Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phylogeny and origin of Jurassic irregular echinoids (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

A phylogenetic analysis of Jurassic irregular echinoids is realized to explore the origin and early evolution of this important subset of echinoids. The phylogeny is based on 39 characters and considers data from apical system architecture, the corona including tuberculation and spines, Aristotle's lantern, and general test shape. Results corroborate the monophyly of Irregularia, and clarify the phylogenetic interrelationships existing between the main groups of irregular echinoids. Specializations of the Aristotle's lantern, spines, tubercles and phyllodes constitute the apomorphies for different taxa, as for the whole of Irregularia. The phylogenetic signal yielded by these characters highlights the importance of the environmental context of the origin and diversification of irregular echinoids. The definition of ‘irregularity’ is re-examined, rejecting exocyclism and characters of the apical system as appropriate synapomorphies, and stressing the importance of other characters, particularly the high density and small size of tubercles and spines. A new clade name, Infraclypeidae [P], and phylocode designations (stem-based diagnoses) are proposed for the clades Irregularia, Eognathostomata, Microstomata, Neognathostomata and Atelostomata. Other groupings formerly used (Pygasteroida, Galeropygidae and Menopygidae) are considered paraphyletic.
Patterns and monitoring of Sesia apiformis infestations in poplar plantations at different spatial scales

Poplar plantations are expanding worldwide but little is known about the hornet clearwing moth, Sesia apiformis, one of their most severe pests. Thirty‐two poplar plantations of I‐214 clone were sampled in Spain, according to a factorial design combining stand age, site condition and understorey management to investigate the main drivers of S. apiformis habitat selection at both tree and stand level. In each plantation, one pheromone trap was activated during the flight season to test the correlation between captures and percentage of attacked trees. The proportion of other poplar forests in surrounding landscapes was calculated and used as a covariate in predictive models of trap catches. There were significantly more attacked trees in older stands. In young stands, the percentage of infested trees increased with the percentage cover of understorey vegetation. There was no significant effect of site quality on the rate of infestation and no difference in tree height, diameter or crown condition between attacked and un‐attacked trees within each stand, suggesting that S. apiformis could behave as primary pest. We hypothesized that the critical stage in the life cycle of the moth was the first instar larvae, which may benefit from protection of deep bark cracks in older stands and understorey vegetation in younger stands. We observed a positive correlation between trap capture and percentage of attacked trees in a radius of 100 m around the trap. The regression of trap catches against percentage of attacked trees was improved when the area of other poplar plantations within a distance of 600 m was incorporated in the model. This suggests that surrounding poplar stands may act as sources of immigrating moths in monitored stands. Our findings confirm that S. apiformis should be considered as a potential threat to poplar plantations and that pheromone trapping provides a suitable monitoring tool.
Dimeric Amyloid β Protein Rapidly Accumulates in Lipid Rafts followed by Apolipoprotein E and Phosphorylated Tau Accumulation in the Tg2576 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease

To investigate lipid rafts as a site where amyloid β protein (Aβ) oligomers might accumulate and cause toxicity in Alzheimer's disease (AD), we analyzed Aβ in the Tg2576 transgenic mouse model of AD. Aβ was highly concentrated in lipid rafts, which comprise a small fraction of brain volume but contain 27% of brain Aβ42 and 24% of Aβ40 in young mice. In the Tg2576 model, memory impairment begins at 6 months before amyloid plaques are visible. Here we show that Aβ dimers appear in lipid rafts at 6 months and that raft Aβ, which is primarily dimeric, rapidly accumulates reaching levels >500× those in young mice by 24–28 months. A similar large accumulation of dimeric Aβ was observed in lipid rafts from AD brain. In contrast to extracellular amyloid fibrils, which are SDS-insoluble, virtually all Aβ in lipid rafts is SDS soluble. Coupled with recent studies showing that synthetic and naturally occurring Aβ oligomers can inhibit hippocampal long-term potentiation, the in vivo age-dependent accumulation of SDS-soluble Aβ dimers in lipid rafts at the time when memory impairment begins in Tg2576 mice provides strong evidence linking Aβ oligomers to memory impairment. After dimeric Aβ began to accumulate in lipid rafts of the Tg2576 brain, apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and then phosphorylated tau accumulated. A similar increase in ApoE and a large increase in phosphorylated tau was observed in lipid rafts from AD brain. These findings suggest that lipid rafts may be an important site for interaction between dimeric Aβ, ApoE, and tau.
Pollinators of the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) observed in Kenya

