Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Paradoxical self-esteem and selectivity in the processing of social information

Paradoxical self-esteem is defined as contrasting levels of self-liking and self-competence. Consideration of the social and motivational implications of this uncommon form of self-esteem suggests that heightened selectivity in the processing of social information may be behind its persistence. Two experiments were conducted to confirm the prediction of heightened selectivity in paradoxicals. As expected, those paradoxically low in self-liking were more negatively biased in their memory for personality feedback (Study 1) and interpretation of valuatively ambiguous phrases (Study 2) than were their counterparts who shared the same low self-liking but were also low in self-competence. Symmetrical with this result, those paradoxically high in self-liking exhibited a heightened positive bias relative to those who were high in both self-liking and self-competence. The findings are discussed in relation to attitudes and motivation.
In vitro Development of Chimeric Bovine Embryos Created by Combining a Single Blastomere of SCNT Embryos with an IVF Embryo

In this study, we produced chimeric embryos from a single blastomere of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) bovine embryo and in-vitro fertilized (IVF) bovine embryo, and examined the rate of blastocyst development and the contribution of the SCNT blastomere to the blastocyst in order to improve cloning efficiency. We produced SCNT embryos from bovine fibroblasts carrying a luciferase gene under the control of the β-actin promoter. At 96 hours post fusion, chimeric embryos were produced by transferring a single blastomere of a 16-cell SCNT embryo to the perivitelline space of an IVF embryo. At 4 days after production of the chimeric embryos, half of the embryos reached the blastocyst stage, which is the same as that of IVF embryos. Furthermore, luciferase activity in blastocysts from the chimeric embryos was detected in both the inner cell mass and
Pharmacological and Cardiovascular Aspects of Ligaria cuneifolia Infusions

Ligaria cuneifolia (R. et P.) Tiegh. (Loranthaceae), known as "Argentine mistletoe," is used in folk medicine as a hypotensor. It is a hemiparasite, so the pharmacological actions could be influenced by the host plant on which it grows. This survey shows that the decrease of blood pressure appears secondarily, after increasing it. The action on heart rate is variable. There is a close relationship between the pharmacological actions according to the host tree, as shown when comparing the effects of extracts from Acacia caven (Mol.) Molina (Mimosaceae) with those obtained from the parasite. The use of the Argentinian mistletoe to treat high blood pressure is therefore considered very risky.
Nondestructive detection of heart rot of Acacia mangium trees in Malaysia

Stress wave velocity in the radial direction across the stem was measured at the breast height of Acacia mangium trees. An increment core was taken from just beneath each measurement position to investigate the relationship between wood properties and stress wave velocity. The velocity was much higher in sound stems than in hollowed stems decayed by heart rot. The velocities of sound and affected stems ranged from 928 to 1259 m/sec. (average 1087 m/sec.), and from 357 to 876 m/sec. (average 563 m/sec.), respectively. It was possible to detect hollows located in the central region of the stems. The threshold velocity between unaffected and hollowed stems was around 800 m/sec. Specific gravity was a main factor influencing the velocity, in addition to hollows in the center of the stems. Nondestructive testing using stress waves would be a useful method to detect hollows caused by heart rot in A. mangium trees.
Changes in hours worked since 1950

Changes in hours worked since 1950; This article describes changes in the number of average weekly hours of market work per person in the United States since World War II. Overall, this number has been roughly constant; for various groups, however, it has shifted dramatically from males to females, from older people to younger people, and from single- to married-person households. The article provides a unique look at how the lifetime pattern of work hours has changed since 1950 for different demographic groups. The article also documents several factors that may be related to the changes in hours worked: simultaneous changes in Social Security benefits, fertility rates, and family structure. The data presented are based on those collected by the U.S. Bureau of the Census during the 1950_90 decennial censuses.
Diving performance of adélie penguins in relation to food availability in fast sea-ice areas: comparison between years

