the average grain yield of wheat in the United Kingdom increased by 6·1 cwt per acre between 1947 and 1957. By considering results of yield trials carried out by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany he attributed 3·8 cwt of this increase to greater yielding ability of new varieties and the remainder to ‘other factors’, including the increased use of fertilizers, chemical weed control, better seed dressings and combine harvesters. The genetic improvement obtained by breeding new varieties is due partly to the incorporation of characters which are comparatively easily recognized, such as resistance to various diseases and lodging. However, even when these major limiting factors are absent from the environment the new varieties give higher yields, presumably due to physiological superiority. Many investigations, reviewed by Thome (1966), have sought to identify and establish the relative importance of the responsible physiological characters, but the information is still far from complete. This shortcoming is now the chief hindrance to more efficient choice of varieties for use as parents and selection of improved genotypes by the breeder. The objective of the three experiments reported here was to provide further information on the physiological basis of varietal differences in yield in wheat.
Sexual orientation–based wage gaps in Australia: The potential role of discrimination and personality

This article reports a research finding that lesbians in Australia earn an unexplained wage premium of 0%–13%, whereas gay men experience an unexplained negative wage gap of 8%–18%. Based on data from the Australian household panel Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia, the article is the first to establish these gaps in Australia, and to examine the degree to which credence can be afforded to claims that endowments such as personality traits may help explain such wage differentials. Using ordinary least squares and Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition methods, the study explicitly includes the battery of Big Five personality traits in wage regressions and estimates the contribution of endowments and returns to these traits. The finding is that personality traits and returns to them do not differ along lines of sexual orientation. Gay men in particular suffer a substantial unexplained wage penalty in the workplace. Such unexplained differences suggest that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, though unlawful, may exist in Australia.
Resveratrol and SIRT1 Activators for the Treatment of Aging and Age-Related Diseases

Reduced calorie intake is a religious and medical practice known since very old times, but its direct influence on life span in all organisms, included humans, has been dem onstrated in the modern era. Not only periodic fasting, but also natural or synthetic compounds that mimic this phenomenon are growing to slow aging and the onset of chronic morbidities. Resveratrol (RSV), a plant polyphenol, is an elixir of longevity for simple organisms and preclinical rodent models even if a beneficial role in humans is still debated. Its main rejuvenating mechanism copes with the activation of specific longevity genes called sirtuins. Among seven known mammalian sirtuins, sirtuin 1 is the most studied. This pleiotropic nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-based deacetylase maintains longevity by removing acetyl group in nuclear histones, transcription factors, and other DNA repairing proteins. Actually, an exciting challenge is to discover and test novel sirtuin 1 activators to extend life span and to treat age-associated disabilities. This chapter updates on the antiaging effect of RSV and sirtuin 1 activators in experimental animals and in humans. Finally, pros and cons on RSV analogues and sirtuin 1 activa tors tested in preclinical and clinical trials to hamper neurological deficit, cardiovascular complications, bone and muscle and cancer are discussed.
Pre-fire fuel reduction treatments influence plant communities and exotic species 9 years after a large wildfire.

Questions: How did post-wildfire understorey plant community response, including exotic species response, differ between pre-fire treated areas that were less severely burned, and pre-fire untreated areas that were more severely burned? Were these differences consistent through time? Location: East-central Arizona, southwestern US. Methods: We used a multi-year data set from the 2002 Rodeo–Chediski Fire to detect post-fire trends in plant community response in burned ponderosa pine forests. Within the burn perimeter, we examined the effects of pre-fire fuels treatments on post-fire vegetation by comparing paired treated and untreated sites on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. We sampled these paired sites in 2004, 2005 and 2011. Results: There were significant differences in pre-fire treated and untreated plant communities by species composition and abundance in 2004 and 2005, but these communities were beginning to converge in 2011. Total understorey plant cover was significantly higher in untreated areas for all 3 yr. Plant cover generally increased between 2004 and 2005 and markedly decreased in 2011, with the exception of shrub cover, which steadily increased through time. The sharp decrease in forb and graminoid cover in 2011 is likely related to drought conditions since the fire. Annual/biennial forb and graminoid cover decreased relative to perennial cover through time, consistent with the initial floristics hypothesis. Exotic plant response was highly variable and not limited to the immediate post-fire, annual/biennial community. Despite low overall exotic forb and graminoid cover for all years (<2.5%), several exotic species increased in frequency, and the relative proportion of exotic to native cover increased through time. Conclusions: Pre-treatment fuel reduction treatments helped maintain foundation overstorey species and associated native plant communities following this large wildfire. The overall low cover of exotic species on these sites supports other findings that the disturbance associated with high-severity fire does not always result in exotic species invasions. The increase in relative cover and frequency though time indicates that some species are proliferating, and continued monitoring is recommended. Patterns of exotic species invasions after severe burning are not easily predicted, and are likely more dependent on site-specific factors such as propagules, weather patterns and management.
A bioassay for screening materials influencing feeding in the field slug Deroceras reticulatum (Muller) (Mollusca: Pulmonata)

