Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diversity, Distribution and Effects on Cassava Cultivars of Cassava Brown Streak Viruses in Malawi

Cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) has emerged as a major threat to cassava (Manihot esculenta) in eastern and southern Africa. CBSD was first reported in Malawi in the 1950s, but little data on the distribution and epidemiology of the disease are available. A diagnostic survey was therefore conducted in Malawi to determine the distribution, incidence and diversity of viruses causing the disease, and to characterize its effects on local cassava cultivars. Diagnostic tests confirmed the presence of cassava brown streak viruses (CBSVs) in 90% of leaf samples from symptomatic plants. Average CBSD foliar severity was 2.5, although this varied significantly between districts. Both Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV) and Ugandan cassava brown streak virus (UCBSV) (genus Ipomovirus, family Potyviridae) were detected from sampled plants. UCBSV was widespread, whereas CBSV was detected only in the two most northerly districts. The average abundance of the whitefly vector (Bemisia tabaci) was 0.4 per plant, a low value that was partly attributable to the fact that the survey was conducted during the cool part of the year known to be unfavourable for B. tabaci whiteflies. Spearman's correlation analyses showed a positive correlation between CBSD foliar incidence and CBSD severity and between CBSD severity and CBSD stem incidence. Of the 31 cassava varieties encountered, 20–20 was most severely affected, whilst Mtutumusi was completely unaffected. Although data from this study do not indicate a significant CBSD deterioration in Malawi, strengthened management efforts are required to reduce the current impact of the disease.
IS BIENNIAL BEARING OF AVOCADOS INEVITABLE

The apparent lack of concern regarding the low production potential of avocados brought about by alternate or biennial bearing and the inherent detrimental effects on yield, fruit size and quality is discussed. It is suggested that through manipulation of the tree, in order to achieve and maintain a high ratio of tree frame and root mass to canopy size, solutions to these problems can be found.
No chilling obligation for germination in seeds of Arnebia benthamii : A critically endangered alpine medicinal plant of north-west Himalayas

Arnebia benthamii (Wall. ex G.Don.) Johnst. , Boraginaceae , is an important Himalayan alpine herb with tremendous medicinal properties. The species is facing the pressure of overexploitation and is ranked as a critically endangered species. In an effort to develop a strategy to conserve and cultivate the species, the present study of in vitro seed germination was carried out. The study depicted that the seeds have a very high viability (98%) and contain oil as the reserve food material. The seeds imbibe water nicely and there is no physical dormancy imposed by the seed coat. Among the many pretreatments used to increase percentage germination and reducing mean germination time (MGT), scarification (seed coat removal) proved most effective. The scarification treatment enhanced seed germination to 96.66% and reduced mean germination time to 4.03 days, followed by Kinetin (50 ppm) with 90.83% seed germination and MGT of 4.15 days, as against control, with 31.66% germination and MGT of 9.18 days. Furthermore, when the scarified seeds were treated with seed coat extract, the percentage germination depleted drastically to 28.33% which is suggestive of the fact that the seed coat contains the chemical inhibitors which do have a regulatory or inhibitory effect on seed germination. The study also revealed that the seeds do not need chilling for witnessing germination.
Immature Life of Compsilura concinnata (Meigen) (Diptera: Tachinidae)

Abstract Development, location, and respiration of Compsilura concinnata (Meigen) (Diptera: Tachinidae) larvae were investigated using the silkworm, Bombyx mori (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), as its host. C. concinnata was always found between the peritrophic membrane and the midgut of the host in the early larval stage. There they attached their posterior abdominal segment to or around the tracheoles of the host midgut using their anal hooks. C. concinnata at the later larval stage was found in the midgut cavity, where the peritrophic membrane had already been exuviated. The larvae actively took tracheae and tracheoles distributed on the coelomic surface of the host midgut into the midgut cavity.
Short-term Effects on Macroinvertebrates and Fishes of Herbiciding and Mowing Phragmites australis-dominated Tidal Marsh