Between-year variation in adelie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae foraging behaviour was studied using time-depth recorders at a colony in Lutzow-Holm Bay, Antarctica in the summers of 1990 and 1991 in areas where fast sea-ice remained. Poor chick survival and growth, long foraging trip duration and low meal delivery rate indicate that food availability was poor in 1991 when compared to 1990. However, mass of food brought to chicks per shore visit and rate of decrease of parental mass did not differ between these years. In 1991, the penguins on average dived deeper (12.3 ± 4.2m) and for longer durations (1.9 ± 0.2 min) than they did in 1990 (7.1 ± 1.6 m depth and 1.5 ± 0.2 min duration)
Body surface area in galeoid sharks

Standard length (SL), girths (G) and body surface areas (SA) were measured on 47 specimens comprising 10 species of galeoid sharks ranging in SL from 51-354 cm. Analysis of covariance showed that even closely related species had statistically different regressions of surface area on length. The equation SA = 0.71 (G x SL) accurately predicted surface areas for a wide variety of galeoid sharks with different body shapes.
Morphological, Cytological and Embryological Characterization of F1 A. cepa × A. roylei Hybrids

In the previous study we obtained a population of interspecific F1 A. cepa × A. roylei hybrids. In this study, in comparison to the parental species: A. cepa and A. roylei, the F1 hybrids were evaluated in terms of plant morphology, pollen viability, microsporogenesis and female gametophyte. Most of the morphological characters of the F1 hybrids were intermediate as compared to those of both parental accessions. In pollen mother cells (PMCs) of the F1 hybrids abnormalities were observed in meiosis as well as at the tetrad stage. Pollen viability of F1 A. cepa × A. roylei hybrids was reduced to 30.1%. In the F1 hybrids, 45.8% of the analyzed ovules showed developmental disturbances, whereas in 26.7% of the ovules necrotic processes were observed.
Stochasticity in Bird Habitat Selection: Year-to-Year Changes in Territory Locations in a Boreal Forest Bird Assemblage

We studied the degree of apparently stochastic variation in the location of the breeding territories of 17 species of birds in a 36-ha study plot in a heterogeneous coniferous forest in southern Finland over six consecutive years; 'apparent stochasticity' was defined as the sum effect of factors that are contingent relative to structural attributes of the habitats as they are measured by human observers. The data were collected by territory mapping, with 50 x 50 m spatial resolution, and the analysis involved three steps: (1) calculation of frequency of use of each 50 x 50 m grid cell in the plot by each species over the six years; (2) construction of logistic regression models (using GLIM) to describe the habitat attributes of cells favoured by each species in the plot; and (3) exploration of stochasticity by analysing how much random models need to be constrained to generate frequency distributions of grid cell occupancy that resemble those observed - for this purpose we used both binomial probabilities and Monte Carlo simulations. For a majority of the species a sufficient constraint was avoidance of such grid cells not used by the birds during the six years at all: the fit between expectations and observations improved in the binomial model, and improved markedly in the simulation model which also included an adjacency constraint and a weak preference constraint on the 'centroid' of the simulated territories. Six of the 17 species showed stronger preference for particular grid cells than predicted by the avoidance models; four of them presumably for nest site and nesting/foraging substrate (Dendrocopos major, Ficedula hypoleuca, Parus major, Certhia familiaris), and two for a particular habitat (Phylloscopus trochilus, Regulus regulus). Four of these species occupied in years with low population size predominantly such grid cells that were occupied in the other years, in accordance with the 'buffer effect' idea. Overall, however, in 11 of the 17 species the territory locations seemed to vary stochastically from year to year once the grid cells not used at all during the study years were excluded. We discuss theoretical and methodological implications of this conclusion for bird habitat relationships.
Structure and Dynamics of Calluna Vulgaris on Sand Dunes in South Sweden