The study reported examined mechanisms of pollen transfer within the genus Lagenaria, including insect vectors in the natural and cropped field environment. The major flower visitors to Lagenaria were observed for 10 months, from June 2001 to April 2002 at five sites, namely the Botanic Garden of the National Museums of Kenya, three farmers’ crop fields in Dungicha village in Kilifi District, Katitika and Wayowani villages in Kitui District and the home garden of one of the authors, in Westlands, Nairobi, Kenya. Twenty-two species of insects represented in four orders belonging to 10 families were found to be the major visitors of L. siceraria flowers. From the foraging patterns of the flower visitors, visiting frequencies and development of fruits, four groups of flower visitors comprising hawkmoths (Hippotion celerio, Agrius convolvuli), moths A-D (Noctuidae spp.), skipper butterfly (Gorgyra johnstoni) and honeybee (Apis mellifera) were considered active flower visitors. Hawkmoths were suspected to be the major pollinators of this plant in the locations surveyed. RésuméCette étude examine les mécanismes de transfert du pollen dans le genre Lagenaria, faisant intervenir les insectes vecteurs dans les habitats naturels et cultivés. Les plus importants visiteurs de fleurs de Lagenaria ont été observés pendant 10 mois, de juin 2001 à avril 2002 dans le jardin botanique du Muséum National de Nairobi, dans une parcelle paysanne du village de Dungicha dans le district de Kilifi, dans les villages de Katitika et Wayowani dans le district de Kitui et dans le jardin de l’un des auteurs, à Westland à Nairobi. Vingt deux espèces d’insectes appartenant à quatre ordres et 10 familles ont été trouvées. A partir du comportement de recherche, de la fréquence des visites et du développement des fruits, quatre groupes de visiteurs de fleurs comprenant les sphingides (Hippotion celerio, Agrius convolvuli), les papillons de nuits A-D (Noctuidae spp.), l’hespéride (Gorgyra johnstoni) et l’abeille (Apis mellifera) sont considérés comme des visiteurs de fleurs actifs. Les sphingides semblent être les pollinisateurs les plus importants de cette plante dans les localités étudiées.
Sequential response of whole plant water relations to prolonged soil drying and the involvement of xylem sap ABA in the regulation of stomatal behaviour of sunflower plants

SUMMARY Sunflower plants (Helianihus animus cv. Tall Single Yellow} were grown in the greenhouse in drain pipes (100 mm inside diameter and 1 m long) rilled with John Innes No. 2 compost. When the fifth leaf had emerged, half of the plants were left unwatered for 6 days, rewatered for 2 days and then not watered for another 12 days. Measurements of water relations and abaxial stomatal conductance were made at each leaf position at regular intervals during the experimental period. Estimates were also made of soil water potentials along the soil profile and of ABA concentrations in xylem sap and leaves. Soil drying led to some reduction in stomatal conductance alter only 3 days but leaf turgors were not reduced until day 13 (6 days after rewatering). When the water relations of leaves did change, older leases became substantially dehydrated while high turgors were recorded in younger leaves. Leaf ABA content measured on the third youngest leaf hardly changed over the first 13 days of the experiment, despite substantial soil drying, while xylem ABA concentrations changed very significantly and dynamically as soil water status varied, even when there was no effect of soil drying on leaf water relations. We argue that the highest ABA concentrations in the xylem, found as a result of substantial soil drying, arise from synthesis in both the roots and the older leaves, and act to delay the development of water deficit in younger leases. In other experiments ABA solutions were watered on to the root systems of sunflower plants to increase ABA concentrations in xylem sap. The stomatal response to applied ABA was quantitatively very similar to that to ABA generated as a result of soil drying. There was a log-linear relationship between the reduction of leaf conductance and the increase of ABA concentration m xylem sap.
Wind dispersal of alpine plant species: A comparison with lowland species

Abstract Question: The prominent role of wind dispersal in alpine habitats has been recognized early but has rarely been quantified. The aim of this study is to compare wind dispersal under alpine and lowland conditions and to analyse whether differences are caused by species traits, e.g. terminal velocity of seeds (Vterm) or weather conditions. Location and Methods: We characterized wind dispersal potential of >1100 Central European species using measured Vterm. To quantify the habitat effect on wind dispersal, we measured meteorological key-parameters and simulated dispersal distance spectra of nine selected species under typical alpine conditions (foreland of the Scaletta-glacier, Switzerland) and typical lowland conditions (grassland in Bad Lippspringe, Germany). Results: Lowland species had higher Vterm compared to alpine species. However, this difference is absent when only species of species of open habitats are concerned. The meteorological measurements showed that the alpine habitat was mainly characterized by higher frequency and strength of updrafts. The simulations showed that under alpine conditions long distance dispersal occurred much more frequent. Conclusions: More than 50 % of the alpine species have a fair chance to be dispersed by wind over long distances, while this proportion is less than 25 % for species from open habitats in the lowland. The more prominent role of wind dispersal in alpine habitats is mainly a result of differences in environmental conditions, namely more intense vertical turbulence in the alpine habitat, and does not result from prominent differences in plant traits, namely Vterm, between alpine and lowland species. Nomenclature: Wisskirchen & Haeupler (1998).
Foreign Direct Investment and Total Factor Productivity: Any Nexus?

