Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-dependent climate sensitivity of Pinus sylvestris L. in the central Scandinavian Mountains

Linderholm, H. W. & Linderholm, K. 2004: Age-dependent climate sensitivity of Pinus sylvestris L. in the central Scandinavian Mountains. Boreal Env. Res. 9: 307–317. Twentieth century climate–radial growth relationships of Pinus sylvestris L. at the central Scandinavian Mountain tree line were analyzed. Some differences in growth responses to climate were evident among age classes, where the old pines (> 250 years old) retained their climate sensitivity throughout the analysed period better than the middle-aged pines (100–250 years old). However, the pines in the oldest age class responded less to unfavourable climate than the pines in younger age classes. The pines in all the age classes displayed significant changes in climate/radial growth relationships from the 1940s and onwards. From the 1970s, pines in the youngest age class (about 35 years old) displayed a higher climate sensitivity than the older pines, in addition to which they had high growth rates not previously seen in the past five centuries. Changes in climate/radial growth relationships were related to a twentieth-century climate change. Finally our results illustrated the importance of including trees of all ages when building a tree-ring chronology for climate research.
Arthropods in diet of Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax during the breeding season in western France

Capsule Seasonal, age- and sex-related variations in the diet were studied during March to October. Aims To determine which arthropod orders contributed most during the laying–rearing period and those important in determining breeding success of the species in an intensive agricultural habitat. Methods Faeces (n = 388, 345 g) and three gut samples were dissected to determine which arthropod orders contributed most to the diet, especially during the laying–rearing period. Results Coleoptera were the most numerous prey followed by Orthoptera, Dermaptera and Hymenoptera. No difference was observed in the diet of adult males and females. Although adults ate arthropods throughout the breeding season, plant material contributed 97–99% of faecal contents by weight in each month. Chicks, however, only ate arthropods, notably Coleoptera and Orthoptera, at least until 2–3 weeks old. Conclusion Increasing arthropod availability would be a useful management tool for maintaining endangered Little Bustard populations by potentially increasing chick survival.
Analysis on Genetic Structure of Wild Soybeans Populations by SSR Markers

Wild soybean(Glycine soja) is commonly accepted as the progenitor species of the cultivated soybean(Giycine max). They contain many characters potentially valuable for supplementing the soybean germplasm pool.Our objective was to evaluate the genetic diversities of wild soybean collected from 8 provinces in different latitudes of China.We sampled 15 representative natural populations in 2005.Forty public SSR primer pairs over the 20 linkage groups were applied to evaluate genetic diversity.A total of 633 bands were detected with an average number of 15.83 per locus.Mean expected heterozygosity per locus(He) was 0.4070 for the populations,and the mean Shan-non index(I) for the population was 0.7835. Mean observed heterozygosity per locus(Ho) for the populations was 0.0012. Between-population genetic diversity(Hs) averaged 0.4277,and within-population genetic diversity(DST) averaged 0.4543. Mean coefficient of gene differentiation for loci(GST) in the populations was estimated to be 0.5151. Cluster analysis showed that 15 populations fell into 4 groups,and existed mainly in geography distribution area,and the area with the latitude higher than of Tianjin had better genetic diversity.
Species associations of congeneric species in a tropical seasonal rain forest of China

Abstract: In tropical plant communities with diverse species, many congeners are found to coexist. Do environment or biotic interactions structure the coexistence of congeners in tropical forest communities? In this paper, we aimed to disentangle the effect of environment (first-order effects) and species interactions (second-order effects) on the spatial distributions of tree species. We used a classification scheme and torus-translation to test the first-order interaction of 48 species from 17 genera in a fully mapped 20-ha dipterocarp tropical seasonal rain-forest plot in Xishuangbanna, south-west China. Then we used heterogeneous Poisson null models to reveal significant uni- and bivariate second-order interactions. The results demonstrated that (1) 34 of the 48 studied species showed a significant relation with at least one topographic variable. This confirmed that topographical heterogeneity is important for distribution of these congeners. Spatial segregation (36.6%) and partial overlap (34.8%) were the most common bivariate association types in Xishuangbanna plot, which indicated first-order effects (environment) were strong. (2) For small-scale associations, 51% saplings (1 to ≤ 5 cm) (68.8% for large trees with dbh > 5 cm) of the species showed non-significant associations. For large-scale associations, 61.6% saplings (81.2% for large trees) of the species showed non-significant associations. Lack of significant species interactions provides evidence for the unified neutral theory. In conclusion, both environment and biotic interactions structure congeneric species' coexistence in tropical seasonal rain forest in this region.
Shadow Pills and Long-Term Firm Value