Age structure, biomass, and productivity in three differently aged Calluna heaths at different distances from the sea were studied in a sand dune area at Sandhammaren, S. Sweden. A method for measuring above ground production, based on only one sampling occasion was used. The phased developmental pattern of Calluna, as originally defined by Watt was not valid in the study area. A continuous rejuvenation of above ground biomass occurred through successive embedding and frequent adventitious rooting of trailing stems, and in spite of age of the heaths, no marked differences in age structure was found between the studied sites. The above ground biomass was assumed to be in a steady state, in conformity with what occurs in certain heaths on peat. The successive accumulation of organic matter is defined in a simple model, based on an assumedly unchanged between-year production.
Isolation and Identification of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus from Keys of College Students Using Different Detection Methods

Aims: In this study, the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were isolated and identified by using biochemical tests, antibiogram and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to explore the circulation of MRSA among college students. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Research Article British Biotechnology Journal, 2(1): 13-25, 2012 14 between June 2010 and December 2010. Methodology: A total of 100 samples were collected from keys of college students. There were 39 isolates (39 %) Gram-positive cocci and Catalase positive. 29 (74.36%) were glucose oxidation and fermentation positive. From the 39 isolates, 16 (43.24%) were shown Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) tests positive. The deoxyribonuclease (DNase) tests and tube coagulase tests with human and rabbit plasma were carried out to improve the efficiency of the MSA test. Results: 7 (43.75%) DNase positive and 2 (12.5%) tube coagulase positive. Both human and rabbit plasma showed similar sensitivity for the tube coagulase tests in this study. However, both isolates with tube coagulase positive were confirmed as S. aureus but not resistant to oxacillin, methicillin, erythromycin and cefoxitin. 2 (66.67%) of 3 (18.75%) isolates which is tube coagulase negative were resistant to erythromycin and 1 (33.33%) of them was resistant to methicillin. Rare strains of S. aureus can be coagulase negative. PCR assay was used. 1 (33.33%) of the coagulase negative isolate resistant to erythromycin was found to have nuc gene, mecA gene, ermC gene, msrA gene, linA gene, and femA gene. The isolate was confirmed as MRSA. Conclusion: In conclusion, PCR technique is more sensitive and reliable than tube coagulase test or antibiogram for the detection of MRSA. And keys were shown to be an important source of MRSA and other bacteria circulation in the community.
The Edgewood Drama: An Epic Quest for Education Equity

If he arrived at work half an hour early, the janitor would have time to rip the bats from the eaves of Edgewood Elementary School before the children filled the crumbling building's halls. Meanwhile, just ten minutes away, in neighboring school district Alamo Heights, a custodian might be arriving early to double-check the chlorine level in Alamo Heights High's Olympic-sized, indoor swimming pool. In 1968, Edgewood Independent School District employees spent one afternoon blocking off the staircases that led to the condemned top two floors of the non-air-conditioned school. That same day, just a few miles away, the Alamo Heights employees might have polished the disco ball hanging from the ceiling of the high school's air-conditioned "club house. " 2 In the early 1970s, almost half of the teachers at Edgewood Elementary School lacked the official state certification they needed in order to
Resistance to Hunger in Birds

importance to birds, especially in the winter when air temperature may also be low. Hunger becomes more quickly critical at low air temperatures because general metabolism is higher and more energy is required to maintain constant body temperatures. Small wild birds do not feed during the hours of darkness, and in winter the nights may be too long and too cold for some species to survive. Thus, the capacity of different species to survive for periods without food is important in controlling their migration, distribution, and abundance (Kendeigh, 1934). There have been few studies to date on the survival time of wild birds with-
Systematics of the Roanoke Bass, Ambloplites cavifrons

