Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why do mountains support so many species of birds

Although topographic complexity is often associated with high bird diversity at broad geographic scales, little is known about the relative contributions of geomorphologic heterogeneity and altitudinal climatic gradients found in mountains. We analysed the birds in the western mountains of the New World to examine the two-fold effect of topography on species richness patterns, using two grains at the intercontinental extent and within temperate and tropical latitudes. Birds were also classified as montane or lowland, based on their overall distributions in the hemisphere. We estimated range in temperature within each cell and the standard deviation in elevation (topographic roughness) based on all pixels within each cell. We used path analysis to test for the independent effects of topographic roughness and temperature range on species richness while controlling for the collinearity between topographic variables. At the intercontinental extent, actual evapotranspiration (AET) was the primary driver of species richness patterns of all species taken together and of lowland species considered separately. In contrast, within-cell temperature gradients strongly influenced the richness of montane species. Regional partitioning of the data also suggested that range in temperature either by itself or acting in combination with AET had the strongest ‘‘effect’’ on montane bird species richness everywhere. Topographic roughness had weaker ‘‘effects’’ on richness variation throughout, although its positive relationship with richness increased slightly in the tropics. We conclude that bird diversity gradients in mountains primarily reflect local climatic gradients. Widespread (lowland) species and narrow-ranged (montane) species respond similarly to changes in the environment, differing only in that the richness of lowland species correlates better with broad-scale climatic effects (AET), whereas mesoscale climatic variation accounts for richness patterns of montane species. Thus, latitudinal and altitudinal gradients in species richness can be explained through similar climatic-based processes, as has long been argued.
Genetic diversity of mushroom mite (Luciaphorus sp.) infesting cultivated mushrooms in the Northeast of Thailand

Weed competition is a major constraint in rice production systems in Africa. This study was conducted at the Africa Rice Experimental Station in Benin in the dry and rainy seasons to screen rice varieties for weed competitiveness. The experimental design was a split plot with 14 contrasting cultivars (including the Oryza glaberrima and Oryza sativa parents of upland New Rice for Africa (NERICA), lowland NERICA or “promising lines”) planted under three weeding regimes: 0, 1 and 4 weedings. Agro-morphological characters, growth indexes and weeds were used to evaluate the cultivars. The most important weed species encountered were Acanthospermum hispidum, Dactyloctenium aegyptium and Digitaria horizontalis. Highly significant differences (P£0.0001) between cultivars were observed in weed biomass. The impact of weeds on agro-morphological traits was expressed through an increasing senescence of plants in relation to the weeding regime. Weed-competitive cultivars typically showed a leaf area index less than 3, a high specific leaf area and a Soil-Plant Analyses Development (SPAD) unit less than 30. High affinities between traits were observed and three types of descriptors were identified based on their broad sense heritability. CG20, an O. glaberrima variety was the most competitive against weeds. Key words: Rice, descriptor, weed, competitive variety, heritability.
Production of Radicals and Acute Apoptotic Changes of Palisade Cells in Early Steps of Saintpaulia Leaf Spot Appearance

The relation between radical production and acute morphological changes of palisade cells of Saintpaulia induced by a rapid drop in leaf temperature was investigated. The drastic and apoptotic changes were observed immediately after the chilling treatment for 3 sec. OH radical production occurred immediately after the chilling treatment and then increased linearly depending on the time. The radical production might initiate and develop acute irreversible morphological changes resulting in apoptotic cell death of Saintpaulia palisade cells.
Mass and chemical composition of size-segregated aerosols (PM 1 , PM 2.5 , PM 10 ) over Athens, Greece: local versus regional sources

