Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Allelochemicals of barnyardgrass-infested soil and their activities on crops and weeds

Barnyardgrass is one of the most noxious paddy weeds in the world and causes great trouble to many crops. In a bioassay, the aqueous extract of paddy soil infested with barnyardgrass showed phytotoxic action against the growth of the tested crops and paddy weeds, of which rice was the most suppressed among the crops. In contrast, barnyardgrass was the least affected paddy weed. By the use of a separation resin, 18 compounds belonging to terpenes, derivatives of cinnamic acid and ferulic acid, long-chain fatty acids, and steroids that were potentially involved in the phytotoxic activities in barnyardgrass-infested soil were isolated and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Of these, the quantities of linalool, 4-terpinenol, coumaran, methyl phenethyl ketone, and methyl ester cinnamic acid were 1.42, 0.37, 0.02, 3.12, and 4.59 μg g⁻¹ of the wet soil, respectively. The herbicidal activity was varied among these qualified test compounds, in which methyl phenethyl ketone and methyl ester cinnamic acid were more herbicidal than coumaran, linalool, and 4-terpinenol. A mixture of these compounds was also the least inhibitive against the growth of barnyardgrass, but exerted strong suppression against that of rice and monochoria. The present study demonstrates that barnyardgrass possesses strong phytotoxic properties and releases plant growth inhibitors into the soil to compete with rice and other paddy weeds in its vicinity by a chemical pathway.
Geographic Variation and Its Climatic Correlates in the Sex Ratio of Eastern‐Wintering Dark‐Eyed Juncos (Junco Hyemalis Hyemalis)

The sex ratio of Dark-eyed Juncos wintering in the eastern and central United States and Canada varies clinally along a latitudinal gradient. The percentage of Y Y among both museum skins and live-caught birds is 70% in the south, 20% in the north. When abundance according to latitude is also considered, an average Y appears to winter farther south than an average 8 and hence probably tends to migrate farther. Latitude alone is an excellent predictor of sex ratio (r2 = 85%), and latitude plus 13 other measures of climate explain virtually all the variation (r2 - 96.6%). Extreme measures of climate, as compared to mean measures, are equally predictive. Principal component analysis indicates that snowfall, temperature, and latitude are the most important climatic variables associated with sex ratio. Because 8 8 average larger than Y y and are concentrated northward, mean wing length increases with latitude and is significantly correlated with climatic measures that vary with latitude. Further, larger birds within each sex may select higher altitudes as wintering sites. Sex ratio does not vary measurably with date in wintering populations. Among possible explanations for clinal variation in sex ratio are sex-associated differences in (1) advantages of early arrival on the breeding or -wintering grounds, (2) impacts of inter- and intrasexual competition, and (3) effects of low temperature and intermittent food avail- ability. Comparison of ; ; and Y Y with respect to potential fasting endurance, a size-related metabolic parameter, indicates that at OC an average 8 should be able to fast 4% longer (1.6 h) than an average Y at standard metabolic rates. An extremely heavy 8 might endure fasting up to 29% (10.7 h) longer than a very light Y. These differences may confer greater survival ability upon the 8 at latitudes where snow cover can often preclude feeding.
Diurnal activities of the desert-dwelling elephants in northwestern Namibia

