Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relative importance of species diversity and functional group diversity on carbon uptake in phytoplankton communities

We conducted laboratory experiments with 85 assembled phytoplankton communities composed of species from four predefined functional groups (chlorophytes, diatoms, cyanobacteria, chrysophytes) to distinguish the relative importance of species diversity from functional group diversity on carbon uptake. We separated the observed diversity effects on carbon uptake into those caused by species with particularly important traits (selection effect) and those caused by positive interactions among species (e.g., complementary resource use or facilitation [complementarity effect]). Additionally, we measured the composition of photosynthetically active pigments and light absorbance in communities and monocultures, and related them to species and functional diversity effects on carbon accrual. Biodiversity effects were weak or even absent in pure cyanobacterial and diatom communities compared to strong effects in chlorophytes. Complementarity effects and light absorbance increased as functional (i.e., phylogenetic) diversity increased. There was a positive correlation between complementarity effects on carbon accrual and light absorbance. These findings support hypotheses regarding biodiversity–productivity relationships in phytoplankton communities based on niche separation along spectral light gradients.
Histochemical aspects of reserves mobilization of Caesalpinia peltophoroides (Leguminosae) seeds during germination and seedlings early growth

The objective of this study was to investigate reserve mobilization in Caesalpinia peltophoroides seeds during germination and initial seedling growth. The variation in these compounds was analyzed from the pre-germination period (0 to 5 days after sowing - DAS) to the total cotyledon senescence and abscission at 35 DAS. For this histochemical tests were made on cotyledons fixed in FAA50 or included in glycol-metacrylate. To follow the mobilization of the main reserve compounds, sudan III was used to detect total lipids, xylidine Ponceau to detect total proteins, lugol to detect starch and polarized light to visualize the crystals. The lipids, present in a great quantity in the cotyledon, gradually decreased in the period studied. A greater quantity of starch was observed on the 10th DAS than in the previous periods and it was totally consumed by 30 DAS. The distribution pattern and the morphology of the protein material were very modified by 10 DAS, a period during which it was intensely consumed, remaining only parietally fragments distributed, that practically disappeared at 25 DAS. The calcium oxalate druses were not consumed during the period studied, there was only crystal agglutination.
A synthesis of laboratory and field studies on the effects of transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize on non‐target Lepidoptera

One of the major applications of transgenic crops in agriculture are the so‐called Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) plants, in particular Bt maizes, which produce insecticidal Cry proteins that target specific orders, such as the Lepidoptera or Coleoptera. We reviewed publications that reported on the direct toxic effects of Bt‐maize and/or Cry proteins of current Bt‐maize events on larvae of non‐target butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera). In total, 20 peer‐reviewed publications were identified, of which 16 papers contributed laboratory‐based data and seven field‐based data. An adverse effect on caterpillars was recorded in 52% of all laboratory‐based and in 21% of all field‐based observations. The variables most often studied and having the highest occurrence of effects were larval survival, body mass, and developmental time. Parameters of the adult stage were under‐represented in the studies. Overall, 11 lepidopteran species were tested. The majority of the studies originated from the USA, with the Monarch butterfly being the most studied, whereas other species and other parts of the world were widely neglected. Laboratory experiments were often run under unrealistic conditions from an ecological point of view. Although the papers we reviewed indicated a potential hazard for Lepidoptera that are exposed to and feed on lepidopteran‐specific Bt‐maize pollen, a general conclusion on the level of risk for butterflies and moths cannot as yet be drawn. A comprehensive risk characterization would require thorough hazard identification, exposure assessment, and impact assessment. However, our review showed that even the basic level of hazard characterization is as yet incomplete. Reasons for this are the still‐limited numbers of publications and concurrent lack of knowledge, the restriction of data to only a few species, the over‐representation of North American species, and the identified limitations of both laboratory and field experiments. The findings of this review suggest that more realistic, ecologically meaningful, and detailed experiments and analyses are crucial to improve the present assessment of Bt‐maize cultivation effects on Lepidoptera.
Cadmium-Induced Structural and Ultrastructural Changes in the Vascular System of Bush Bean Stems

The effects of a phytotoxic cadmium concentration (4.45 . 10−5 M) on the structure and ultrastructure of bean plant stems were analysed by light (LM), transmission electron (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cadmium significantly reduced both the number and the size of tracheary elements. Cadmium-induced electron dense depositions, which seemed to obstruct partially some xylem vessels, were found only in the later maturing tracheary elements (helical, scalariform or reticulate structure), but not in the annular structured early differentiated ones. Plants exposed to Cd showed less fiber development than the control plants. In the plants treated with Cd abnormally high amounts of calcium oxalate crystals were found in the paratracheary parenchyma cells of the bottom of the stems. The levels of soluble Ca2+ in the expressed stem sap of Cd-treated plants was significantly decreased, while substantial amounts of soluble Cd were detected. The probable mechanisms of the structural alterations observed are discussed.
The hierarchical expansion of sorting and selection: sorting and selection cannot be equated