Summary Test materials were incorporated in wheatflour pellets to measure their effect on slug feeding. The dry weights of individual pellets were measured before and after exposure for 24 h to starved slugs. The method gave consistent results, and can accommodate test materials with different physical properties. The phagostimulant effect of sucrose was confirmed. An extract of the herb tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus) was the most effective antifeedant of the materials used at the concentrations tested. The method is compared with other published techniques.
A review of the biology of European cockles (Cerastoderma spp.)

This review examines the biology of the two main cockle species Cerastoderma edule and C. glaucum found in coastal areas around the north-east Atlantic from Norway to Morocco and through the Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Sea. It considers those factors in particular that impact on the overall health and survival of individuals as well as populations. Methods for the discrimination of the species are reviewed as well as the approaches being taken to delineate different populations, which is crucial to appropriately manage individual fisheries. Cockle populations generally undergo sexual maturation during their second summer and sexes are separate. Eggs are pelagic, with larvae being both benthic and pelagic before settling on the sediment and becoming benthic adults. However, data are lacking on basic larval biology and dispersal mechanisms. Data are provided on predator–prey relationships including information on types of food of importance to cockles. Main predators of cockles include brown shrimp, shore crabs, gastropods, polychaetes, fish and a variety of birds and these can be important in structuring cockle populations. Predation of larval cockles by adult cockles through larviphagy can lead to reductions of up to 40% of the population. Cockles are sensitive to a wide range of chemical contaminants but few data are published on impacts on cockles, in particular larval stages. The review concludes with an assessment of future climate change scenarios on cockles and considers some areas of future research required to preserve this ecologically and economically important species.
Cost analysis in choosing group size when group testing for Potato virus Y in the presence of classification errors

In many areas of the world, Potato virus Y (PVY) is one of the most economically important disease problems in seed potatoes. In Taiwan, generation 2 (G2) class certified seed potatoes are required by law to be free of detectable levels of PVY. To meet this standard, it is necessary to perform accurate tests at a reasonable cost. We used a two-stage testing design involving group testing which was performed in Taiwan's Seed Improvement and Propagation Station to identify plants infected with PVY. At the first stage of this two-stage testing design, plants are tested in groups. The second stage involves no retesting for negative test groups and exhaustive testing of all constituent individual samples from positive test groups. In order to minimise costs while meeting government standards, it is imperative to estimate optimal group size. However, because of limited test accuracy, classification errors for diagnostic tests are inevitable; to get a more accurate estimate, it is necessary to adjust for these errors. Therefore, this paper describes an analysis of diagnostic test data in which specimens are grouped for batched testing to offset costs. The optimal batch size is determined by various cost parameters as well as test sensitivity, specificity and disease prevalence. Here, the Bayesian method is employed to deal with uncertainty in these parameters. Moreover, we developed a computer program to determine optimal group size for PVY tests such that the expected cost is minimised even when using imperfect diagnostic tests of pooled samples. Results from this research show that, compared with error free testing, when the presence of diagnostic testing errors is taken into account, the optimal group size becomes smaller. Higher diagnostic testing costs, lower costs of false negatives or smaller prevalence can all lead to a larger optimal group size. Regarding the effects of sensitivity and specificity, optimal group size increases as sensitivity increases; however, specificity has little effect on determining optimal group size. From our simulated study, it is apparent that the Bayesian method can truly update the prior information to more closely approximate the intrinsic characteristics of the parameters of interest. We believe that the results of this study will be useful in the implementation of seed potato certification programmes, particularly those which require zero tolerance for quarantine diseases in certified tubers.
Nutrient resorption in Claytonia virginica L.: implications for deciduous forest nutrient cycling

According to the vernal dam hypothesis, spring ephemeral herbs temporarily sequester large nutrient pools in deciduous forests prior to canopy closure and return the nutrients to the soil following senescence of aboveground tissues. However, many species resorb nutrients from their leaves back to belowground tissues during senescence, and the degree of resorption is often associated with soil nutrient availability. Species that store large proportions of their absorbed nutrients between years are not participating in the temporary sequestering and rapid recycling of nutrients implied by the vernal dam. We investigated the extent to which Claytonia virginica L. sequestered and returned nutrients to the soil in response to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability. We tested the effect of nutrient availability on nutrient use efficiency, resorption efficiency, and resorption proficiency (% nutrient in senescent leaves) of Claytonia. Nutrient additions significantly decreased N but not P use efficiency of.
Genetic diversity and path coefficient analysis in Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] germplasm accessions of Bastar origin