The diurnal activities of desert-dwelling elephants (Loxodonta africana) in arid northwestern Namibia were monitored for five years (2002–2006) through the wet, cold dry and hot dry seasons. Desert-dwelling elephant activity changed from year to year and depended on rainfall and flood events. Three methods were used to collect activity data: two involved focal animals where individual elephants were monitored at five-minute intervals or continuously; the third involved a scan method that monitored individuals or groups at two-minute intervals. No statistical difference was observed in the data obtained by each method. Group activities investigated included feeding, water and social activities, resting and walking, while individual activities were further differentiated to include grazing, browsing, debarking, drinking, wallowing, dusting, resting in shade, resting in the open or sun, and the type of social interaction. These activities were analysed on an annual, seasonal and time-of-day basis. Annual variations in observed activities were probably due to variations in annual rainfall. Feeding activities were the major activities of desert-dwelling elephants, being similar throughout the year and occurring mainly during the 0700–1100 h and 1500–1700 h time periods. Similar proportions of time spent feeding (as a percentage) have been reported from several other African elephant populations; however, grazing rather than browsing was the dominant feeding activity. Defecation rates were lower than those reported for any other elephant populations in Africa, reflecting a lower volume of vegetation intake. Walking and social activities were at their maximum during the cold dry season when adult males came into musth and actively pursued receptive females, and declined in the hot dry and wet seasons. These activities were similar to those reported from Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Activities associated with water and resting increased to a maximum during the wet and hot dry seasons during the heat of the day (1100–1500 h). Water activities were higher than had been reported by any other study, while resting activities were lower than studies reported in Zimbabwe but similar to those in Uganda and Tanzania.
Conservation Status of Crayfishes of the United States and Canada

Abstract The American Fisheries Society (AFS) Endangered Species Committee herein provides a list of all crayfishes (families Astacidae and Cambaridae) in the United States and Canada that includes state and provincial distributions; a comprehensive review of the conservation status of all taxa; and references on biology, conservation, and distribution of crayfishes. The list contains 338 native crayfishes, of which 2 (< 1%) taxa are listed as endangered, possibly extinct; 65 (19.2%) as endangered; 45 (13.3%) as threatened; 50 (14.8%) as special concern; and 176 (52.0%) as currently stable. Limited natural range is implicated as the primary factor responsible for the noted imperilment of crayfishes; other threats include habitat alteration and the introduction of nonindigenous crayfishes. Using the best available information, we estimate that almost 50% of crayfishes in United States and Canada are in need of conservation recognition. We hope that this report spurs increased research efforts from aquatic .
Investment in Testes and the Cost of Making Long Sperm in Drosophila

Relationships among body mass, testis mass, sperm length, and the number of sperm produced were examined among 11 Drosophila species, after controlling for phylogenetic effects. This is the first study to examine many of these relationships comparatively in an invertebrate taxon; patterns observed among these variables were fundamentally different from those consistently reported in studies of vertebrates. In regression analyses, testis mass increased with body mass with an exponent greater than one, which indicates that males of larger-bodied Drosophila species make a proportionately greater energetic investment in testes than do males of smaller-bodied species. The positive allometry of testis mass is hypothesized to be a combined consequence of the unusual positive relationship between body mass and sperm length and the positive relationship between sperm length and testis mass. Interspecific variation in testis mass was found to be a function of variation in sperm length rather than variation in the number of sperm produced. Significant trade-offs were identified between sperm length and the number of sperm produced and transferred per copulation. Results are discussed in terms of the costs of producing longer sperm, the correlated evolution of sperm length and body size, the relationship between breeding system and sperm production patterns, and the nature of differences between vertebrates and invertebrates in sperm production and the size of testes.
Improvement in the Electrical Characteristics of a High-hydrous Gel Phantom by the Addition of Inductive Materials at a Low-frequency Band (特集 第22回MAGDAコンファレンス)

Phantoms that imitate the electrical properties of a living body are widely used for various examinations. This paper reports an improvement in the electrical characteristics of a high-hydrous gel phantom by the addition of carbon microcoils and carbon fiber at a low-frequency band. This improvement occurred because the CMC and carbon fiber functioned as an inductance inside the high-hydrous phantom at a low-frequency band. The relative permittivity of a phantom with 2 wt% added carbon fiber was in good agreement with that of human muscle in a frequency range of 5 to 30 MHz.
The Temporal and Spatial Expression of PR‐5 Linusitin‐Like Gene in Healthy and Ethylene‐Treated Flax Plants