Abstract. To identify the relative contribution of local versus regional sources of particulate matter (PM) in the Greater Athens Area (GAA), simultaneous 24-h mass and chemical composition measurements of size segregated particulate matter (PM 1 , PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) were carried out from September 2005 to August 2006 at three locations: one urban (Goudi, Central Athens, "GOU"), one suburban (Lykovrissi, Athens, "LYK") in the GAA and one at a regional background site (Finokalia, Crete, "FKL"). The two stations in the GAA exceeded the EU-legislated PM 10 limit values, both in terms of annual average (59.0 and 53.6 μg m −3 for Lykovrissi and Goudi, respectively) and of 24-h value. High levels of PM 2.5 and PM 1 were also found at both locations (23.5 and 18.6 for Lykovrissi, while 29.4 and 20.2 μg m −3 for Goudi, respectively). Significant correlations were observed between the same PM fractions at both GAA sites indicating important spatial homogeneity within GAA. During the warm season (April to September), the PM 1 ratio between GAA and FKL ranged from 1.1 to 1.3. On the other hand this ratio was significantly higher (1.6–1.7) during the cold season (October to March) highlighting the role of long-range transport and local sources during the warm and cold seasons respectively. Regarding the coarse fraction no seasonal trend was observed for both GAA sites with their ratio (GAA site/FKL) being higher than 2 indicating significant contribution from local sources such as soil and/or road dust. Chemical speciation data showed that on a yearly basis, ionic and crustal mass represent up to 67–70% of the gravimetrically determined mass for PM 10 samples in the GAA and 67% for PM 1 samples in LYK. The unidentified mass might be attributed to organic matter (OM) and elemental carbon (EC), in agreement with the results reported by earlier studies in central Athens. At all sites, similar seasonal patterns were observed for nss-SO 4 2− , a secondary compound, indicating significant contribution from regional sources in agreement with PM 1 observations. The contribution of local sources at both GAA sites was also estimated by considering mass and chemical composition measurements at Finokalia as representative of the regional background. Particulate Organic Matter (POM) and EC, seemed to be the main contributor of the local PM mass within the GAA (up to 62% in PM 1 . Dust from local sources contributed also significantly to the local PM 10 mass (up to 33%).
Forage production and animal husbandry in Korea

The livestock industry in Korea is primarily carries out feeding through the utilization of concentrates and rice straw. The amount of imported concentrate is estimated to be more than two thirds (about 11 million metric tons (MT) per year) of the total concentrates required, specifically corn. Recently, about 600 000 MT of forage was recorded to be imported per year. The main feature of grassland agriculture, including forage production, is the dependence on perennial grasses, legumes and high quality annual forage crops, such as corn, sorghum, sudangrass, rye, oats, barley, Italian ryegrass and forage rape, among others. In addition, proper land use and increased animal profitability is maintained through grassland agriculture. The important fields for forage production are upland, paddy land, grassland and forest areas. Rice straw is also one of the most important roughages in Korea. The aim of forage production in the past was to fulfil the domestic need of herbivores, but forage production in 21st century is geared towards international competitiveness in animal husbandry. The most important factor is to enhance forage sufficiency related to environment-friendly livestock in Korea. Fortunately, there are many possibilities in forage production. A no forage-sufficiency, no food-sufficiency; no forage, no cattle concept is emphasized.
Occurrence of glucosylsucrose [α‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐ (1→2)‐α‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐β‐D‐fructofuranoside] and glucosylated homologues in cyanobacteria

Little is known about the structure and function of oligosaccharides in cyanobacteria. In this study, a new class of saccharides from Nostoc was identified by MS and NMR techniques, consisting of α‐d‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐[α‐d‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→2)]n‐β‐d‐fructofuranosides ranging from the trisaccharide (n = 1) to decasaccharide (n = 8). In Nostoc ellipsosporum the cell content of saccharides increased 10–20‐fold after heat stress (1 day, 40 °C) or during prolonged cultivation. Under these conditions the abundance of homologues of higher molecular mass (> pentasaccharide) increased and finally exceeded that of homologues of lower molecular mass including sucrose. Total intracellular content of the saccharides after heat stress was 5–10 mg·(g dry weight)−1 corresponding to intracellular concentrations of 0.25–0.5% (w/v). A possible role of the oligosaccharides identified is in the protection of enzymes against heat inactivation. Whereas amylase from Nostoc was only weakly protected by the decasaccharide, α‐amylase from porcine pancreas was more efficiently stabilized by the octasaccharide and decasaccharide. Evidence is presented for the widespread occurrence of the newly identified saccharides in cyanobacteria. The results are discussed including previous reports on cyanobacterial oligosaccharides and with respect to possible functions of these compounds in the living cell.
Comparative Social Behavior of Bees