Abstract Negative impacts of Phragmites australis expansion in tidal marshes along the Atlantic coast of North America have spurred numerous efforts to eradicate this invader. Nonetheless, Phragmites-dominated marshes may have considerable habitat value, and few studies have examined the short-term effects of various Phragmites-control treatments on resident animals. The present study addresses the impacts of herbicide (Rodeo) spraying and rotary mowing of Phragmites upon the use of the marsh surface by macroinvertebrates and fishes within a few months of treatment. During spring tides in July, August, and September of 2002, fishes and crustaceans leaving flooded marsh areas along the Lieutenant River, a lower Connecticut River tributary, were captured with Breder traps at 30 sites equally distributed among treated Phragmites, untreated Phragmites, and Typha angustifolia marsh areas. Macroinvertebrates were collected in the three types of marsh using litter bags and shallow pit traps placed along transects normal to the river bank. Treatment produced large mats of Phragmites litter which were gradually removed from the marsh surface, but more rapidly near the river bank than farther into the marsh interior. Macroinvertebrates sampled by both methods were as abundant in treated areas as in untreated Phragmites. Fish and crustacean assemblages in the different types of marsh were similar. Overall, the numbers of Fundulus heteroclitus, the dominant fish species, were not significantly different among treated, untreated, and Typha marshes. This fish foraged extensively, and its diets were similar in all three marsh areas. Herbicide treatment and mowing of Phragmites appeared to have no major impact upon macroinvertebrate and fish use of the marsh during the following few months.
Genetic studies of South Australian Merino sheep. 4. Genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations between various wool and body traits

Genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations were estimated between 23 quantitative and qualitative wool and body traits of South Australian Merino sheep. Clean fleece weight was significantly correlated genetically with greasy fleece weight (0.62), yield (0.47), staple length (0.41), crimps per inch (-0.34), secondary/primary follicle ratio (0.37) and skin thickness (0.39). No significant half-sib genetic correlation was found between clean fleece weight and fibre diameter and the dam-offspring correlation was quite low, although significant (0.16, P < 0.05). This indicates that selection for clean fleece weight should not lead to any great increase in fibre diameter. Skin thickness is discussed as a possible early indicator of clean fleece weight.
The Distribution of Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) Leaf Nests within Forest Fragments in Central Indiana

Abstract We examined the abundance and placement of leaf nests by fox squirrels in six urban woodlots in central Indiana ranging in size from 1.06 to 8.28 ha. Four of the woodlots were disturbed, or subject to extensive human impact, whereas the remaining two were nature preserves. We counted all leaf nests present in each woodlot and recorded nest tree characteristics. We then conducted a quantitative vegetation analysis of trees present and estimated percentages of herbaceous and shrub cover along a minimum of two 100 m transects at each site. Fox squirrels showed a preference to build nests in certain species of trees. However, preference for nest tree species was not consistent across sites. Fox squirrels preferred to build nests in large trees with vines in the canopy at all sites. Characteristics of nests and nest trees did not differ among sites, but nest density was greater in the disturbed sites compared to the nature preserve sites. The nature preserve sites differed from the disturbed sites only with regard to the amount of shrub and herbaceous cover; shrub cover was greater and herbaceous cover was less at the disturbed sites. Results of this study suggest that fox squirrels are flexible with regard to nest tree species used and that the choice of a nest tree is dependent, in part, on tree size and the presence of vines. Further, a higher density of leaf nests in disturbed woodlots suggests that habitat disturbance and fragmentation due to urbanization may not have detrimental effects on the abundance and persistence of fox squirrels.
Characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for the invasive monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus)

Microsatellite loci were characterized for the monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) from a GTn-enriched genomic library. Twelve of 14 microsatellite loci were polymorphic, averaging 6.7 alleles per locus across the 20 individuals genotyped. Mean expected heterozygosity was 0.72, with locus-specific values ranging from 0.53 to 0.90. An equally high multilocus probability of identity (2.48 × 10−12) was revealed for this set of loci. In addition, all 12 loci were demonstrated to cross-amplify to varying extents within three additional parrot genera suggesting their potential utility for population-level studies in a broad range of Neotropical psittacines.
Taro Responses to Excess Copper in Solution Culture