This study examines the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the total factor productivity (TFP) of host countries. Extensions of the new growth theory provide a framework in which FDI increases the growth rate of a host country through technology transfer, diffusion and spillover effects. We construct four new series of TFP using the framework of neoclassical growth models. We also address the issue of endogeneity using the generalized method of moments. Our estimations using a balanced panel of 77 low- and middle-income countries suggest that FDI could not promote TFP in the countries studied. Our sensitivity analysis, in terms of alternative estimation methods, data, models and time period, reinforces the findings. We observe that the lack of absorptive capacity is likely to be an important reason for not having a direct relationship between FDI and TFP. JEL Classification: F21, F23, O33, F43, C33
Body size effects on locomotion and load carriage in the highly polymorphic leaf-cutting ants Atta colombica and Atta cephalotes.

Leaf-cutting ants reduce their walking speed under the weight of the leaf fragments they carry, an effect likely to have some consequence for the foraging performance of a colony. I manipulated loads carried by workers from two Atta species to determine how load mass and body size affect walking speed. A comparison of speeds before and after load manipulation indicates that change in load mass has a linear effect on velocity. Several different regression models of speed as a function of loads and body size have similar fit to the data, so a single best model cannot easily be identified. However, there is statistical evidence that the slope of the linear effect is more pronounced for smaller ants, an outcome most consistent with a regression model based on loading ratio, a metric that scales load mass relative to body mass. I then examined the effect of loading ratio on the leaf transport rate (the product of load mass and carriage velocity). It has been claimed that this rate is maximized over a range of loading ratios that is the same for all ants regardless of their size. However, I found that a latent body mass effect persists in the relation of transport rate to loading ratio, even though loading ratio is already scaled relative to body mass. The maxima seem to be reached only at artificially elevated loading ratios, so that transport rates with natural fragments tend to be sub-maximal. This conclusion is in agreement with analytical predictions of rate-maximizing load masses derived from the regression models. Thus, loading ratio does not adequately scale load mass relative to body size when used in this context (effect on leaf transport rate), and should be used cautiously. Ants are likely to accommodate loads through modulation of both stride length and step frequency, but precisely how this takes place requires future study. Key words: ants, Atta, central place foraging, Formicidae, walking speed, scaling. [Behav Ecol 11:125–131 (2000)]
Sublittoral megabenthos along cliffs of different profile (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean)

The sublittoral megabenthos was studied in selected areas of the Aegean Sea. Data were collected with a visual, non-destructive, method and the technique of randomly placed frames was adopted. Eighty-nine meg- abenthic species were recorded. The spatial and temporal variation in population density, as well as the pattern of dispersion, was estimated for the most dominant species. Spatial analysis of the population densities suggested the separation of the studied sites in three major groups, reflecting differences in cliff profile. Temporal analysis revealed the discrimination of summer samples. The pattern of dispersion for most of the examined species was ran- dom without seasonal differentiations. Agelas oroides and Leptopsammia pruvoti showed a clumped pattern, while Halocynthia papillosa and Microcosmus sabatieri were evenly distributed.
Synchronization of heterogeneous multiagent systems: A distributed observer and compensation framework

This article proposes a distributed observer and compensation framework to address the synchronization problem of heterogeneous multiagent systems under directed communication and dynamic jointly connected topology scenarios. Different from the previous results, the synchronization problem is solved in our framework which neither relies on the solution of regulator equations which can be regarded as a high gain and usually calculated by a forced equivalence principle, nor assumes the global connectivity condition for all the agents to obtain a bounded synchronization error level. To do this, first, we introduce a dual design principle, where a stabilization condition with an appropriate coupling strength for the synchronization algorithm is proposed. Within this framework, a class of synchronization dynamics called synchronization distributed observers and tracking controller named control protocol are designed. While the synchronization behaviors can be achieved between synchronization distributed observers and control protocol, all the agents will synchronize to their leader in a situation where the system dynamics of the leader can be acquired in advance by all individuals. Finally, simulations of heterogeneous single‐link manipulators are presented to show the effectiveness of our approach.
Effects of Ca2+ and Cd2+ on the Carbohydrate Metabolism in Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris)