Ambloplites cavifrons is a poorly known centrarchid restricted to the Roanoke, Chowan, Tar and Neuse drainages of Virginia and North Carolina. It has been taxonomically confused with A. rupestris, the rock bass. Species rank for A. cavifrons is supported by comparisons with sympatric A. rupestris and other material in morphometric and meristic data, coloration and multivariate analyses. Hybridization between the two species is known at some of the sites of syntopy in the upper Roanoke, VA. The distribution of A. cavifrons has receded during historical times, apparently in part from interaction with introduced A. rupestris; A. cavifrons is threatened with further decline in the upper Roanoke River.
SOME ASPECTS OF THE ECOLOGY OF MIGRANT SHOREBIRDS

During migration, shorebirds form dense multispecific aggregations within rela- tively uniform and limited marine littoral habitats. The amount of available feeding space in the habitats frequented fluctuates widely with the daily and seasonal changes in the tidal rhythm. Shorebird species broadly overlap in their periods of peak abundance, inter- and intrahabitat distributions, and in the food organisms preyed upon. However, the totality of species differ- ences and the transient character of migratory assemblages apparently minimizes interspecific interactions that might result in competitive exclusion. The staggering of peak population densities and differences in distribution is most pronounced among morphologically similar species. The number of individuals and species that occur in an area is apparently determined by the amount of available feeding space and the physical diversity of the habitat. Food appears to be generally abundant relative to the requirements of the birds in all the habitats studied. The environmental conditions encountered during migration and the interactions with other individuals have evidently been important factors in the evolution of morphological and be- havioral differences among shorebird. species. Individuals must be as able to survive during the nonbreeding season as they are during the breeding season.
Identifying targets of selection: a multivariate analysis of reproductive traits in the great tit

In order to identify the true targets of phenotypic selection, we carried out a multivariate analysis on three reproductive traits in an urban population of great tits in Tartu, south-east Estonia, using data collected during 1987-1994. Individuals laying large eggs consistently recruited more offspring into the breeding population, independent of the simultaneous effects of clutch size and laying date. However, the mean egg size of a clutch was not related to the occurrence of embryonal or nestling mortality, which points to the possibility that the relationship between egg size and recruitment rate was due to the effects of female quality. Early breeders tended to recruit more offspring into the breeding population, but the effect of laying date disappeared when egg size was incorporated into the model. This fact indicates that the primary target of selection was not laying date per se but some property of the female affecting both laying date and egg size. Selection on clutch size fluctuated in direction between years. Selection against large clutches operated above all on individuals with small eggs, suggesting that the fitness consequences of similar reproductive decisions are different for individuals of different quality.
Effect of an ectoparasite on reproduction in great tits.

1. The effect of a haematophageous ectoparasite, the hen flea, on quality an number of offspring was experimentally investigated in the great tit. The experiment consisted of a controlled infestation of a random sample of nests with the parasitic flea and of a regular treatment of control nests with Microwaves in order to eliminate the naturally occurring fleas. 2. To assess the effects of fleas on variables related to offspring number, we considered the number of hatchlings and fledglings, the mortality between hatching and fledging, and the hatching and fledging success. For assessment of offspring quality, we measured body mass, tarsus and wing length, and calculated the nutritional condition of, nestlings as the ratio of body mass to tarsus length. A physiological variable, the haematocrit level, was also measured. 3. Hatching success and hatchling numbers did not differ between the two experimental groups. Offspring mortality between hatching and fledging was significantly higher in the infested broods (xBAR = 0.22 chicks dead per day) than in the parasite-free broods (xBAR = 0.07 dead per day). Fledging success was 83% in the parasite-free broods, but only 53% in the infested ones. The number of fledglings in infested broods (xBAR = 3.7 fledglings +/-2.1 SD) was significantly lower than in the parasite-free (xBAR = 4.9 +/- 1.1 SD) broods. 4. Body mass of chicks in the infested broods was significantly smaller than in the parasite-free broods both 14 days and 17 days after hatching. The chicks in the infested broods reached a significantly smaller tarsus length than the ones in the parasite-free broods. Close to fledging, the nutritional condition of chicks was significantly lower in infested broods. Haematocrit levels were significantly lower in the infested broods. 5. Brood size correlated differently with body mass and condition of chicks in infested and parasite-free nests. In parasite-free broods both body mass and condition of chicks at age 17 days, i.e. close to fledging, were significantly higher in small broods than in large ones. However, in the infested broods chicks were of the same body mass and condition in large as in small broods. Therefore, in parasite-free broods fitness can potentially be gained through offspring quality or number or both, whereas in infested broods it can be gained through offspring quantity only. In other words, a trade-off between quality and number of offspring is feasible only in the absence of the parasitic hen flea. 6. These results emphasize the need to study the effects of ectoparasites on ecological, behavioural and evolutionary traits of their bird hosts. A knowledge of these effects is essential for the understanding of population dynamics, behaviour and life-history traits of the hosts.
Mammals of Western Ghats: A simplistic overview