Linusitin‐like protein (LIN1) is a new osmotin‐like protein isolated from flax radicles. The LIN1 gene is developmentally regulated and accumulated in an organ‐specific manner in healthy flax plants. In an attempt to find the role and function of the LIN1 gene, we followed its temporal and spatial expression in different flax tissues during development and its induction after diverse osmotic stresses. The LIN1 mRNA was differentially expressed among the various organs during flax blooming. It was not detected in flowers, stems, or leaves, but a positive signal was found in roots. The major sites of LIN1 expression in roots were in the lateral roots. The LIN1 gene was activated in leaf by treatment with ethylene but not by methyl jasmonate or methyl salicylate. To understand its stress‐response expression better, we isolated the promoter region of LIN1. Analysis of the promoter region revealed that it contains several ATATT “root motif” elements and one AGCCGCC sequence that is conserved in most basic pathogenesis‐related (PR) protein genes and is responsible for ethylene induction.
Leaf respiration during early plastidogenesis in light-grown barley seedlings

Oxygen fluxes of protoplasts from different developmental regions of light-grown (16 h day/8 h dark) barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Patty) seedlings were studied using oxygen electrodes as well as with a more sensitive technique of oxygen exchange measurement, Cartesian-diver microrespirometry. A pronounced increase in dark respiration of protoplasts from the region close to the intercalary meristem was observed, especially below the amyloplast region. In the dark this region also displayed the greatest activity of the alternative (cyanide-insensitive) mitochondrial electron-flow pathway, possibly due to high intracellular sugar levels and suitable cytosolic energy charge engaging the pathway. Etiolated protoplasts from similar regions of dark-grown barley seedlings close to the intercalary meristem displayed a reduced dark respiratory rate which suggests that mitochondrial participation prior to normal plastid development is a partially light-initiated process, probably acting through the agency of phytochrome and a blue light receptor. These results demonstrate that in normal light-grown seedlings, just as in algal and etiolated greening systems, mitochondrial participation is vital for the very early stages of plastid development and may be controlled at least partly through phytochrome action as well as a blue light receptor.
Air‐breathing Behavior of the Jeju Fish Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus in Amazonian Streams

The breathing behavior of the jeju fish Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus has been the focus of several studies in recent decades. Few of these studies, however, have described how the fish's air breathing functions in natural environments. We examined changes in the behavior of H. unitaeniatus during daily variations in the dissolved‐oxygen (DO) content of the water in Amazonian streams. We recorded the mean time intervals between instances when the fish breached the water surface to take in atmospheric air and the variation in the DO concentrations. We also observed the number of individual fish that breached the surface together as well as their territory‐forming behavior. We recorded the individual and collective anti‐predator strategies in the presence of a potential predator, experimentally testing the capacity of H. unitaeniatus to recognize the shape of a predator. The results indicated that as the DO concentration decreased, the individuals of H. unitaeniatus tended to breach the water surface at shorter time intervals, which increased their exposure to predators. To minimize the risks from this longer exposure time, the species tends to adopt anti‐predator strategies individually or as a group. In well‐lit locations, the fish recognized the predator's silhouette, left their territory and took a longer time to return. We provide an original contribution to the understanding of the anti‐predatory tactics of the species by describing the behavior of group formation and territory definition as a tool to maximize efficiency in the defense against predators, a behavior that until now was an unknown strategy for this species.
Productivity gains by fertilisation in Eucalyptus urophylla clonal plantations across gradients in site and stand conditions

