Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Responses of arthropods to plant diversity: changes after pollution cessation

Perner, J., Voigt, W. , Ba¨hrmann, R. , Heinrich, W. , Marstaller, R. , Fabian, B. ,Gregor, K. , Lichter, D. , Sander, F. W. and Jones, T. H. 2003. Responses ofarthropods to plant diversity: changes after pollution cessation. – Ecography 26:788–800.Data collected from three different polluted sites in the vicinity of a phosphatefertilizer factory that was closed in 1990 are used to test with Mantel tests andsmoothing techniques whether the rapid increase of plant species richness followingcessation of pollution enhanced associated arthropod assemblage diversity. 132 plantspecies (between 1990 and 1999) and 66413 individuals of 680 arthropod species(using sweep net sampling between 1990 and 1996) were recorded. Using top soil pHas a representative pollution parameter we detected an increase of plant speciesrichness, effective diversity and evenness of plant community with decreasing pHboth in space and time. While the richness of all studied functional groups ofherbivores increased with plant species richness, only the richness of one carnivorefunctional group showed a similar pattern. Plant species richness was signiﬁcantlycorrelated to the abundance patterns of two herbivore and two carnivore groups. Butcontrary to theoretical predictions consumer abundance tended to decrease withincreasing plant diversity only between a plant species richness range of 10 to ca 35.Our results support the ﬁndings of previous studies that highlight how increasedplant species and functional group richness may result in higher herbivore speciesrichness, and that carnivore richness may be inﬂuenced by herbivore and detritivorerichness. The functional group approach used in this study has enabled us to detectedthe very individual interaction patterns that occur between different groups withinthe same trophic level.
A classification scheme to determine wildfires from the satellite record in the cool grasslands of southern Canada: considerations for fire occurrence modelling and warning criteria

Abstract. Daily polar-orbiting satellite MODIS thermal detections since 2002 were used as the baseline for quantifying wildfire activity in the mixed grass and agricultural lands of southernmost central Canada. This satellite thermal detection record includes both the responsible use of fire (e.g. for clearing crop residues, grassland ecosystem management, and traditional burning) and wildfires in grasslands and agricultural lands that pose a risk to communities and other values. A database of known wildfire evacuations and fires otherwise requiring suppression assistance from provincial forest fire agencies was used to train a model that classified satellite fire detections based on weather, seasonality, and other environmental conditions. A separate dataset of high resolution (Landsat 8 thermal anomalies) of responsible agricultural fire use (e.g. crop residue burning) was collected and used to train the classification model to the converse. Key common attributes of wildfires in the region included occurrence on or before the first week of May with high rates of grass curing, wind speeds over 30 km h−1, relative humidity values typically below 40 %, and fires that are detected in the mid-afternoon or evening. Overall, grassland wildfire is found to be restricted to a small number of days per year, allowing for the future development of public awareness and warning systems targeted to the identified subset of weather and phenological conditions.
Examining Occupational Therapy Students’ Responses to Integrative Seminars

The integrative seminar is an innovative teaching-learning approach that focuses on active learning and peer collaboration, characteristics that align with millennial learners’ preferences. The use of integrative seminars has been reported by various health professions with positive outcomes. Course feedback survey data from the first cohort of occupational therapy students who participated in a new four-course integrative seminar series were analyzed. Findings suggest that the format of the courses was engaging for the learners. The students particularly valued the small class; the opportunities for peer collaboration; and the variety of active learning opportunities, including simulations. The students also indicated that the seminars helped them to integrate and apply their learning across the curriculum. In another survey completed near the end of their Level II fieldwork rotations, the students indicated that the seminars contributed to their readiness for fieldwork as well as to the development of their critical thinking, interpersonal skills, and professional identity. The findings from this analysis support the potential value of integrative seminars in occupational therapy education. Comments The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
ASPP Meeting: Germinating Ideas in Portland

