Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Village chicken production and Marketing system

In Africa, village poultry contributes over 70% of poultry products and 20% of animal protein intake. In East Africa over 80% of human population live in rural areas and over 75% of these households keep indigenous chickens and Ethiopia is not exception to this situation. Recent estimates put the poultry population in Ethiopia at around 34.2 million with native chicken of none descriptive breeds representing 94.4%, hybrid chicken 3.92% and exotic breeds of chickens mainly kept in urban and peri-urban areas 0.64% . Therefore, the characterization, production and marketing system of indigenous chicken in Gomma district southwestern Ethiopia, is illustrated in this book
Reproductive success in female mountain goats: the influence of age and social rank

In mammals, reproductive success may be positively correlated with both maternal age and social rank. Because social rank often increases with age, however, the effects of rank and age on reproductive success are difficult to separate. We studied a marked population of mountain goats, Oreamnos americanus, to assess the relative effects of maternal age and social rank on kid production and survival. Adult females formed a linear and stable dominance hierarchy. Kid production increased with both age-specific maternal social rank and age, but decreased slightly after 9 years of age. The influence of dominance was particularly important among 3- to 5-year-old females, and the positive effect of dominance on kid production decreased with increasing female age. Age-specific social rank and maternal age did not affect kid survival to autumn or to 1 year. Kids whose mothers were heavy for their age had a higher probability of surviving to weaning and to 1 year than kids born to light females. When age was accounted for, female survival was not related to social rank. Social rank appears to be an important determinant of reproductive success for female mountain goats, especially among young females.
Sexual selection and the energetics of copulatory courtship in the Sierra dome spider, Linyphia litigiosa


Abstract Abstract. Mating in the Sierra dome spider, