Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of land use/land cover change and demographic processes (1950 - 2008) on soil properties in the Gökçay catchment, Turkey

The objective of this study was to analyse the effects of land use/land cover change (1955 - 2008) and migration (1950 - 2008) on the hydrological processes and soil physical properties in the Gokcay river catchment. The study area is located in Cankiri province, Ilgaz district, and Gokcay river catchment (41°04'N, 40°55'E). The necessary data were obtained from forest stand maps (1955 and 2008) and evaluated with geographic information system in order to introduce the effect of this land use/land cover change on soil properties and to assess the patterns during a 53-years period. The largest change has been in the forest openings. The forest has decreased from 25 to 7%. These areas have been used as forest, agricultural and settlement areas. Five sites were sampled in an unchanged forest, cultivated areas, natural rangeland, and sites that were changed from cultivated area to rangeland 10 and 50 years ago. Bulk density, hydraulic conductivity, water stable aggregates, soil organic matter and total nitrogen decreased in cultivated soil as compared to the forest soil. The soil properties of the permanent rangelands and of the cultivated field, converted to rangelands 10 and 50 years ago, were similar. The result showed that it is important to understand effects of spatial and temporal changes of land use/land cover and demographic structure their effects on landscape pattern and soil properties to dis-close the implications for land use planning and management. Key words: Land use/ land cover, demographic processes, soil, catchment.
The recruitment of Atlantic salmon in Europe

The stock complex of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in Europe has experienced a multidecadal decline in recruitment, resulting in the lowest stock abundances observed since 1970. Here, physical forcing, biological interactions, and the resultant growth response of postsmolt salmon are examined with a view to understanding the mechanism controlling recruitment. Sea surface temperature (SST) has increased in the Northeast Atlantic, with the pattern and seasonal change in SST negatively correlated with post-smolt survival during summer and in a region that spatially matches the post-smolt nursery. Constituents of the pelagic foodweb, including potential postsmolt food and plankton that may affect post-smolt forage, have changed on a decadal scale and correlate with salmon survival. Retrospective growth analyses of eight stock/sea age components show that post-smolt growth during summer is positively correlated with salmon survival and recruitment. The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation appears to be a more closely aligned climate forcing index than the North Atlantic Oscillation with respect to salmon recruitment. European Atlantic salmon recruitment appears to be governed by factors that affect the growth of post-smolts during their first summer at sea, including SST and forage abundances; growth appears to mediate survival by the functional relationship between post-smolts and their predators.
Marginal contribution of game statistics to probability of winning at different levels of competition in basketball: Evidence from the Euroleague

In this study, we analyse the marginal contribution of team level game statistics to the probability of winning a basketball game at various competitive levels considering data from 14 seasons of the Euroleague. Different from the existing literature, we directly compute the marginal contribution of producing one more unit of each game statistic than the opponent to the probability of winning. We also differentiate our analysis over three stages of the Euroleague season that exhibit distinct levels of competitiveness. Results suggest sizeable differences in terms of contribution of game statistics across different levels of competition. As better performing teams advance, marginal contributions of game actions, especially defensive rebounding, assists, turnovers and shooting accuracy are considerably greater in absolute terms at more competitive stages. The most striking effect, however, is related to turnovers. While registering one turnover more than the opponent reduces the probability to win by 13% during the regular season (less competitive stage) and by 17% during Top-16 (the second competitive stage), it reduces the probability to win by 41% at the Play-offs stage (more competitive stage). Such a large impact may alter training and coaching strategies.
Differences between genotypic and phenotypic resistance in MDR-TB strains in South Africa

V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . VI TABLE OF CONTENTS . VII LIST OF FIGURES . XII LIST OF TABLES . XIII CHAPTER 1 . 1 1 LITERATURE REVIEW . 1 1.
Seed Germination and Coleoptile Growth of New Rice Lines Adapted to Hypoxic Conditions

We investigated the morpho-physiological traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) during the germination and post-germination phases to explore avoidance of hypoxic conditions. We compared four lines selected for anaerobic germination (AG lines) with the variety IR42. The germination capacity of AG lines was higher than that of IR42. The germination percentages and coleoptile elongation differed among the four AG lines; IR06F459 showed the fastest germination and rapid coleoptile elongation. The coleoptiles of IR06F459 were significantly longer than those of IR42. The α-amylase activity in germinating seeds was significantly higher in IR06F459 than in IR42. At 2 days after sowing, the sucrose and glucose concentrations in germinating seeds were higher in IR06F459 than in IR42. These results show that IR06F459, an AG line with a long coleoptile, has high α-amylase activity and high sucrose and glucose concentrations in germinating seeds. These attributes partly explain its vigorous germination and coleoptile growth under hypoxic conditions.
Longevity of buried ragwort seed in four soils.