In a nonhierarchical world, where selection on organisms regulated all nonrandom evolutionary change, the traditional equation of selection (a cause of sorting) with sorting itself (differential birth and death among varying organisms within a population) would rarely lead to error, even though the phenomena are logically distinct (for sorting is a simple description of differential “success,” and selection a causal process). But in a hierarchical world, with entities acting as evolutionary individuals (genes, organisms, and species among them) at several levels of ascending inclusion, sorting among entities at one level has a great range of potential causes. Direct selection upon entities themselves is but one possibility among many. This paper discusses why hierarchy demands that sorting and selection be disentangled. It then presents and illustrates an expanded taxonomy of sorting for a hierarchical world. For each of three levels (genes, organisms, and species), we show how sorting can arise from selection at the focal level itself, and as a consequence either of downward causation from processes acting on individuals at higher levels or upward causation from lower levels. We then discuss how hierarchy might illuminate a range of evolutionary questions based on both the logical structure of hierarchy and the historical pathways of its construction—for hierarchy is a property of nature, not only a conceptual scheme for organization.
The avian embryo and its antioxidant defence system

During chick embryo development, there exists an antioxidant-oxidant balance in the tissues, which supports normal embryonic development and post-hatch chick viability. This balance is maintained by natural antioxidants including vitamins A, E, C and carotenoids, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Chick viability is an important factor in determining post-hatch health and profitability. Factors that interrupt growth and development during the embryonic period affect the overall performance and health during the post-hatch period. During the 21-day incubation period for chickens, antioxidant defence systems protect the embryo against the lipid peroxidation (LPO) derived from undesirable conditions. The purpose of this review is to explain the antioxidant mechanisms that contribute to chick embryo development resulting in a healthy hatchling.
CERTS Microgrid Laboratory Test Bed - PIER Final Project Report

The objective of the CERTS Microgrid Laboratory Test Bed project was to enhance the ease of integrating small energy sources into a microgrid. The project accomplished this objective by developing and demonstrating three advanced techniques, collectively referred to as the CERTS Microgrid concept, that significantly reduce the level of custom field engineering needed to operate microgrids consisting of small generating sources. The techniques comprising the CERTS Microgrid concept are: 1) a method for effecting automatic and seamless transitions between grid-connected and islanded modes of operation; 2) an approach to electrical protection within the microgrid that does not depend on high fault currents; and 3) a method for microgrid control that achieves voltage and frequency stability under islanded conditions without requiring high-speed communications. The techniques were demonstrated at a full-scale test bed built near Columbus, Ohio and operated by American Electric Power. The testing fully confirmed earlier research that had been conducted initially through analytical simulations, then through laboratory emulations, and finally through factory acceptance testing of individual microgrid components. The islanding and resychronization method met all Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 1547 and power quality requirements. The electrical protections system was able to distinguish between normal and faulted operation. The controls were found to be robust and under all conditions, including difficult motor starts. The results from these test are expected to lead to additional testing of enhancements to the basic techniques at the test bed to improve the business case for microgrid technologies, as well to field demonstrations involving microgrids that involve one or mroe of the CERTS Microgrid concepts.
Chromosome Numbers in Bolivian Grasses (Gramineae)

Chromosome numbers are reported for 59 collections of grasses from Bolivia representing 43 species and 21 genera. First chromosome counts are reported for the following six species: Imperata tenuis, 2n = 20; Paspalum acuminatum, 2n = 40; P. kempffii, 2n = 40; P. lenticulare, In = 40; P. lineare, 2n = 80; P. macedoi, 2n = 40. Counts differing from previously reported numbers are given for the following five species: Gymnopogon spicatus, 2n = 40; Leersia hexandra, 2n = 72; Pennisetum setosum, 2n = 45; Setaria vulpiseta, 2n = 54; Thrasya petrosa, 2n = 20.
Public information use by foraging ninespine sticklebacks : social learning or an unlearned social influence on travel direction?