Cupric sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4·5H2O) has been proposed for use in Hawaii as a molluscicide to control golden apple snail ( Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck) infesta- tions of taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott). Two hydroponic, greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the effects of solution Cu 2+ levels on taro growth, the solution Cu 2+ ranging from 0.5 to 25.0 μM. In the second experiment, 'Lehua maoli' was grown at six levels of Cu 2+ ranging from 0.25 to 2.5 μM. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) toxic effects included reduced dry matter production, leaf area, and root length : root dry weight ratio, and both impaired photosynthesis and a generalized reduction of cation accumulation in leaf blade tissue. The solution Cu 2+ toxicity threshold (based on 90% of relative total dry weight) for young taro plants was 1.2 μM. Because Cu does not accumulate in leaf blade tissues with increasing solution Cu 2+ levels, leaf Cu concentration cannot be used as a diagnostic indicator of Cu toxicity in taro.
Niches, null models, and forest birds: Testing competing community assembly hypotheses in disturbed and undisturbed hardwood forest

ABSTRACT Processes that structure bird communities can be divided into two general categories: niche-based and dispersal-based. By examining the proportion of coniferous specialist individuals and the species composition in two forest bird communities, we tested the relative importance of habitat preference and availability (niche-based process) versus random settlement of individuals (dispersal-based process) in determining community composition. We examined two sites on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada: one undisturbed, the other with a history of human disturbance. To test for random settlement, for each forest type we generated model communities based on a random selection of individuals, weighted by the relative proportions of individuals and species in the observed community. In both communities, the proportion of individuals that were coniferous specialists deviated from random. In the disturbed forest, the proportion of coniferous specialist species increased as coniferous habitat increased, consistent with an effect of habitat preference and availability on community structure. This effect was not evident in the undisturbed forest. The proportion of coniferous specialist species, especially at the disturbed site, was similar to the proportion produced by our random model, a different result than for individuals. Examining results only at the species level may mask the processes operating at the level of individuals. Total species richness at both sites was accurately predicted by our random model, suggesting that species richness may be independent of the processes that determine community composition.
Using a modelling approach to evaluate two options for improving animal nitrogen use efficiency and reducing nitrous oxide emissions on dairy farms in southern Australia