Among the many interesting questions confronting the nearly 1400 attendees at the most recent annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Physiologists (ASPP), which was held from July 30 to August 4,1994, in Portland, Oregon, were these: What are the molecular mechanisms by which phytohormones influence the development and physiology of plant cells? How are plant proteins targeted to the correct subcellular compartment? What is the current outlook for the funding of plant biology research? How can plant scientists allay the publids concerns about the commercialization of transgenic plants? Can plants contribute to environmental remediation efforts? These questions were addressed in an array of symposia, both major and “mini,” oral sessions, workshops, and poster sessions, whose topics spanned the gamut from abscisic acid to zeatin and whose subjects involved plants from Arabidopsis to zinnia. A sampling from some of thesessions highlightssome exciting recent approaches and trends in plant physiology research.
Modelagem da distribuição diamétrica de espécies florestais em um fragmento de floresta ombrófila mista

RESUMO – Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho das funcoes densidade de probabilidade (fdp) Weibull 3 Parâmetros (3P) e Beta ajustadas pelo metodo da Maxima Verossimilhanca para descrever a distribuicao diametrica de especies arboreas de um fragmento de Floresta Ombrofila Mista. A area de estudo faz parte da Floresta Nacional de Irati (FLONA), onde foram instaladas 25 parcelas permanentes (100 m x 100 m) com area total amostrada de 25 ha e, para os ajustes, foram utilizados dados de todas as arvores com diâmetro a altura do peito (DAP) superior ou igual a 10 cm. Os ajustes foram feitos para as 20 especies com maior valor de importância (VI) com dados agrupados em classes de 5 cm de DAP. A programacao nao linear (PNL) foi utilizada com o objetivo de minimizar os desvios entre valores observados e estimados. Para avaliacao dos ajustes, foram utilizados os testes de aderencia de Kolmogorov-Smirnov e de Hollander-Proschan, alem do Erro-Padrao de Estimativa (%) e Indice de Reynolds. Os resultados indicaram que as funcoes Weibull 3P e Beta apresentaram resultados satisfatorios, que ambas poderiam ser recomendadas para avaliar a distribuicao diametrica das especies consideradas e que o uso da PNL nem sempre melhorou os ajustes. Palavras-chave: Floresta de araucaria; Funcoes densidade de probabilidade; Estrutura diametrica.
The effect of phytohormones on the growth, cellulose production and pellicle properties of Gluconacetobacter xylinus ATCC 53582

Gluconacetobacter xylinus is a plant-associated bacterium best studied for its cellulose production. Bacterial cellulose is important in facilitating plant-microbe interactions but little is known about the effect that exogenous phytohormones have on bacterial cellulose synthesis or the growth of G. xylinus . We characterized the growth, development and effect on pellicle characteristics caused by exogenous indole-3- acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA) and zeatin (Z) over a range of concentrations (1 nM to 100 μM). These phytohormones are plant growth regulators known to be involved plant development including fruit ripening and stress tolerance. Each of these hormones stimulated G. xylinus growth and influenced its pellicle characteristics. Exogenous IAA had the greatest effect on G. xylinus pellicles. Growth in IAA produced thin pellicles with very little cellulose. In general, pellicle wet weight was inversely proportional to the bacterial cellulose yield when cultures were grown in the presence of ABA, suggesting ABA influenced pellicle density and hydration. The crystallinity index, CI (IR) of cellulose produced in the presence of each phytohormone over a variety of concentrations was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The observed effect on cellulose crystallinity was concentration and hormone dependent. GA caused the greatest alterations in crystallinity with the highest CI (IR)=0.94 at 1 μM and the lowest CI (IR)=0.47 at 500 nM. Endogenous production of hormones by G. xylinus was investigated by high performance liquid chromatography of extracts prepared from both cell pellets and culture supernatants. We found G. xylinus synthesized GA, ABA and Z but did not produce IAA.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Promotes Proliferation of Endometriotic Stromal Cells by Inducing Interleukin-8 Gene and Protein Expression