If we are to understand the cognitive basis and evolutionary origins of a particular behaviour, it is necessary to identify its underlying mechanism. Ninespine sticklebacks ( Pungitius pungitius) can identify the richer of two prey patches by observing other foragers’ success. This may be due to social learning, or an unlearned social effect on travel direction, brought about by the fish being more likely to face and subsequently travel towards areas where they have observed more feeding activity. Here we show that observer orientation does not predict patch choice, and that fish are still more likely to spend more time in richer patches even if they have to take an indirect route to reach them. This suggests that sticklebacks can learn the location of the richer patch through observation, and viewed in conjunction with other published findings, suggests that learned local enhancement lies behind public information use in this species.
Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables – the millennium’s health

Summary Some of the most exciting research in the last decade has been the discovery of a group of nutrients, which have protective eAects against cell oxidation. These naturally occurring compounds impart bright colour to fruits and vegetables and act as antioxidants in the body by scavenging harmful free radicals, which are implicated in most degenerative diseases. Epidemiological studies have established a positive correlation between the intake of fruits and vegetables and prevention of diseases like atheroscelerosis, cancer, diabetes, arthritis and also ageing. So pronounced has been their eAect on ageing that they have been called ‘fountains of youth’. Fruits and vegetables have thus had conferred on them the status of ‘functional foods’, capable of promoting good health and preventing or alleviating diseases. Phenolic flavonoids, lycopene, carotenoids and glucosinolates are among the most thoroughly studied antioxidants. The present review highlights the potential of fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants, their health benefits and the eAect of processing on the bioavailability of these nutrients. The paper also reviews some of the important methods used to determine the antioxidant activity.
Impact of groundcover manipulations within windbreaks on mite pests and their natural enemies

Non-crop vegetation adjacent to broad-acre pastures and crops can influence the abundance of invertebrate pests by promoting populations of beneficial natural enemies. However, characteristics of adjoining vegetation that consistently promote natural enemies are often unknown. Here we manipulate the height of grasses and herbaceous plants within windbreaks at five geographically separated sites in south-eastern Australia to examine the effects of on-ground vegetation structure on the abundance of pest mites and natural enemy complexes. Reducing the height and cover of vegetation across 2 years led to decreased numbers of predatory mites, predatory beetles and spiders within windbreaks and at sites 5 m from the windbreak edge within adjacent pastures. There was also an associated increase in numbers of pest earth mites, the redlegged earth mite (Halotydeus destructor) and blue oat mites (Penthaleus spp.). Similar findings were found in manipulative experiments under semifield conditions using microcosms. These results suggest that an increase in height and perhaps complexity of groundcover act to promote populations of beneficial natural enemies with potential suppression of pest mite species. These findings point to a simple way for increasing populations of beneficial invertebrate species at the farm scale that could contribute to integrated pest management programs.
Phylogeny of five Prosopium species with comparisons with other Coregonine fishes based on isozyme electrophoresis

Phylogenetic relationships of Prosopium gemmifer, P. spilonotus, P. williamsoni, P. cylindraceum and P. coulteri species were determined based on variation at 37 allozyme loci, and compared with Stenodus and nine species of Coregonus. Of the three genera, Prosopium was the most distinct with Nei genetic distances to Coregonus of D=0·55—1·05 and to Stenodus of D=0·58—0·92. Stenodus and Coregonus were closely related but grouped as sister taxa with a mean genetic distance of 0·31 (range 0·22—0·40). These results agree with the degree of morphological differentiation among the genera as well as with observations concerning hybridization, e.g. many Coregonus species hybridize with Stenodus, but no natural hybrids are known between Prosopium and other coregonines. Within Prosopium, P. coulteri was the most divergent species branching out at D=0·51 from the others and followed by P. cylindraceum at D=0·28. The three remaining species are closely related. Among them P. williamsoni joins P. gemmifer and P. spilonotus at 0·04, and the distance between the two Bear Lake endemics is only 0·004. The distance between P. cylindraceum and the remaining Prosopium species is similar to distances between Stenodus and Coregonus. The small genetic distance between P. spilonotus and P. gemmifer suggests their recent divergence. Even though no fixed differences were found between them, diVerent alleles were present at two loci at large enough frequencies to indicate reproductive isolation. This confirms that P. gemmifer and P. spilonotus are good biological species as indicated by their distinct morphology and ecology.
Effect of dietary fibre level on amino acid digestibility in young pigs

Studies were carried out with 12 pigs (Yorkshire × Landrace) to determine the effect of dietary fibre level on amino acid digestibility. The pigs were weaned at 21 d of age and fitted with a simple T-cannula at the distal ileum at 23 or 24 d of age. The pigs were fed four isonitrogenous corn starch-based soybean meal diets (22.5 % crude protein) containing 4.3, 7.3, 10.3 and 13.3% Solkafloc according to a balanced two-period change-over design. The pigs were fed four times daily, equal amounts, at 6-h intervals. The diets were supplied at a rate of 5% of the average body weight which was determined at the initiation of the first (8.8 kg) and second (11.7 kg) experimental period. Each experimental period comprised 10 d. Feces were collected for 48 h on days 6 and 7 and ileal digesta for 24 h during days 8, 9 and 10. Chromic oxide was used as digestibility marker. The dietary inclusion of Solkafloc, up to 13.3 %, did not affect (P > 0.05) the apparent ileal as well as the fecal digestibilities of crude prot.
Impacts of ocean acidification on development of the meroplanktonic larval stage of the sea urchin Centrostephanus rodgersii