Nutrition management in Eucalyptus plantations is fundamental for sustaining high production. Fertilisation is routinely used to improve tree nutrition, providing profitable returns on large investments. Growth responses to fertilisation differ dramatically among sites, however, so efficient investment decisions in fertilisation is important. The twin-plots design characterises the fertilisation response in a short period of time, providing the information needed to landscape-scale silvicultural prescriptions. This method entails the establishment of pairs of plots, with one control and one treated plot at each location. The control plot may typically be a permanent plot of an inventory network, providing representative information for a company's decisionmaking. The paired twin-plot receives intensive management (high fertilisation and weed control) to minimise (or remove) these constraints to forest productivity. We used this approach with 131 blocks of twin-plots to represent an area of 34 540 ha in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Clonal plantations of Eucalyptus urophylla were remeasured one and two years after treatment. Fertilisation increased wood growth by 15% for two years (4.0 t ha-1 y-1, or 8.1 m3 ha-1 y-1), with the current annual biomass increment reaching 31.6 t ha-1 y-1 (64.2 m3 ha-1 y-1) versus 27.6 t ha-1 y-1 (56.1 m3 ha-1 y-1) of the control plots. Twin-plots located on sandier and less fertile soils showed twice the fertilisation response of other plots, increasing wood growth by 8.5 t ha-1 y-1 (16.9 m3 ha-1 y-1). The two predominant clones responded similarly to fertilisation. Older stands showed higher responses than younger stands (1.7 t ha-1 y-1 for each additional year), and the greater response in older stands probably represented increase in fertilisation rates over time, rather than a feature of the age of the stands per se. Fertilisation response correlated negatively with site index (base age 7), soil clay content, and soil base nutrient levels (Ca, Mg and K). Models for the prediction of fertilisation response can be used to develop regional- and site-specific fertiliser prescriptions to maximise financial gain from fertilisation.
Quantifying the responses of macroinvertebrate assemblages to simulated stress: are more accurate similarity indices less useful?

1. Similarity indices are commonly used for multivariate analyses, estimations of β‐diversity and assessments of ecological impacts of disturbances. Both statistical and ecological criteria have guided index selections. The former criteria includes accuracy (i.e. how close an estimate is to the true value) and precision (i.e. how repeatable different estimates are) while the latter is focused on detection of known assemblage changes or environmental gradients.
OCEAN CIRCULATION MODES OF THE PHANEROZOIC: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ANTIQUITY OF DEEP-SEA BENTHONIC INVERTEBRATES

It has been suggested that some modern anchialine cave invertebrates originated from deep sea ancestors of considerable antiquity (>100 million years). An alternative view is that such taxa could not have a long bathyal/abyssal history because of extended periods of anoxia in the oceans during the Mesozoic and Cainozoic, and that consequently their ancestors should be sought among shallow-water fauna. In order to assist in the evaluation of these opposing hypotheses, the Phanerozoic record of oxygen-deficient conditions in the water column is reviewed, with special regard for postulated "anoxic events" as a causative mechanism for major changes in biodiversity (e.g., mass extinctions). A key issue is the relative importance, through the Phanerozoic, of two types of deep ocean circulation: Halothermal Circulation (HTC), involving the formation of Warm Saline Deep Water (WSDW) in the tropics, promotes anoxia, while Thermohaline Circulation (THC), characterized by Cold Deep Water (CDW) formed at high latitudes, ventilates the deep ocean. Particular attention is paid to the evidence of the mid-Cretaceous Cenomanian-Turonian Boundary Event. The (apparently) widely accepted view that the deep ocean was mainly anoxic until about 40 million years ago (the time of origin of the modern psychrosphere) is challenged. Evidence from the deep-ocean record of bioturbated sediments suggests that there has been a Cold Deep Water component in ocean circulation for at least the last 90 million years (mid-Cretaceous onwards) and possibly throughout the Phanerozoic. This conclusion has important implications for hypotheses about the antiquity of deep-ocean benthonic invertebrate faunas.
A PATERNITY TEST CASE FOR THE KILLER WHALE (ORCINUS ORCA) BY DNA FINGERPRINTING

The minisatellite DNA profiles from four captive killer whales (two adult males, a female and her calf) were compared to determine paternity between two potential fathers. One of the males was clearly excluded, while the other shared all paternal bands with the calf. The background of this technique, and its potential applications in captive breeding programs and field studies are discussed.
Transfer of the subantarctic red alga Grateloupia aucklandica to the genus Glaphyrosiphon (Halymeniales, Rhodophyta)

Abstract: An investigation of the red alga Grateloupia aucklandica from New Zealand subantarctic islands revealed that this species belongs in the genus Glaphyrosiphon. Phylogenetic analysis using rbcL data indicated that Grateloupia aucklandica, found on Auckland and Campbell Islands (50–52.5°S), was more closely related to Gl. chilensis, a species reported from Chile, than to either of the two New Zealand species, Gl. intestinalis and Gl. lindaueri.
Cartilage is a metazoan tissue; integrating data from nonvertebrate sources