Endometriosis, a common disease among women of reproductive age, is characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus. We and others showed that several cytokine levels, including interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), are elevated in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis compared with those in women without endometriosis. We also demonstrated that the addition of IL-8 to the culture medium stimulated the proliferation of cultured endometriotic stromal cells. TNFα is a multipotent cytokine that induces IL-8 production in various cell types. Therefore, we hypothesized that TNFα may also contribute to the pathogenesis of endometriosis by inducing the production of IL-8. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the peritoneal fluid concentrations of IL-8 and TNFα using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We observed a significant correlation between the levels of TNFα and IL-8 in the peritoneal fluid of endometriosis patients. We also obtained the end.
Effects of Size at and Time of Release on the Survival and Growth of Steelhead Fry Stocked in Streams

Abstract Survival and growth from age-0 fry to age-1 + parr was estimated for steelhead Salmo gairdneri stocked in two British Columbia streams at different times (May 26–October 15) and different sizes (0.2–6.0 g). Fry were released into separate sections of the two streams. Monthly mortality rates, which ranged from 15.4 to 9.6%/month, were inversely related to size at stocking and time of release. We were unable to separate the effects of size and release time because these factors were highly correlated. Daily instantaneous growth rates of early stocked, small fry (> 0.009) were much higher than those of later-stocked, larger fry (<0.002) but there were only minor differences in mean weights of age-1 + parr among release groups. In determining the best strategy for releasing fry, factors other than survival must also be considered. Costs of raising fish to larger sizes must be balanced against the costs of collecting eggs and the availability of brood stock.
Características patogênicas de isolados do complexo Fusarium graminearum e de Fusarium verticillioides em sementes e plântulas de milho

In Brazil, several Fusarium species are pathogenic to corn affecting seeds, seedlings, stalks and grains. This research aimed to compare isolates from F. verticillioides and from two species of the F. graminearum complex (F. graminearum sensu stricto and F. meridionale) prevalent on corn seeds in relation to mycelial growth rate, ability to colonize and reduce seed germination, reduction in seedling emergence and infection and colonization of corn stalk. Permutational test and contrast analysis was performed to discriminate the isolates and species. Principal component analysis was used to identify the variables leading to greatest variance among the isolates. With the exception of seed germination, F. verticillioides isolates showed lower values for mycelial growth rate, infection efficiency, reduction in seedling emergence and lesion size than F. graminearum complex isolates that were all similar. Seedling emergence and seed germination showed greater influence on the characterization of isolates, suggesting that seeds infected with F. graminearum isolates of any of the species tested represent a greater threat to crop stand than F. verticillioides isolates.
Juncus atratus Krock. (Juncaceae) rediscovered in Italy: a species deserving urgent conservation actions

The conservation status of plant species is an important tool for their effective conservation, but it has been evaluated only in a low number of taxa up to now. In this frame, the national assessment of Juncus atratus Krock. , a Central European-South Siberian wet meadow species, is here provided. J. atratus is a rare and threatened species in Central Europe and has been listed as Regionally Extinct in the only Italian Region where it was previously known. The species has recently been rediscovered in Italy, in a different area (Castel S. Maria plain, Umbria Region), and at present, this is the only confirmed known location at national scale. An overview of its ecological and distributive characteristics is presented, considering both bibliographic sources and new data including its phytosociological context in the study area. According to the IUCN Criteria, the species is here ascribed to the category Critically Endangered (CR). The case of J. atratus is an emblematic example of the difficulty of providing exhaustive and reliable extinction risk assessment when knowledge on the species distribution is not complete.
The ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in the collection of William Nylander