The viability of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea L.) seed buried for several years at 0 ‐ 2, 4 ‐ 6 and 19 ‐ 21 cm depths was evaluated in four different soil types. Seed samples in nylon mesh bags were removed after 1, 2, 3, 5, 11 and 16 years burial and their viability determined by germination. After 16 years no viable seed was found in the clay soil. In the silt loam and peat soils 1 ‐ 3% viable seed remained while in the sandy soil up to 13% remained viable. In the surface 0 ‐ 2 cm layer of soil it took from 10.9 to 14.6 years for the percentage of viable seed to fall to 1% of the original viable seed, depending on soil type. At the 4 ‐ 6 and 19 ‐ 21 cm depths the corresponding times were 12.8 ‐ 16.5 years and 13.0 ‐ 18.0 years.
Maps of Pleistocene sea levels in Southeast Asia: shorelines, river systems and time durations

Glaciation and deglaciation and the accompanying lowering and rising of sea levels during the late Pleistocene are known to have greatly affected land mass configurations in Southeast Asia. The objective of this report is to provide a series of maps that estimate the areas of exposed land in the Indo‐Australian region during periods of the Pleistocene when sea levels were below present day levels.
Desenvolvimento pós-embrionário de Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider, 1851) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) alimentada com ovos de Diatraea saccharallis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Os crisopideos sao importantes predadores encontrados associados a diversos artropodes-praga em diversos agroecossistemas. Para a criacao massal desses predadores sao utilizados tradicionalmente ovos de Sitotroga cerealella e de Anagasta kuehniella . Outros alimentos podem ser utilizados em substituicao aos tradicionais, mas pouco se conhece sobre a biologia de crisopideos e outros alimentos alternativos. Assim, este trabalho objetivou verificar o efeito de diferentes dietas sobre o desenvolvimento pos-embrionario dessa especie em laboratorio. Apos a individualizacao em tubos de vidro, cada larva foi alimentada com ovos de S. cerealella e Diatraea saccharallis . Avaliou-se a duracao, o peso e a viabilidade das larvas em cada instar, a duracao o peso e viabilidade das fases de pre-pupa e pupa e a duracao do periodo pos-embrionario. Adotou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com dez repeticoes por tratamento, cada uma constituida por cinco ovos ou larvas de C. cincta . As larvas foram pesadas 48 horas apos a eclosao e 48 horas apos cada ecdise, e as pre-pupas e pupas, 48 horas apos iniciarem esses estagios Nao houve interferencia do tipo de alimento fornecido sobre os parâmetros avaliados. Desta forma, ovos de D. saccharallis podem ser utilizados para alimentacao de C. cincta .
Quantifying the relative importance of niches and neutrality for coexistence in a model microbial system

Summary 1. Ecologists have identified two types of processes promoting species coexistence: stabilizing mechanisms (niche differentiation and related processes) that increase negative intraspecific interactions relative to negative interspecific interactions, and equalizing mechanisms (neutrality) that minimize the differences in species’ demographic parameters. It has been theoretically and empirically shown that the two types of mechanisms can operate simultaneously; however, their relative importance remains unstudied although this is a key question in the synthesis of niche and neutral theories. 2. We experimentally quantified the relative importance of niche and neutral mechanisms in promoting phenotypic diversity in a model microbial system involving different phenotypes of the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. Initially isogenic populations of the bacterium can diversify into a series of major and minor classes of phenotypes that can be treated as analogues of species. We estimated the relative population growth rate when rare of 32 phenotypes from six replicate microcosms. Each phenotype was assessed in a re-assembled microcosm in which the relative densities of all phenotypes remained the same except for the focal one which was reduced in frequency. A growth rate advantage when rare was considered evidence of non-neutral processes. 3. Approximately one-third of the phenotypes had a growth rate advantage when rare while the remaining two-thirds showed neutral or near-neutral dynamics. Furthermore, there was overall little evidence that productivity increased with phenotypic diversity. 4. Our results suggest that niche and neutral processes may simultaneously contribute to the maintenance of biodiversity, with the latter playing a more important role in our system, and that the operation of niche mechanisms does not necessarily lead to a positive biodiversity effect on ecosystem properties.
GENETIC DATA AND ELECTRONIC TAGGING INDICATE THAT THE GULF OF MEXICO AND MEDITERRANEAN SEA ARE REPRODUCTIVELY ISOLATED STOCKS OF BLUEFIN TUNA (THUNNUS THYNNUS)

1SUMMARY Population subdivision was examined in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus thynnus) through sequencing of the control region of the mitochondrial genome. A total of 160 samples obtained from the known spawning grounds in the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean Sea were analyzed. Bluefin tuna populations from the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterranean Sea were found to be genetically distinct based on Φst, sequence nearest neighbor and AMOVA analyses, supporting the hypothesis that these two major spawning areas are independent stocks. These data are in agreement with electronic tagging studies that indicate distinct migratory paths of the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean Sea spawning populations. We hypothesize that the fidelity to individual spawning grounds observed in electronic tracking records of up to 4 years maintains the genetic differentiation observed between stocks.
Effect of xylazine, detomidine, and a combination of xylazine and butorphanol on equine duodenal motility.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect on equine duodenal motility of some analgesic agents commonly used to treat colic. ANIMALS 4 healthy adult healthy horses--2 mares and 2 geldings--which were carrying an indwelling gastric cannula made of silastic rubber. One horse also carried 2 long-term indwelling bipolar electrodes that had been sutured onto the duodenum and jejunum. PROCEDURE To ensure an empty stomach, solid food was withheld from horses for around 20 hours prior to an experiment. Using videoendoscopic guidance, an 8-F catheter with 3 small, discrete pressure sensors was passed through the gastric cannula and directed into the proximal portion of the duodenum. Deflection of the recording pen, to which the catheter was attached, indicated a motile event in that section. Drugs (treatment) were given into the jugular vein in a randomized block design, 1 treatment/experiment, after a 1-hour baseline recording. Treatments were: 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl, xylazine (XYL, 0.5 mg/kg of body weight), detomidine (DET, 0.0125 mg/kg), or a xylazine/butorphanol combination (XYB, 0.5/0.05 mg/kg). Each horse received each treatment twice. All positive pressure peaks > 5 mm of Hg recorded from the most proximal sensor on the catheter were counted in 15-minute blocks. Each mean 15-minute posttreatment value was compared with the baseline value for that specific treatment. RESULTS There was no significant difference between baseline values. All treatments significantly (P < 0.05) reduced frequency of pressure peaks below their respective pretreatment values, but to variable degrees and durations. Comparatively, XYL had the least effect, with mild, though significant, reduction for only the first 30 posttreatment minutes; DET and XYB caused a significant marked reduction for 1 hour after treatment. CONCLUSIONS The profound suppressive effect of a routine dose of detomidine or xylazine/butorphanol combination on equine duodenal motility must be considered when using these agents for management of colic, especially when encouragement of intestinal motility is desirable.
Assessment of DNA Damage in Obese Individuals

Obesity has been reported to be associated with inc reased oxidative stress which can cause damage to c ellular biomolecules including DNA and hence provoke a malignancy response. Hence, the assessment of DNA damage in obese subjects can assist in therapeutic and management s trategies to prevent obesity-related co-morbidities . In the present study, the alkaline Single Cell Gel Electrophoresis (SCGE) assay was carried out in peripheral blood leukocyt es of some (n=50) obese and normal weight subjects. Obese individuals (n=35) had a significantly higher Body Mass Index (BMI of males 31.89±0.58 kg/m 2 and of females 31.87±0.38 kg/m 2 ) compared to controls (n=15; 23.29±0.40 kg/m 2 ) who were healthy, had normal weight and were matched for age sex, socioeconomic status and lifestyle. DNA damage was significantly (p< 0.001) elevated in obese subjects with mean Damage Frequency of 77.77±1.12, Damage Index of 47.34±0.79 and DNA migration of 29.14±0. 93µm compared to respective values in controls. DNA damage in obese subjects implies their susceptibility to cancer and precocious ageing and so requires appropriate interventions.
Identification of phenolic compounds and assessment of in vitro antioxidants activity of 30% ethanolic extracts derived from two Phyllanthus species indigenous to Malaysia

Phenolic compounds were identified in 30% ethanolic extracts derived from Phyllanthus niruri (P. niruri) and Phyllanthus urinaria (P. urinaria) using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. In vitro antioxidants activity of the extracts was studied based on total phenolic contents (TPC) using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and their scavenging activity towards radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The HPLC results show that gallic acid (GA), corilagin (Cor) and ellagic acid (EA) were the major components of the extracts and their quantifications in P. niruri were 11.867  0.130, 89.579  0.602 and 37.309  0.033 mg/g of extract respectively and in P. urinaria were 8.710  0.091, 56.382  0.364 and 27.880  0.263 mg/g of extract. The TPC of P. niruri and P. urinaria were 262.10  1.04 and 277.98  1.04 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of extract respectively and their scavenging based on IC50 was 32.64 and 25.00 g mass of the extract compared to the IC50 of references standards GA (3.28 g) and EA (2.99 g). The results revealed the extracts as a potential source of natural antioxidants that can be utilized in cosmetics as skin antiaging, sun-blocking and whitening agents.
Evaluation of Newer Fungicides against Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler Causing Fruit Rot Disease of Chilli

Among the ten newer fungicides evaluated under in vitro condition by poisoned food technique against Alternaria alternata revealed tebuconazole, hexaconazole and azoxystrobin (18.2%) + difenconazole (11.4%) at all the three concentrations (500, 1000 and 1500 ppm) completely inhibited the mycelial growth of the pathogen and proved to be most effective. Based on in vitro screening, five promising fungicides were selected and reevaluated under field condition against fruit rot of chilli and the result revealed that two foliar application of tebuconazole (50%) + trifloxystrobin (25%) (75 WP) @ 0.05 per cent at an interval of 15 days, commencing from the initiation of disease was most effective in reducing fruit rot intensity and increasing fruit yield over control. Tebuconazole which was found effective under in vitro but could not reduce fruit rot intensity effectively under field conditions.
Herbicide-Resistant Canola (Brassica napus) Response and Weed Control with Postemergence Herbicides1

Field studies were conducted to evaluate weed control in herbicide-resistant canola in Georgia. The resistant canola cultivars and respective herbicides were ‘Pioneer 45A76’ and imazamox, ‘Hyola 357RR’ and glyphosate, and ‘2573 Invigor’ and glufosinate. Weed seed of Italian ryegrass and wild radish were sown simultaneously in October with canola and control of these species was evaluated along with other naturally occurring weeds. Herbicide treatments for the respective herbicide-resistant canola cultivar were imazamox at 0.035 and 0.071 kg ai/ha, glyphosate at 0.84 and 1.64 kg ae/ha, and glufosinate at 0.5 and 1.0 kg ai/ha. Herbicides were applied at one– two-leaf (LF) and three–four-LF canola stages. There was no significant injury to any canola cultivar as a result of herbicide rate or timing of application. By midseason (February), imazamox effectively controlled wild radish, henbit, and shepherd's-purse at both rates and at both timings. When applied to three–four-LF canola, the higher rates of glyphosate and glufosinate were required to provide 75% or greater control of Italian ryegrass, wild garlic, and henbit. Glufosinate did not adequately control wild radish at either rate or application timing. Greenhouse experiments provided similar results. Nomenclature: Glufosinate; glyphosate; imazamox; henbit, Lamium amplexicaule L. #3 LAMAM; Italian ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum Lam. # LOLMU; wild garlic, Allium vineale L. # ALLVI; wild radish, Raphanus raphanistrum L. # RAPRA; shepherd's-purse Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medicus. , # CAPBP; and canola, Brassica napus L. # BRSNS, ‘Pioneer 45A76’, ‘Hyola 357RR’, and ‘2573 Invigor’. Additional index words: Canola injury, canola yield, susceptibility to herbicides, herbicide resistance, herbicide tolerance. Abbreviations: LF, leaf stage of growth; DAP, days after planting; IRC, imidazolinone-resistant canola.
Induced Genetic Variability through Physical and Chemical Mutagens in M3 and M4 Populations of Frenchbean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Rajmash (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), also known as rajma, French bean, kidney bean, common bean etc. is a popular pulse crop at hills and hill valleys but not so popular in the plains. Out of the two cultivars, ‘Udai’ and ‘Malviya Rajmash 137’ released for cultivation in plains, the cultivar ‘Udai’ is not widely accepted because of its shattering of pods at maturity, variegated seed colour and low yield as compared to Malviya Rajmash 137. The pure and healthy seeds of the variety ‘Udai’ were irradiated with gamma rays (5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 kR doses), ethyl methane sulphonate (10, 20, 40, 60 and 80 mM concentrations) and their combinations (5 kR + 10 mM, 10 kR + 20 mM, 15 kR + 40 mM, 20 kR + 60 mM and 40 kR + 80 mM doses/concentrations). In the present investigation, the dose of 15 kR was found to be most efficient among the different doses of gamma rays with few exceptions. In case of the EMS, the concentration of 20 mM was found to be the best. The most efficient treatment among the combination was found to be 10 kR gamma rays + 20 mM EMS.
Paraphenylenediamine induces apoptosis of Murine myeloma cells in a reactive oxygen species dependant mechanism