This paper analyzes the value impact of the right to adopt a poison pill – or “shadow pill” – on long-term firm value, exploiting the natural experiment provided by the staggered adoption of poison pill laws that validated the use of the pill in 35 U.S. states over the period 1986 to 2009. We document that the availability of a shadow pill results in an economically and statistically significant increase in firm value, especially for firms more engaged in innovation or with stronger stakeholder relationships. Our findings are robust to different specifications, including matching and portfolio analysis, and provide support to the bonding hypothesis of takeover defenses.
Characterisation of Postia placenta colonisation during 36 weeks in acetylated southern yellow pine sapwood at three acetylation levels including genomic DNA and gene expression quantification of the fungus

Abstract One way to protect timber in service against basidiomycete deterioration is by means of acetylation via reaction with acetic anhydride. The reason why acetylated wood (WAc) is resistant against decay fungi is still not exactly understood. The aim of this study was to contribute to this field of science, and Postia placenta colonisation after 4, 12, 20, 28 and 36 weeks was observed at three acetylation levels of Pinus spp. sapwood. Mass loss (ML) and wood moisture content (MC) data reflected the acetylation levels. The initial equilibrium MC (EMC) proved to be a good indicator of subsequent ML. Genomic DNA quantification showed P. placenta colonisation in all samples, also in samples where no ML were detectable. The number of expressed gene transcripts was limited, but the findings supported the results of previous studies: WAc seems to have some resistance against oxidative mechanisms, which are part of the metabolism of P. placenta. This leads to a delay in decay initiation, a delay in expression of genes involved in enzymatic depolymerisation, and a slower decay rate. The magnitudes of these effects are presented for each acetylation level. The data also imply that there is no absolute decay threshold at high acetylation levels, but instead a significant delay of decay initiation and a slower decay rate.
Effects of Prenatal and Postnatal Temperatures on Secondary Sex Differentiation, Mortality, and Vertebral Column Abnormality of Guppies, Poecilia reticulata, Reared at High Temperatures

1. To evaluate the adaptive effects of prenatal temperatures, guppies borne by 23°C- and 28°C-acclimated parents were reared at 23°, 28°, 30°, or 32°C, and secondary sex differentiation, mortality, and vertebral column abnormality were observed.2. Both mortality and the occurrence of vertebral column abnormality increased as the postnatal temperature rises. The rate of secondary sex differentiation was higher in order of 30°, 32°, 28°, and 23°C of postnatal temperature.3. In fish borne by 23°C-acclimated parents, mortality at 30° and 32°C and vertebral column abnormality at 30°C were larger and the rate of secondary sex differentiation was always higher in comparison with fish borne by 28°C-acclimated parents.4. Thus, the prenatal temperature is considered to affect more or less adaptively the tolerance of fish to high postnatal temperatures.
Expression of Histocompatibility 2 Blastocyst (H2-Bl) in Embryonic Stem Cells Inhibits CD8+ T-Cell Activation but is not Sufficient to Facilitate Graft Tolerance

Universal embryonic stem cell donor lines would greatly facilitate stem cell based regenerative medicine and permit facile testing of human pluripotent stem cell derived grafts in xenogeneic settings. Because HLA-G overcomes immune cell mediated attack of foetal tissues during pregnancy and inhibits T-cell responses and dendritic cell antigen maturation in vitro and in vivo, it is an attractive candidate molecule for achieving this goal. Here we investigated whether enforced expression of either the soluble or the membrane bound form of the HLA-G mouse homologue, H2- Bl, in human and mouse ES cell lines would allow engraftment in immunocompetent mice. Despite evidence for robust expression of soluble or membrane bound H2-Bl molecules and effective inhibition of CD8+ T-cell proliferation by all H2-Bl engineered ES cell lines, all failed to generate teratomas in immunocompetent mice, despite doing so in NODSCID mice. We conclude that expression of H2-Bl in human and mouse embryonic stem cells alone is insufficient to overcome xenogeneic rejection.
Towards wildlife management in tropical forests

Hunting is ubiquitous in tropical forests around the world, and meat from wildlife species is an important source of animal protein for rural populations. Ungulates, primates, and rodents provide most of the biomass consumed, but a wide variety of wildlife species are limited for both subsistence and commerce. Across the tropics, tens of millions of animals and millions of metric tons of meat are hunted and consumed each year. Is this harvest sustainable? Available information and the use of simple sustainability models suggest it is not. The supply of wildlife is limited, a anmal production of large mammals in tropica forests is low when compared to other ecosystems, The demand is increasing as tropical forests become more accessible to hunters, effective human population densities increase, people become more sedentary, traditional hunting practices change, the meat trade becomes more commercial, and demand increases for wild meat from urban centers. If wildlife populations are to be sustained, then management institutions, be they government or community-based, need to be strengthened.
Phylogenetic relationships of Secamonoideae based on the plastid gene matK, morphology, and biomechanics