The ant collection of W. Nylander (Finnish Museum of Natural History, Helsinki) is investigated. The lectotypes of Myrmica rugulosa, M. sulcinodis, M. lobicornis, M. lobicornis var. lobulicornis, M. scabrinodis, M. ruginodis, M. laevinodis, and Formica picea are designated; the type specimens of the other species are considered as the syntypes (except of the earlier designated lectotypes and paralectotypes). New synonymy is established: Myrmica hirtula is junior synonym of Harpagoxenus sublaevis; Formica glebaria is a junior synonym of F. fusca (not of F. cunicularia! ); Formica major is not a synonym of F. rufa rather it is a synonym of F. polyctena. However, I will apply to the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature with the proposition to suppress the name major and keep priority for the name F. polyctena. Some problems on the taxonomy of the different species are discussed, and the non-type material is partly redetermined.
Expression of α4 Integrin mRNA and Protein and Fibronectin in the Early Chicken Embryo

α4 integrins (α4β1 and α4β7) have been shown to mediate both cell-matrix adhesion to fibronectin and cell-cell adhesion to VCAM-1. These interactions have been suggested to contribute to hematopoiesis, lymphocyte homing, recruitment of inflammatory cells, neural crest cell migration and myogenesis. We report here the cloning of chicken α4 cDNA and its use to define the patterns of expression of α4 mRNA and protein in early chicken embryos (19–22 somite pairs), a stage at which neural crest cells can be examined at various points in their migration and somitic development and differentiation can also be observed at various stages. We observe widespread expression of both α4 mRNA and protein, although the patterns of steady state expression do not conform precisely. Many neural crest cells contain significant levels of α4 mRNA. Some neural crest cells express α4 protein but its expression is transient and/or limited to a subset of these cells. α4 is strongly expressed at both mRNA and protein levels by somi.
Cell condition, competition, and chimerism in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum

When multicellularity originates through the aggregation of genetically variable cells, the interests of the component cells may conflict with each other. A prediction of conflict is that stronger cells will force weaker cells into non-reproductive tissues. However, if stronger cells are better in the reproductive tissues than in the somatic ones, then the same result may be expected in clonal organisms that optimize their development. We explored these issues in the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum by forming chimeras between weakened cells and normal cells that were genetically identical. We reduced the condition of amoebae (measured as increased doubling time) by growing them in media lacking glucose, or more acid than normal. Weakened cells were less competitive compared to healthy cells in becoming spore, supporting our prediction of evolutionary conflict. However, spores from weakened cells also proliferated slightly less rapidly than normal spores, indicating that there may also be an advantage in clonal groups to put strong cells in spores.
NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES OPTIMAL UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE OVER THE BUSINESS CYCLE

We thank the editor Michèle Tertilt, Daron Acemoglu, George Akerlof, Varanya Chaubey, Raj Chetty, Sanjay Chugh, Peter Diamond, Emmanuel Farhi, Jordi Galí, Mikhail Golosov, Yuriy Gorodnichenko, David Gray, Philipp Kircher, Etienne Lehmann, Guido Lorenzoni, Emi Nakamura, Christopher Pissarides, Robert Shimer, Johannes Spinnewijn, Jón Steinsson, Aleh Tsyvinski, IvánWerning, three anonymous referees, and numerous seminar and conference participants for helpful discussions and comments. This work was supported by the Center for Equitable Growth at the University of California Berkeley, the British Academy, the Economic and Social Research Council [grant number ES/K008641/1], and the Institute for New Economic Thinking. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Occurrence climatology of equatorial plasma bubbles derived using FormoSat-3 ∕ COSMIC GPS radio occultation data

Abstract. The Global Positioning System – Radio Occultation (GPS-RO) observations from FormoSat-3 ∕ COSMIC are used to comprehend the global distribution of equatorial plasma bubbles which are characterized by depletion regions of plasma in the F region of the ionosphere. Plasma bubbles that cause intense scintillation of the radio signals are identified based on the S4 index derived from the 1 Hz raw signal-to-noise ratio measurements between 2007 and 2017. The analyses revealed that bubbles influenced by background plasma density occurred along the geomagnetic equator and had an occurrence peak around the dip equator during high solar activity. The peak shifted between the African and American sectors, depending on different solar conditions. Plasma bubbles usually developed around 19:00 local time (LT), with maximum occurrence around 21:00 LT during solar maximum and ∼22:00 LT during solar minimum. The occurrence of bubbles showed a strong dependence on longitudes, seasons, and solar cycle with the peak occurrence rate in the African sector around the March equinox during high solar activity, which is consistent with previous studies. The GPS-RO technique allows an extended analysis of the altitudinal distribution of global equatorial plasma bubbles obtained from high vertical resolution profiles, thus making it a convenient tool which could be further used with other techniques to provide a comprehensive view of such ionospheric irregularities.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: An Alternative to Embryonic Stem Cells?