The bees (Apoidea) constitute a group of some 20,000 species which is appropriate for comparative studies of sociality because it includes species at every level from nonsocial or solitary to highly social like Apis. Social behavior has evolved, at least to a limited degree, repeatedly among bees. To the extent that intervening stages survive, the evolution of sociality can be studied in numerous phyletic lines. Reviews of various aspects of apoid sociality are numerous (1, 23, 24, 26, 29, 38, 52, 53, 56, 57, 59,60, 81, 102, 103, 115, 145, 156, 160, 171, 175, 187, 209, 215) . For wasps see Spradbery (201). Bees are more similar to sphecoid wasps than to other insects and arose from such wasps. Sphecoids, like most Hymenoptera, have larvae which feed on other arthropods but bees use pollen as their chief protein source and have special apparatus for collecting and carrying it. A classification is given below so that positions of genera discussed can be readily under­ stood. The classification is given only in the detail necessary; e.g., colletid subfamilies are not listed since none contains social members. Abbreviations in parentheses refer to maximal social development within species, not to ontogenetic stages, and have the following meanings: Sol, solitary; C, com­ munal; Q, quasisocial; Se, semisocial; Su, subsocial; PS, primitively social, and HS, h ighly social.
Immunocytochemical and flow cytometric analysis of B cells and plasma cells in carp (Cyprinus carpio L.); an ontogenetic study

The ontogeny of B cells and plasma cells in carp (2 weeks-16 months) was studied at 21·5°C. Percentages of surface immunoglobulin positive (sIg+) lymphoid cells in pro- and mesonephros, spleen, thymus and blood were determined by flow cytometry. Plasma cells were studied with a dual-colour immunofluorescence technique in order to discriminate between sIg and cytoplasmic Ig (cIg). Although a limited number of B cells (<1% of lymphoid cells) were found in 2-week-old carp, plasma cells could not be detected at this age. From 1 month onwards (sIg+) plasma cells could be detected in pro- and mesonephros but not or only occasionally in spleen, thymus or blood. The percentage of plasma cells which were sIg+ decreased with age from 100% sIg+ plasma cells at 1 month of age to the level found in adults (80%). Percentages of B cells and (sIg++sIg-) plasma cells increased during the development of the carp reaching a plateau at about 3 months of age for plasma cells and around 8 months of age for B cells. The ontogeny of the carp (humoral) immune system is discussed with respect to these data.
Modeling dynamics of circum-arctic tundra plant communities in response to climate warming and grazing pressure

The Arctic is a complex system with strong interconnectedness among system components. Understanding the responses of the arctic tundra biome to a changing climate requires knowledge of the complex interactions among climate, soils, and the biological system. In this study, we investigate the individual and interaction effects of projected climate change and reindeer/caribou grazing across a variety of climate zones and soil nutrient levels on tundra plant community dynamics using an arctic vegetation model – ArcVeg across the Arctic. This study is motivated by previous work (Yu et al. 2009), which concluded that grazing and warming can have opposite effects on plant total biomass and net primary productivity. We thus assessed the following forcings on tundra plant aboveground biomass across the Arctic: 1) projected climate warming 2) grazing 3) projected climate warming and grazing
Sexual maturity, factors affecting the breeding season and breeding in consecutive seasons in populations of overabundant Victorian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus)