Relationships between Secamonoideae and their closest relatives in Apocynaceae, as well as genera and species within the subfamily, have been examined, using a molecular phylogeny with the plastid gene matK. Our molecularresults show that Secamonoideae form a monophyletic group. Delimitations of genera are also discussed together with the evolution of pollinarium and biomechanical characters within species. The patterns of pollinial organization, as well as change in growth forms, are mapped onto a phylogenetic tree obtained from the plastid gene matK, all of which together significantly contribute toward a better understanding of the evolution of the Apocynaceae s.l.
Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Finishers Fed Acidifier Based Diets

Effects of supplementing diets with Biotronics SE (an acidifier) in replacement of Oxytetracycline- HCl (Antibiotic Growth Promoter) (AGP) on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens was investigated using 128 Marshall Strain day old broilers. The birds were randomly allotted to four treatments with each treatment made of a duplicate of 16 chicks per replicate. Four isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets (A: control diet without Oxytetracycline-HCl and Biotronics SE ; Diet B had 0.1% Oxytetracycline-HCl only, Diet ® C contained 0.3% Biotronics SE only while Diet D contained 0.1% Oxytetracycline HCl and 0.3% Biotronics ® SE ) were formulated and each diet was offered in mash form to their respective birds from day 21 until week ® 7. At day 49, four chickens from each replicate were selected and sacrificed for the determination of carcass characteristics. Weight gain and feed intake were significantly higher (p 0.05). Biotronics supplementation significantly improved (p 0.05) affected by the inclusion of AGP or acidifier in the diets. Biotronics SE can suitably replace AGP in broilers diets.
The Regulation of Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) Numbers in Wytham Woods, Berkshire

The wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus (L.)) is one of the commonest small mammals in English woodland and has been frequently studied. But, apart from the early study of Elton et al. (1931), little attention has been given to the problems of whether and how its numbers are regulated. This paper is an attempt to answer these questions using data collected from one woodland area over 18 years by workers at the Bureau of Animal Population, Oxford.
The Size-Frequency Distributions of the Lichens Sporastatia testudinea and Rhizocarpon alpicola Through Time at Storbreen, South-West Norway

Nineteen size-frequency distributions of Sporastatia testudinea and Rhizocarpon alpicola have been determined from substrates of varying age on the glacier foreland at Storbreen, Jotunheimen, south-west Norway. In both cases the populations show evidence of ageing, although precise changes in the population structure cannot be assessed since the relationship between size-frequency and agefrequency is unclear. The changes in the distributions suggest a limited period of colonization, with colonization appearing to be restricted at the present time, even on relatively young surfaces.
Occurrence and Significance of the Os Transiliens in Gopher Tortoises

The Os transiliens, a sesamoid bone in the central raphe of the external adductor muscle, has previously been described in three of the four living species of the tortoise genus Gopherus (G. polyphemus, flavomarginatus, agassizii). The Os transiliens is reported for the first time in Recent G. berlandieri and in the oldest recognized fossil Gopherus, G. laticunea from the Middle Oligocene of Colorado. The sesamoids from 16 G. berlandieri show marked variation in size and shape within and between individuals. There is a low degree of correlation (r = +.405) between sesamoid development and skull size. Evidence from Recent and fossil testudinids indicates that the Os transiliens is restricted to gopher tortoises. The presence of the bony sesamoid appears to be related to mechanical stresses arising from the specialized feeding mechanism of this group. The mechanism, which involves pronounced protraction and retraction of the mandible, permits more efficient utilization of the coarser vegetation types common to xerophytic floras. It is suggested that the specialized feeding mechanism and the associated Os transiliens originated as an adaptive response to North American climatic and vegetational changes during the Late Eocene-Early Oligocene period.
The fractal spectrum of leaf colour as a tool for measuring frost hardiness in plants