Human stem cell research is a new field with much promise, but progress towards a clinical setting has been complicated by scientific and ethical challenges. The most heated discussion over stem cell research has focused on the source of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Different views on the moral status of the human embryo have plagued all aspects of the debate (and decision-making). In 2006, a way of de-differentiating somatic cells to a pluripotent state was realised. The advent of these induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) appeared to circumvent concerns over embryo destruction, and hence iPSCs have been touted as an ethical way forward. However, for the foreseeable future, scientific investigations involving iPSCs are likely to drive further embryo destruction. As a result, iPSC research is complicit in embryo destruction and is inextricably locked in to the moral status debate. I argue that a new approach is needed to deal with the serious uncertainties and indeterminate probabilities intrinsic to stem cell research and decision-making surrounding it. I conclude that in the current state of knowledge, stem cell research needs to continue and be allowed to unfold as the narrative of a story. A way forward may lie in utilising Plato’s theory of aporia, and by taking cues from Greek Tragedy regarding the resolution of tragic tradeoffs. In summary, it is important to pursue further stem cell research, with both ESCs and iPSCs. Nonetheless, as we learn more it will be important to continually reassess the implications of developments, and be prepared to rethink what may constitute the most ethical and practical ways forward.
RGS19 regulates Wnt–β-catenin signaling through inactivation of Gαo

The Wnt–β-catenin pathway controls numerous cellular processes, including differentiation, cell-fate decisions and dorsal-ventral polarity in the developing embryo. Heterotrimeric G-proteins are essential for Wnt signaling, and regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) proteins are known to act at the level of G-proteins. The functional role of RGS proteins in the Wnt–β-catenin pathway was investigated in mouse F9 embryonic teratocarcinoma cells. RGS protein expression was investigated at the mRNA level, and each RGS protein identified was overexpressed and tested for the ability to regulate the canonical Wnt pathway. Expression of RGS19 specifically was found to attenuate Wnt-responsive gene transcription in a time- and dose-dependent manner, to block cytosolic β-catenin accumulation and Dishevelled3 (Dvl3) phosphorylation in response to Wnt3a and to inhibit Wnt-induced formation of primitive endoderm (PE). Overexpression of a constitutively active mutant of Gαo rescued the inhibition of Lef-Tcf-sensitive gene transcription caused by RGS19. By contrast, expression of RGS19 did not inhibit activation of Lef-Tcf gene transcription when induced in response to Dvl3 expression. However, knockdown of RGS19 by siRNA suppressed canonical Wnt signaling, suggesting a complex role for RGS19 in regulating the ability of Wnt3a to signal to the level of β-catenin and gene transcription.
Effect of Duration and Timing of Acoustic Signal Transmission on Ranched Fish Recapture

Fish were acoustically conditioned, released to a reservoir, called back to a fishing machine and captured. Two timing of capture events (day vs. night) and the duration of the acoustic signal transmission (5 vs. 20 min) were studied and compared. In general, the fish species in this study entered the net pen of the fishing machine to feed during the day and night. No significant difference was found between the 5- and 20-min signal transmission events. Studies of signal duration on the number of acoustically conditioned fish congregating near a sound source are required for different contexts considered for sea ranching to determine the optimal conditioning scheme and signal duration. These should balance distances, the quantity and rate of food provision so that it will be available to fish reaching the feeding location from far away, and the interactions between the species.