It is important to have knowledge of basic population parameters to understand how these vary geographically and temporally and how they contribute to population dynamics. This paper investigates three of these parameters in Victorian koala populations: sexual maturity, aspects of the breeding season, and the continuity of individuals' breeding. The investigation was carried out in koalas of known-age in two free-living (Redbill Creek on French Island and Brisbane Ranges) and one semi-captive (the Koala Conservation Centre on Phillip Island) population as well as koalas of unknown age in four Victorian populations of overabundant koalas: Mt Eccles and Framlingham in south-west Victoria, French Island in Western Port and Snake Island in south Gippsland. At sexual maturity, female koalas had a mean age (±95% confidence interval) of 24.4 months (23.5-25.3 months), a mean head length of 125 mm (124-127 mm) and a mean body mass of 6.6 kg (6.3-6.8 kg). Only 7.4% of independent females (of unknown age) were carrying young when they weighed less than 6 kg. The breeding season was more restricted in the south-west populations. At Framlingham and Mt Eccles 85% and 91% of births, respectively, occurred between December and March. At Snake and French Islands only 46% and 53% of births, respectively, were recorded in the same period. In the Chlamydia-free population (Red Bill Creek) none of the koalas that were monitored stopped breeding and then resumed breeding in a subsequent season whereas many females from Chlamydia-infected populations (Brisbane Ranges and the Koala Conservation Centre) did so. This variation in reproductive patterns is likely to make an important contribution to the variation in the demography observed in different koala populations.
The effects of tropical environmental conditions on the stress and immune responses of commercial broilers, Thai indigenous chickens, and crossbred chickens

SUMMARY Heat stress is a life-threatening factor in commercial broilers raised in the tropics (e.g., Thailand) without temperature-controlled housing facilities. However, these temperature-controlled facilities are hardly affordable by small-scale farmers. To avoid such limitations, a Thai indigenous crossbred line (C line), selected as a candidate meat-type chicken to survive in the tropical environment, was examined for its capacity to tolerate the tropical climate and for its immune functions. Comparisons, in terms of the stress and innate and humoral immune responses using the heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, abdominal exudative cell phagocytic activities, and serum anti-SRBC titer, were made between C-line chicks and the corresponding cohorts from their low-meat-yielding Thai indigenous (T line) parents and from high-meat-yielding commercial broiler (B line) chickens. The responses were evaluated in the 3 different seasons of Thailand (monsoon, summer, and winter). Significantly higher stress levels (P < 0.001), based on the heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, were detected in the B line chicks compared with those in the T and C lines at all ages regardless of the season, suggesting that the B line chicks were vulnerable to tropical heat stress whereas the T and C lines were well adapted, with no significant differences detected between the latter two. The innate and humoral immunities of B-line chicks were significantly lower (P < 0.001) than those of T- and C-line chicks. The differences were immense in the summer, when the immunity of the C- and T-line chicks outperformed that of the B-line chicks, with mean opsonized-SRBC phagocytic activities of 7.90, 8.31, and 4.74 and mean IgG titers of 8.00, 8.40, and 5.10, respectively. This could be a consequence of the heat stress causing immunosuppression in B-line chicks, and could represent a noteworthy adaptation to the tropical conditions of the C- and T-line chicks. The apparent climate-tolerant capacity conserved in the C-line chickens, with approximately 50% T genetics, could serve as a guideline for further genetic improvement toward a high-meat-yielding chicken that retains a suitable heat tolerance.
Routing Design and Simulation of Body Area Network Based on Node Energy Consumption Control Strategy

According to the requirements of structure and communications of Body Area Network, a study is made on the node energy control strategy of Body Area Network. On the basis of dynamic routing protocol DSR, energy saving self-adaptive route E-DSR of Body Area Network has been designed, and the simulation analysis has also been made. The results show that effectively utilizing the node energy can improve the communication efficiency and lifecycle of Body Area Network by adopting E-DSR route.
LEPTIN SEBAGAI INDIKATOR OBESITAS