Forty five pigeonpea germplasms were studied for path coefficient and genetic divergence. The path coefficient analysis revealed that, the number of pod clusters plant −1 had the highest direct effect on seed yield. Whereas, the characters namely number of pods plant−1 and days to maturity had the highest indirect effect on seed yield via the characters number of pods plant−1 and days to 50% flowering respectively. Cluster analysis showed existence of considerable diversity in pigeonpea germplasm accessions. The maximum inter cluster distance was observed between cluster I and IV. Hence, genotypes of cluster IV may be crossed with the genotypes of to cluster I to obtain high heterotic response and desirable segregants.
A comparison of treatment outcomes in tuberculosis patients with and without concurrent diabetes mellitus at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka

v DEDICATION. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . viii TABLE OF CONTENTS . ix ABBREVIATIONS . xii LIST OF FIGURES . xiii LIST OF TABLES . xiv LIST OF APPENDICES . xv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTON . 1 1.1 Background . 1 1.2 TB-DM Association . 2 1.3 Immune Response to TB in DM . 3 1.4 Statement of the Problem . 3 1.5 Study Question . 4 1.6 Rationale . 4 1.7 Hypothesis . 4 1.7. 1 Primary Hypothesis . 4 1.7. 1.1 Null Hypothesis . 4 1.7. 1.2 Alternate Hypothesis . 5 1.8 Objectives . 6 1.8. 1 Specific Objectives: . 6 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW . 7 2.1 DM Trends . 7
Interaction of changes in food quality and temperature reveals maternal effects on fitness parameters of a keystone aquatic herbivore

We investigated the interaction of intergenerational temperature and food quality change on the fitness of two species of Daphnia, a freshwater keystone herbivore. The effect of a change in temperature (15°C vs. 20°C) and food quality (Cryptomonas sp. as high‐quality food vs. Chlamydomonas sp. as relatively low‐quality food) on juvenile growth rate and clutch size of Daphnia magna and Daphnia pulex was measured in 16 combinations of maternal and offspring environments in standardized growth assays. Both species showed similar responses. The positive effect of food quality on growth rate and clutch size was stronger if the maternal diet was of low quality. High maternal diet quality generally increased growth rate and reproduction, especially if the offspring diet was of low quality. The maximum fitness was attained by animals acclimated at 15°C and growing at 20°C, combining the faster growth rate at warm assay temperature and bigger clutch size of cold‐acclimated animals. Intergenerational temperature regime had a strong influence on the effects of maternal and offspring food quality. Good maternal food quality was more important for fitness under less favorable temperature conditions. Low offspring food quality was more detrimental to fitness in animals experiencing temperature change between maternal acclimation and growth assay and less so under constant temperature conditions. Intergenerational changes in temperature and the maternal effects of food quality strongly affect the dietary requirements of these organisms. Hence, extrapolation from studies conducted under constant temperature conditions may seriously underestimate dietary constraints in natural environments.
Effects of inorganic nitrogen compounds on the activity and synthesis of nitrogenase in Gloeothece (Nägeli) sp. ATCC 27152

Addition of 2 mM nitrite or ammonium to aerobically incubated cultures of Gloeothece rapidly inhibited N2 fixation (measured as acetylene reduction). In contrast, 2 mM nitrate inhibited N2 fixation less rapidly and less extensively, and often temporarily stimulated nitrogenase activity. The inhibitory effects of both nitrate and ammonium could be prevented by addition of 3 mM L-methionine-DL-sulphoximine, suggesting that the true inhibitor of N2 fixation was an assimilatory product of ammonium rather than either ammonium or nitrate itself. The inhibition of N2 fixation by nitrite could not, however, be prevented by addition of L-methionine-DL- sulphoximine. On the other hand, nitrite (unlike nitrate and ammonium) did not inhibit N2 fixation in cultures incubated under a gas phase lacking oxygen. These findings suggest that the mechanism whereby nitrite inhibits N2 fixation in Gloeothece differs from that of either nitrate or ammonium. The inhibitory effect of nitrite on N2 fixation did not involve reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide, though nitric oxide was a potent inhibitor of nitrogenase activity in Gloeothece. Nitrate and nitrite inhibited the synthesis of nitrogenase in Gloeothece, while ammonium not only inhibited nitrogenase synthesis but also stimulated degradation of the enzyme. In addition, all three compounds favoured the appearance of the Fe-protein of nitrogenase in its larger, presumed inactive, form.