Cole, A. G. & Hall, B. K. 2003. Cartilage is a metazoan tissue; integrating data from nonvertebrate sources. — Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 85 : 69-80 Connective tissues are responsible for much of the variation in morphology that we see today. Cartilage is a type of connective tissue that is often considered to be restricted to vertebrates, however, cartilaginous tissues are also found within invertebrates. Unfortunately, most definitions and classification schemes for cartilages suffer from a strong vertebrate bias, severely hampering the efforts of those who have attempted to include invertebrate tissues as cartilage. To encompass all types of cartilage, current classification systems need to be expanded. Here we present vesicular cell-rich as a new cartilage classification. Invertebrate cartilages, comparable to vertebrate cartilages at both cell and tissue levels, are composed of similar molecules, yet the extent to which they may be homologous is unknown. One option for studying the evolution of tissues is to adopt molecular phylogenetic approaches. However, the paucity of published molecular data makes addressing the evolution of cartilage using molecular phylogenetic approaches unrealistic at this time. Cartilage likely evolved from a chondroid connective tissue precursor, and may have been independently derived many times. The appearance of cartilaginous tissues of unknown phylogenetic affinities in such a wide diversity of animal groups warrants further investigation.
Predicting loin-eye area from ultrasound and grading probe measurements of fat and muscle depths in pork carcasses

The mathematical relationships between loin-eye area (m. longissimus thoracis) and linear measurements of fat and muscle depth were studied on digitalized images from 250 hog loins cut between the 3rd- and 4th-last ribs. Depth measurements were collected using (1) an Ultrascan 50 ultrasound system on immobilized, live animals, (2) a Hennessy grading probe on hanging carcasses under normal slaughtering conditions and (3) image analysis on digitalized images of chops separated between the 3rd- and 4th-last ribs. Loin-eye area was accurately predicted by its depth when the measurement was performed on digitalized images (R2 > 0.86; RSD < 1.87 cm2). The accuracy of the relationship between loin-eye area and muscle depth was reduced using ultrasound (R2 = 0.58, RSD = 3.29 cm2) or the probe (R2 = 0.29, RSD = 4.28 cm2) due to measurement errors on muscle depth. Muscle flatness, the perimeter irregularity or its angle in relation to the midline did not improve prediction accuracy. Consequently, muscle depth as me.
The Importance of Mindfulness in Preventing Substance-Abuse Relapse: A Literature Review

This study discusses how to use information on mindfulness and its applications as a method for coping with difficult emotions in order to prevent a relapse of drug addiction. Mindfulness practices, while supporting healthy development, also reduce stress, improve well-being, and provide emotional balance. Its use in substance abuse treatment is quite new. Mindfulness helps one to be able to cope with their state of mind in the moment of stress related to substance withdrawal by supporting learning and well-being, and by enabling a direct relationship to be established among self-awareness, self-control, and emotion regulation. In the working group of this study on the prevention of substance abuse relapse, sessions consisted of experimental exercises and discussions. The objective is to keep key points such as the person’s current experiences, relapse, improvement or lifestyle in the center of the discussion. The attention of the participants, through mindfulness application, is a continual in “the moment” review of their surround-ings and can prevent them from getting lost in their history. As another strong side of the program, the importance of an individual addressing one’s self before judging or being made to feel guilty is gently encouraged in these applications. In this way, difficulties that emerge in the practice are assessed not as failures but as a sign of tendencies related to the mind, and people’s motivations are protected by normalizing the difficulties they experience. Perhaps the most crucial point of the mindfulness-based relapse prevention program, unlike other therapies, is that labeling in any man-ner is not performed. Instead of people experiencing the worth of being forgiven, people are required to only observe and accept. Through all of these practices, the target is to ensure a person becomes more aware and accepting towards their actions.