Abstract : Background: Obesity is a condition in which there is an excessive accumulation of body fat. Cases of obesity will continue to increase and an estimated 1.12 billion people in the world will be obese by 2030 (Meydani and Hasan, 2010; Der¬demezis et al., 2011). In Indonesia, the lifestyle changes that lead to Westernization causes changes in diet refers to a diet high in calories, fat and cholesterol that have an impact on the increased risk of obesity (Dir.Kes, 2009). Leptin is a protein derived from the 167 amino acids and the product of the obese gene (ob) with a molecular weight of 16 kDa that is synthesized mainly by adipose tissue. Leptin serves to regulate the metabolism of energy balance and body weight. In general, leptin plays a role in inhibiting hunger and increase energy metabolism. In individuals with large fat tissue contains more leptin than smaller fat tissue, whereas obesity is often found leptin resistance. Some researchers have found that higher leptin levels in obese people compared to people with normal weight (Considine, 1996). Circulating leptin levels in the blood of normal individuals known of 1-3 ng / mL, whereas circulating leptin levels in the blood of obese at 100 ng / mL (Hoda et al., 2012).
Biodiversity hotspots, centres of endemicity, and the conservation of coral reefs

On land, biodiversity hotspots typically arise from concentrations of small-range endemics. For Indo-Pacific corals and reef fishes, however, centres of high species richness and centres of high endemicity are not concordant. Moreover ranges are not, on average, smaller inside the Central Indo-Pacific (CI-P) biodiversity hotspot. The disparity between richness and endemicity arises because corals and reef fishes have strongly skewed range distributions, with many species being very widespread. Consequently, the largest ranges overlap to generate peaks in species richness near the equator and the CI-P biodiversity hotspot, with only minor contributions from endemics. Furthermore, we find no relationship between the number of coral vs. fish endemics at locations throughout the Indo-Pacific, even though total richness of the two groups is strongly correlated. The spatial separation of centres of endemicity and biodiversity hotspots in these taxa calls for a two-pronged management strategy to address conservation needs.
THE ROLE OF EXCHANGE RATES IN MONETARY POLICY RULE: THE CASE OF INFLATION TARGETING COUNTRIES

This paper examines two main issues for the case of inflation targeting countries. The first is to investigate whether monetary authorities react to the exchange rate movements, in addition to inflation and output gap, as in simple monetary policy rule. The second is to investigate whether reactions to the exchange rates have any implications for the inflation targeting performance. The main result of the analysis indicates that some inflation targeting countries react to the exchange rate movements. The policy to stabilize the exchange rate movements helps achieve the inflation target; however, this is not robust across different specifications. In contrast, the real exchange rate variability worsens the inflation targeting performance. The other main finding from the panel data model is that the deviation of the inflation from the target rate exhibits a high and systematic persistence. Additionally, central banks with constant inflation targeting are more successful controlling inflation in the target path compared to banks with a nonconstant inflation target. Finally, restriction on capital controls helps the inflation targeting performance.
Effects of Rhinoceros Unicornis on Riverine Forest Structure in Lowland Nepal

The effect of browsing by Asian megaherbivores (i.e., mammals > 1000 kg) on forest structure has received little attention from ecologists, even though several species feed extensively on foliage and stems (Laurie 1978, Olivier 1978) and can distort tree growth (Mueller-Dombois 1972). The contemporary guild of large browsers includes Asiatic elephant (Elephas maximus L.), greater one-homed rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis L.), and Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus Desmarest). These mammals have coexisted with forest plants for millenia, and it is reasonable to assume that chronic herbivory has been an important selective force on certain Asian plant species as it has for plants in the Neotropics (Janzen 1986) and in Africa (OwenSmith 1987). The purpose of this study was to elucidate how large mammalian herbivores influence forest structure and canopy composition by inhibiting vertical growth of saplings that are frequently browsed and trampled. Specifically, I ask whether chronic browsing and bending of Litsea monopetala (Roxb.) (Lauraceae) by greater one-homed rhinoceros prevent most Litsea individuals from reaching the canopy. The participants in this interaction are common in the lowland riverine forests in the Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP), Nepal (elevation 200 m). I present the results of a study conducted between 1985 and 1988 comparing growth response of Litsea saplings within and outside of protective exclosures from Rhinoceros unicornis (henceforth Rhinoceros). I suggest how size structure of woody