Steve S. Doo1*, Symon A. Dworjanyn2, Shawna A. Foo1, Natalie A. Soars1, and Maria Byrne1,3 School of Medical Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, PO Box 4321, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450, Australia Schools of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia *Corresponding Author: tel: +612 9351 5166; fax: +612 9351 2813; e-mail: sdoo@mail.usyd. edu.au
Knock-Out Mice in Osteoarthritis Research

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative disorder of the joints with an etiology involving genetic and environmental factors. Although various animal models have been used to elucidate the pathogenesis of OA, in the past decade gene targeting in mice has become one of the most powerful tools to dissect the molecular mechanisms of the disease. The generation of knockout mice has enormously accelerated the identification of the key genetic players in ar- ticular cartilage homeostasis and made a significant contribution to further our understanding of OA pathology. In this re- view, we will outline the phenotypes of the currently available mouse strains, carrying either engineered or spontaneous gene mutations, which provide insight into the processes of articular cartilage destruction. The analysis of these mice re- veals a complex interaction among cytokines, proteases, transcription factors, extracellular matrix, cell surface and signal- ing molecules during the initiation and progression of OA and, in some cases, suggests new therapeutic interventions for the disease.
Reproductive Success after Self-pollination and Cross-pollination of Olive Cultivars in Croatia

Olive orchard productivity largely depends on the choice of planted cultivars andtheirpollinationneeds.Orcharddesigns inCroatiaarechangingbecauseanumberof valuable foreign olive cultivars, mostly Italian, have been introduced in this region in the last 30 years. The compatibility relationships of introduced cultivars with autochthonous cultivars are unknown. With the objective of studying reproductive behavior of the most important Croatian cultivars (Drobnica, Lastovka, Levantinka, and Oblica) and their cross-pollination to recently introduced Italian cultivars Leccino and Pendolino, initial and final fruit set in self-pollination versus cross-pollination and free pollination were compared during three flowering seasons. Experiments were conducted in three different orchards (Kastela, Mravince, and Brac) to identify the effect of the environment on reproductive behavior of olive cultivars. The differences of fruit set in five olive cultivars after tested pollination treatments appeared at the time of initial fruit set. Increased final fruitsetundercross-pollinationswasobservedwhencomparedwithself-pollinationforall olive cultivars in all experimental orchards. In the Mravince orchard, a positive response to cross-pollination was consistent, and fruit set increased under cross-pollination in all cultivars and years with the exception of 'Levantinka' in which no significant differences were noticed between self-pollination treatment and cross-pollination treatments in 2005. Variable self-fertility behavior from season to season was found for tested cultivars. A self-incompatibility index (ISI) higher than 0.1 was recorded for 'Levantinka' in all experimental years and, therefore, classified it as a partially self-incompatible cultivar. Self-incompatibility response was observed for 'Lastovka'. The positive response to cross- pollination over self-pollination only in some experimental years classified 'Drobnica', 'Leccino', and 'Oblica' as partially self-incompatible. Results obtained from this study indicated that pollination efficiency is strictly combination-specific. The Italian cultivar, Leccino, was a successful pollen acceptor and pollenizer of most Croatian cultivars. Reciprocalhighsuccessincross-pollinationwasrecordedfor'Levantinka'and'Oblica'. In the Mravince orchard, 'Lastovka', 'Leccino', and 'Oblica' were efficient pollenizers of 'Levantinka' where the simultaneous flowering period was in accordance with their cross- compatibility. 'Levantinka' was a good pollenizer for 'Lastovka' in the Mravince orchard, and both cultivars entered into the flowering period earlier than other studied cultivars, whichwasnotthecaseintheothertwoorchards.Thevariationsinfloweringtimingamong orchards were a consequence of differences in environmental conditions. According to the high fruit sets recorded in 'Oblica' after pollination with 'Leccino' or 'Levantinka', an increase in tree productivity of the acceptor cultivar is expected in the presence of selected pollenizers in all olive-growing regions.
EFFECTS OF OXYGEN AT INCREASED PRESSURE

Volume 25, 1945. Paper by J. W. Bean: Effects of Oxygen at Increased Pressure. Page 69, 2nd paragraph, line 14, which reads “. 137.5 + (3 x 360) + 1226.5 . ” should read “. 137.5 + (3 x 360) + 9 = 1226.5 . ”