Paraphenylenediamine (p-PD) is the main aromatic amine used in the formulation of hair dyes. Epidemiologic studies have suggested that the use of p-PD based hair dyes might be related to increase risk of human malignant tumors including multiple myeloma and hematopoietic cancers. However, the toxicity of p-PD on myeloma cells has not been well elucidated yet. Therefore, the association between the cytotoxicity of p-PD and the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation on murine myeloma cells P3X63Ag8.653 (P3) was evaluated. Treatment with p-PD decreases cell viability in a dose and time dependent manner. In addition, p-PD markedly enhanced lipid peroxidation. This increase was accompanied with a decrease in both glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase activities. Furthermore, Pre-treatment of P3 cells with antioxidants, reduced glutathione or manganese II chloride, significantly inhibited p-PD induced cytotoxicity and ROS generation. Based on these
Homology between and Antiquity of Stereotyped Communicatory Behaviors of Crocodilians

Abstract Crocodilians communicate with each other using stereotyped acoustic and visual signals that convey reproductive, territorial, and other information. I mapped 14 such behavioral characters onto a phylogeny of seven crocodilian species to determine behavioral homologies, under the assumption that such behaviors are heritable. The results indicate that the following are ancestral behaviors for Alligatoridae + Crocodylidae and, therefore, were present by the Late Cretaceous: intraegg vocalization; juvenile distress calls; circling during courtship; head-emergent tail-arched posture; snout lifting; head slapping; inflated posture; narial geysering; bubbling; mutual snout-rubbing; and rubbing the snout on the dorsal surface of an intended mate. Ancestral (Late Cretaceous) courtship behaviors of the clade included circling, narial geysering, bubbling, mutual snout rubbing, and rubbing the snout on the dorsal surface of the intended mate. The headslap-roar is an ancestral advertisement display for the clade represented by Crocodylus acutus, Crocodylus moreletii, and Crocodylus intermedius and was present by the Pliocene. The behavior of many crocodilian species has been little studied, and it is possible that the picture presented here will change with the addition of data from more crocodilian species.
Hydrogen production during the anaerobic acidogenic conversion of glucose

Experiments on hydrogen production using chemostat-type anaerobic digesters were conducted. The results indicate that the anaerobic acidogenic conversion of glucose can produce hydrogen. The hydrogenic activity of acclimated anaerobic sewage sludge is high at a short solids retention time (SRT) and low pH. At pH 5.7, SRT 0.25 days and an organic loading rate of 416 mmol-glucose dm−3 day−1, each mole of glucose in the mesophilic acidogenic reactor can produce 1.7 mol of hydrogen; each gram of biomass produces 0.456 mole of hydrogen per day. Moreover, the hydrogen productivity of the sludge is comparable to that of an enrichment culture. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry