A robust, bistable switch regulates the fluctuations between wakefulness and natural sleep as well as those between wakefulness and anesthetic-induced unresponsiveness. We previously provided experimental evidence for the existence of a behavioral barrier to transitions between these states of arousal, which we call neural inertia. Here we show that neural inertia is controlled by processes tha...

A number of reports have demonstrated that microcysts, the resting cells produced by most myxobacteria, are more resistant than the corresponding vegetative cells. Baur (1) showed that mycrocysts of Myxococcus ruber withstood desiccation and wet and dry heat better than did vegetative cells. In 1936, Imshenetsky and Solnetzewa (6) reported comparable findings for Cytophaga hutchinsonil and C. e...

Luffa aegyptiaca (Luffa sponge gourd) is increasingly seen as both a source of vegetative nutrition and as a source of the “luffa” used as to exfoliate during bathing. As such, the commercial growing of Luffa aegyptiaca is increasingly being investigated using more intensive farming methods. Two factors traditionally used to promote / speed germination and emergence of vegetable seeds is invest...

Land degradation takes a number of forms, including depletion of soil nutrients, salinization, agrochemical pollution, soil erosion, vegetative degradation as a result of overgrazing, and the cutting of forests for farmland. All of these types of degradation cause a decline in the productive capacity of the land, reducing potential yields. Farmers may need to use more inputs such as fertilizer ...

An accurate estimation of the leaf area index (LAI) by satellite remote sensing is essential for studying the spatial variation of ecosystem structure. The goal of this study was to estimate the spatial variation of LAI over a forested catchment in a mountainous landscape (ca. 60 km2) in central Japan. We used a simple model to estimate LAI using spectral reflectance by adapting the Monsi-Saeki...

Although possible sources and functions of the resting-state networks (RSNs) of the brain have been proposed, most evidence relies on circular logic and reverse inference. We propose that autonomic arousal provides an objective index of psychophysiological states during rest that may also function as a driving source of the activity and connectivity of RSNs. Recording blood oxygenation level-de...

Early warning systems for food security require accurate and up-to-date information on the location of major crops in order to prevent hazards. A recent systematic analysis of existing cropland maps identified priority areas for cropland mapping and highlighted a major need for the Sahelian and Sudanian agrosystems. This paper proposes a knowledge-based approach to map cropland in the Sahelian ...

The formation and sedimentation of akinetes of Anabaena cylindrica were analyzed quantitatively to identify practical strategies for removing or harvesting akinetes. The critical iron concentration for development of vegetative cells of this cyanobacterium into akinetes was between 0.060 and 0.240 mg/l. Before germination, approximately 10% of the total akinetes that were formed in trichomes se...

Trend in the proportion of bare ground in some Canterbury tussock grasslands is analysed using records of vegetative cover from Fox Peak, South Opuha River (1963-1985); Porter River (1976-1984); Waimakariri Basin (1962-1978); and central Waimakariri River (1947-1981). The overall proportion of bare ground changed little in all four surveys. The lowest altitude site at Fox Peak and a low altitud...