Ruminant livestock are generally considered inefficient converters of dietary nitrogen (N) into animal product. Animal nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is a measure of the relative transformation of feed N into product and in dairy systems this is often expressed as milk N per unit of N intake (g milk N/100 g N intake). This study was a theoretical exercise to explore the relative potential efficacy and value proposition of breeding versus feeding to improve NUE, reduce urinary N excretion and associated environmental impact in pasture-based dairy systems. The biophysical whole farm systems model DairyMod was used across three dairying regions of south-eastern Australia representing a high-rainfall cool temperate climate (HRCT), a high-rainfall temperate climate (HRT) and a medium-rainfall temperate climate (MRT) to examine the two theoretical approaches of (1) maintaining the same amount of N exported in milk from a reduced N intake; and (2) increasing the amount of N exported in milk for the same amount of dietary N intake. Sixteen scenarios were explored for each site; these include four supplementary feed N (SN) concentrations (ranging from 1% to 4% N) combined with four milk N (MN) concentrations (ranging from 0.50% to 0.65% N). Reducing the SN concentration from 4% to 1% increased the 30-year mean model-predicted NUEs from ~16 g milk N/100 g N intake at all three sites to between 23 and 28 g milk N/100 g N intake, with the least and greatest improvements in NUE occurring for the HRCT and MRT sites, respectively. Corresponding to this improved NUE through reduced SN concentrations, model-predicted N2O emissions declined from 3.0 to 1.3 t carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-e)/ha.annum for the HRCT site, from 4.2 to 2.1 t CO2-e/ha.annum for the HRT site and from 4.4 to 2.1 t CO2-e/ha.annum for the MRT site, representing a decline of between 50% and 57%. In contrast, increasing the MN concentration from 0.50% to 0.65% increased the 30-year mean model-predicted NUEs from 17 to 22 g milk N/100 g N intake for the HRCT site, from 18 to 23 g milk N/100 g N intake for the HRT site and from 18 to 24 g milk N/100 g N intake for the MRT site. Corresponding to the improved NUE through increased MN concentrations, model-predicted N2O emissions declined from 2.3 to 2.0 t CO2-e/ha.annum for the HRCT site, from 3.3 to 3.1 t CO2-e/ha.annum for the HRT site and from 3.4 to 3.2 t CO2-e/ha.annum for the MRT site; representing a decline of between 7% and 11%. These results suggest that improving animal NUE to reduce associated N2O losses holds much more promise if achieved through a reduction in the amount of N in supplementary feed than through increasing N exported in milk. This is an important finding for the Australian dairy industry, since manipulation of dietary N to better balance the energy to protein ratio would be much easier to implement than manipulation of N concentration in milk through genetics.
ANTLER BREAKAGE IN TULE ELK, OWENS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Author(s) :HEATHER E. JOHNSON, VERNON C. BLEICH, PAUL R.KRAUSMANSource: Journal of Wildlife Management, 69(4):1747-1752. 2005.Published By: The Wildlife Society-2DOI: 10.2193/0022-541X(2005)69[1747:ABITEO]2.0. CO;2URL: http://www.bioone. org/doi/full/10.2193/0022-541X%282005%2969%5B1747%3AABITEO%5D2.0. CO%3B2
DEMOGRAPHICS OF A PROTECTED POPULATION OF GRAY FOXES (UROCYON CINEREOARGENTEUS) IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Abstract We studied demographics of a population of gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) that has been protected for over 50 years on the United States Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site, near Aiken, South Carolina. The percentages of individuals in the 10-, 22-, and ≥34-month-old age classes were 37.2, 10.3, and 52.6, respectively. This differed significantly from age structure at this same site in 1954–1956. Sex ratio was biased toward females (58.7%). Average litter size was 3.6 ± 0.2 SE, and the barren rate was 11.1%. The greater proportion of females, however, resulted in an overall per capita reproductive rate that was still comparable with populations subject to harvest pressure.
Monitoring changes in forest resource advisory groups’ composition and evaluations of perceptions of public participation effectiveness: a case of Ontario’s Local Citizens Committees

Effective public participation is a key part of sustainable forest management on publicly owned lands. However, long-term monitoring data that seek to measure effectiveness of public participation in forest management planning is lacking. Here, measures based on attitudes and satisfaction ratings associated with suspected criteria of public participation effectiveness were developed and applied to forest resource advisory group members from Ontario, Canada. Using data from four social surveys (2001, 2004, 2010, and 2014), advisory group members were, on average, satisfied and held positive attitudes towards the advisory group, their participation in the group, and forest management planning. In many instances, these positive evaluations increased from 2001 to 2014, especially for statements related to fairness. One concern about Local Citizens Committees (LCCs) related to their composition. Advisory group members were male dominated (about 88%) and were increasingly overrepresented by individuals between .
Reliability and validity of the attitude towards research scale for a sample of industrial psychology students

The study investigated the reliability and validity of the Attitudes towards Research Scale for a South African sample. A cross-sectional survey design was used and a convenience sample of postgraduate students in industrial psychology (N = 185) participated in the study. A biographical scale and the Attitudes towards Research Scale were administered. Confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis, correlations and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The results indicated that none of the previously suggested one-factor, five-factor or three-factor structures of the Attitudes towards Research fitted the data well. A revised three-factor structure consisting of positive outlook on research, anxiety and difficulty, and the usefulness of research fitted the data acceptably. Students in this sample displayed positive attitudes towards research, regarded it as beneficial to them in their profession, but deemed it to be somewhat difficult and displayed moderate levels of anxiety about it.
Fairness Enactment as Response to Higher Level Unfairness