629 Abstract Being one of the 25 hotspots of the world, Western Ghats is a storehouse of endemic flora and fauna, whose endemicity increases with decreasing body size. Mammals are well represented in this chain of mountains with 137 species of which 16 are found no other place on earth. This paper presents a thorough checklist of mammals of Western Ghats along with the status (according to the 1994 IUCN Red List Criteria) of the taxa in Western Ghats (if endemic) or in India/overall distribution (if found outside of Western Ghats). The paper summarises the impacts of human activities within the hotspot as indicated by the level of threat faced by the endemic mammalian taxa. Thirty-two mammals threatened globally or in India occur in Western Ghats, while there is not enough information to assess the status of 22 mammals. Of the 16 endemics, 13 are threatened in Western Ghats.
Simultaneous determination of water retention curve and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of substrates using a steady-state laboratory method.

For effective irrigation and fertilization management, the knowledge of substrate hydraulic properties is essential. In this study, a steady-state laboratory method was used to determine simultaneously the water retention curve, θ(h), and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity as a function of volumetric water content, K(θ), and water pressure head, K(h), of five substrates used widely in horticulture. The substrates examined were pure peat, 75/25 peat/perlite, 50/50 peat/perlite, 50/50 coir/perlite, and pure perlite. The experimental retention curve results showed that in the case of peat and its mixtures with perlite, there is a hysteresis between drying and wetting branches of the retention curve. Whereas in the case of coir/perlite and perlite, the phenomenon of hysteresis was less pronounced. The increase of perlite proportion in the peat/perlite mixtures led to a decrease of total porosity and water-holding capacity and an increase of air space. Study of the K(θ) and K(h) experimental data showed that the hysteresis phenomenon of K(θ) was negligible compared with the K(h) data for all substrates examined. Within a narrow range of water pressure head (0 to -70 cm H 2 O) that occurs between two successive irrigations, a sharp decrease of the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was observed. The comparison of the K(θ) experimental data between the peat-based substrate mixtures and the coir-based substrate mixture showed that for water contents lower than 0.40 m 3 ·m -3 , the hydraulic conductivity of the 50/50 coir/perlite mixture was greater. The comparison between experimental water retention curves and predictions using Brooks-Corey and van Genuchten models showed a high correlation (0.992 ≤ R 2 ≤ 1) for both models for all substrates examined. On the other hand, in the case of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, the comparison showed a relatively good correlation (0.951 ≤ R 2 ≤ 0.981) for the van Genuchten-Mualem model for all substrates used except perlite and a significant deviation (0.436 ≤ R 2 ≤ 0.872) for the Brooks-Corey model for all substrates used.
Diet specialization in small vertebrates: mite-eating in frogs

This study examines the morphological, taxonomic, ecological, and ontogenetic correlates of mite-eating (acariphagy) in anurans to increase our understanding of diet specialization in vertebrate insectivores . In a review of the literature (Part I), mites were abundant in terrestrial habitats at many locations worldwide, yet mites are not commonly reported as prey in anuran diets. In a detailed study of tropical ground-dwelling anurans (Part II), the diets of all species included mites