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. cv. Monohill) were cultivated in a nutrient solution with different combinations of Ca2+ (36, 180, 720 or 3560 fiM) and Cd2+ (0, 1,5 or 20 ^M). The dry and fresh weights, the content of Ca2+ and Cd2 + , sucrose, fructose, glucose and starch in 5-week-old plants was analysed as well as the rate of [14C]-sucrose uptake in discs from 3-month-old storage roots. The carbohydrate metabolism was indirectly affected by the presence of calcium or cadmium. Cadmium caused a diminished dry weight and carbohydrate concentration. The dry weight was unaffected by the Ca2 + level but the carbohydrate distribution between storage and growth processes was affected; at low Ca2 + in the tissue, the growth was retarded and the level of storage carbohydrate increased, while at high Ca2+ the opposite was found. The [14C]-sucrose uptake decreased in tap roots cultivated at low Ca2 +. Long term exposure to Cd2 + also decreased the sucrose uptake in tap roots. Direct Cd2 + addition to the assay medium, however, increased the sucrose uptake, probably at the tonoplast, while Ca2 + had no transient effect on the uptake. Cadmium increased the Ca2+ concentration in the plant, but Ca2+ did not affect the net-uptake of Cd2 + .
Based model: Using knowledge management to enhance information technology training outcomes among markets requirements

Background: The present research paper considers the use of knowledge management (KM) to enhance Information Technology training outcomes based on markets requirements, with particular focus on Gulf region. Method: Two key research questions would be answered in the paper, they are: what are the findings of the previous studies on role of knowledge management in supporting successful training outcomes, especially in Gulf region? What model, based on knowledge management concepts, can be used to enhance Information Technology training outcomes particularly in the Gulf region? Findings: To draw conclusions, a critical analysis was performed through comparing and contrasting the findings from observations of previous research and the scarce secondary data contained within the scientific sources. To ensure that KM is distributed in the Gulf countries rather than being centralized in certain organizations, a distributed model of knowledge management is proposed. This is based on a realization that different kinds of knowledge bear different KM implications. Improvements/Applications: The model encompasses best practices for knowledge creation, for knowledge sharing and for knowledge retrieval, which most of the reviewed studies identified as being important for enhancing Information Technology training outcomes in the Gulf region. Keywords: Knowledge management; Model; Information Technology; Training outcome; Gulf region
Cytological Studies in the Genus Indigofera L.

In the genus Indigofera L. , meiosis was studied in 24 collections belonging to 23 species and karyotypes with the help of root tip mitosis were examined in 26 collections belonging to 23 species. Three species, namely I. endecephylla, I. parodiana, and I. pilosa were tetraploid. Among diploid taxa, I. parviflora had 2n=14 and other remaining collections had 2n=16. Karyotype asymmetry was assessed following the two way classification of Stebbins (1971). I. glandulosa belonging to class 2B had the most asymmetric karyotype and was therefore considered most advanced. The length of individual chromosome ranged from 3. 59μ to 1. 10μ. The total chromosome length varied from 26. 52μ to 11. 35μ in diploid collections and was 35. 81μ in the solitary tetraploid collection of I. endecephylla. The chromatin volumes and nuclear volumes were also worked out and had significant linear regression on total chromatin lengths. Five diploid species (I. asperifolia, I. brevidens, I. circinella, I. cryptantha, and I. neglecta) and one tetraploid species (I. parodiana) were cytologically examined for the first time and karyotypes were worked out in 13 species for the first time.
Breeding success and breeding population trends of waterfowl: implications for monitoring

Abstract Traditional waterfowl monitoring includes only breeding or non-breeding population sizes, but the assessment of breeding success would provide valuable information for the interpretation of population trends, as well as for the early targeting of management measures and further studies. The relationship between breeding success and subsequent breeding population trends is not very well-known in particular for many waterfowl species. Using transfer function (TF) models, we analysed the relationship between breeding success measured as duckling numbers and post-breeding population sizes (i.e. the numbers of adults and ducklings in July), and subsequent breeding population trends for the mallard Anas platyrhynchos, common eider Somateria mollissima, common merganser Mergus merganser and goldeneye Bucephala clangula in Aasla, an island in southwestern Finland. In addition, we used data on the common eider in Söderskär, an island group in the Gulf of Finland, to analyse the extent to which fledgling numbers transform into recruitment and breeding population size. As a complement to the traditional methods of population monitoring, we present a simple and cost-effective method for the assessment of breeding success: the monitoring of post-breeding population sizes (including both adults and young). The breeding population sizes of the mallard, common eider and common merganser were positively related to their breeding success with a time lag corresponding to their recruitment age. For the common eider, the effect of the recruitment number on subsequent breeding population size seemed to last for up to three years after recruitment. There was a coupling between the post-breeding sizes and the subsequent breeding population sizes of the mallard, common eider and goldeneye with a lag corresponding to the recruitment age for the mallard and the common eider, but for goldeneye, one year later than the usual recruitment age. The chicks seem to recruit to the local breeding population to an extent that is sufficient for affecting local breeding population trends. Our results indicate that the annual breeding success of our target species can be assessed on the basis of their post-breeding population sizes. This easy and rapid monitoring method for breeding success is also suitable for voluntary bird watchers.