Summary An image analysis method, based on the calculation of the fractal spectrum of leaf colour, was evaluated for its potential use in assessing frost hardiness in plants. The technique developed consisted of a) digitization of the leaves after freezing treatments, b) splitting of the images obtained into the three components of the RGB (red, green and blue) colour system and c) calculation of the fractal spectrum for each colour component of the leaf. It was then tested to assess the freezing hardiness of acclimated and non-acclimated Callistemon linearis plants. The analysis system consisted of a scanning device, a personal computer and the image analysis algorithm. All the fractal parameters showed a sigmoidal relationship with temperature. From the inflection point, the LT50 calculated for acclimated and non-acclimated plants, was –7.5 and –4.8°C, respectively. The LT50 calculated from the electrolyte leakage test on the same material was about 2°C warmer than the LT50 obtained from fractal analysis. The role of fractal analysis of leaf colour as an additional, rapid and inexpensive method for identifying freezing damage is discussed.
Abundance of male Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix in Britain in 2005, and change since 1995–96

Capsule There was a non-significant decline in the number of displaying males in Britain between 1995–96 and 2005, with a significant decline in Scotland. Aims To estimate the number of displaying male Black Grouse in Britain in 2005, and to compare this with the 1995–96 estimate. Methods Surveys were carried out in a stratified sample of 1-km (Wales) and 5-km (Scotland and England) squares throughout the known range, using similar methods to the 1995–96 survey. Results There were an estimated 5078 displaying males in Britain in 2005 (95% CI 3920–6156). This estimate is 22% less than the 1995–96 estimate of 6506, although these estimates are not significantly different. In Scotland, numbers fell by 29% overall, comprising large and significant declines of 49% and 69% in southwest and southeast Scotland, respectively, but small and non-significant declines in north (16%) and northeast Scotland (9%). In England, there was a non-significant decline of 11%, while in Wales numbers rose by 39%. Where numbers have declined there has been a decrease in the number, but not the size, of display groups. Display sites in Britain were at higher altitudes (median 400 m) in 2005 than in 1995–96 (median 340 m). Conclusion Although Black Grouse numbers in Wales increased, this survey provides evidence of a large decline in southern Scotland. The causes of this decline are not fully understood, and further research is urgently required to reveal the underlying mechanisms and implement appropriate conservation measures.
Hepatoprotective activity of Sarcostemma brevistigma against carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic damage in rats

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VI.—On the Lateral Sense Organs of Elasmobranchs. II. The Sensory Canals of the Common Skate (Raia batis)

In the paper on the sensory canals of Læmargus, communicated to the Royal Society in July last, it was pointed out that the arrangement of the sensory canals differed considerably in the Batoidei from that in Selachoidei, and it was mentioned that the sensory canals of the skate would be next described. The skate has been selected chiefly because the sensory canals are more typical than in the torpedoes and the whip and sting rays. In the torpedoes some of the canals are in a vestigial condition; while in the rays proper they have in most species undergone great specialisation. But another reason is, that an account of the development of the lateral sense organs in the skate is likely ere long to be published; and, further, the skate will be more easily obtained and kept under observation than the rays, when physiologists eventually direct their attention to the lateral sense organs of Elasmobranchs.
Localization and morphometric evaluation of Supraorbital and Infraorbital foramen in Dravidian Population of Southern India: A paleoantropological study on dry skulls.

Purpose:To determine the morphology and morphometric distance of supraorbital foramen/ notch(SOF/N) and infrorbital foramen(IOF) from different important anatomical landmark. Method:Sixty-five dry adult Dravidian skulls(130 sides) of Southern India were investigated to analyze the frequency of occurrence of SOF/N and shape of IOF. Fourty skulls (80 sides) were assessed to measure the width and positioning of SOF/N and IOF. Results: Mean width of S0N/F and IOF was 2.86mm and 3.85 respectively. The average distance of SOF/N was 25.9mm lateral to nasion, 28.5mm medial to temporal crest of the frontal bone, 0.92mm superior to supraorbital rim. The distance between right and left SOF/N was 49.6mm. The IOF was at an average of 44.08mm lateral to nasion,41.36mm lateral to maxillary midline, 6.82mm below infraorbital rim, 2.8mm medial to zygomaticomaxillary suture,34.8mm lateral to anterior nasal spine and 27.45mm from the alveolar crest. SOF/N was located at an average of 8.3 degree from IOF. IOF was in line with maxillary second premolar and the direction of opening was pointed inferomedially. The mean value of all the measurements was made between the right and left sides using independent t-test showed no statistical significance (where p>0.05). Conclusion: These morphometric measurements facilitate the professionals to locate the neurovascular bundles passing through the foramen and also assist in non-invasive as well as invasive surgical procedures. Key-Words: Anatomical Variation; Dravidian , Foramen, Location, Skull .
The Hawaiian Trunkfishes of the Genus Ostracion

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