In contrast to the abundance of evidence on employee reactions to manager unfairness, we know very little about factors that predict whether managers will act fairly or not. This article explores the effect of procedural unfairness that emanates from higher level managers on procedural fairness enactment at lower levels in the organization. We argue that lower level managers can enact both more and less fair procedures in response to higher level unfairness and that this depends on the extent to which lower level managers define the self in terms of their relation with their higher level manager (i.e., relational-interdependent self-construal). We study both the moderating role of self-construal and how it is embedded in the physical environment of the organization. We pay particular attention to how spatial distance between higher and lower management affects self-construal at lower levels and—because of this relationship—the enactment of fair procedures within the organization. We conduct four studies (in two of which we study spatial distance as an antecedent for self-construal) and show that relatively high levels of relational-interdependent self-construal lead to assimilation in terms of procedural fairness enactment, whereas relatively low levels lead to contrast.
Segregation of astringency in F1 progenies derived from crosses between pollination-constant, nonastringent persimmon cultivars

Japanese persimmon (Diospyros kaki Thunb.) cultivars are classified into four types depending on the nature of astringency loss of the fruit. The pollination-constant, non-astringent (PCNA) persimmons lose their astringency on the tree as the fruits de- velop. This PCNA trait is qualitatively inherited and recessive to the other three types, pollination-constant, astringent (PCA), pollination-variant, nonastringent (PVNA), and pollination-variant, astringent (PVA). In fact, crosses among Japanese PCNA cultivars yield only PCNA type in F 1 generation as shown in recent breeding programs at the National Institute of Fruit Tree Science. Despite these previous results, we demonstrated here that non-PCNA (PVNA, PVA, and PCA) type offspring were derived at relatively high rates in the F 1 generation from a cross between ʻLuo Tian Tian Shiʼ, a PCNA acces- sion from China, and the Japanese PCNA cultivar, ʻTaishuʼ, despite the fact that ʻLuo Tian Tian Shiʼ was confirmed to be a true PCNA type by measuring tannin cell size, a principal morphological characteristic to distinguish PCNA cultivars from non-PCNA ones. When segregations of tannin cell size and tannin content in three progenies of the breeding populations derived from Chinese PCNA ʻLuo Tian Tian Shiʼ x Japanese PCNA ʻTaishuʼ, Japanese PCNA ʻShinshuʼ x Japanese PCNA ʻTaishuʼ, and Japanese PVNA (non-PCNA) ʻKurokumaʼ x Japanese PCNA ʻTaishuʼ were investigated, all offspring be- tween Japanese PCNA cultivars contained only small tannin cells and were PCNA types, and those between Japanese PVNA x PCNA cultivars contained only large tannin cells and were non-PCNA types. However, hybrids between ʻLuo Tian Tian Shiʼ and ʻTaishuʼ segregated into populations of small and large tannin cells, indicating that ʻLuo Tian Tian Shiʼ is likely heterozygous for astringency. Therefore, Chinese PCNA ʻLuo Tian Tian Shiʼ should be different from Japanese PCNA cultivars in genetic makeup.
The Effect of Gender on Attributions for Women’s Anxiety and Doubt in a Science Narrative

Although the effect of biases and stereotype threat on women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields is well documented, less is known about how men and women attribute an undergraduate woman’s anxieties in a STEM class. We examined how undergraduate men and women perceive a woman facing emotional struggles in a physics class (Study 1, N = 309; Study 2, N = 271) and having her contributions ignored in an environmental science class (Study 3, N = 344) in three studies and an internal meta-analysis. Across the studies and meta-analysis, we found gender differences in reactions to the stories. Men were less likely than women to attribute the student’s anxiety to bias-related factors, such as awareness of stereotypes or instructor treatment, and more likely than women to attribute the anxiety to the student’s lack of preparation. Women were more likely to view the narratives as reflecting real-life experiences of women in STEM. The results indicate a lack of awareness, on the part of undergraduate men, of the difficulties faced by women in STEM classes. Based on the current findings, educators and researchers should consider the role that gender plays in how women’s emotional responses in STEM contexts are interpreted. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ’s website at http://journals.sagepub. com/doi/suppl/10.1177/0361684318754528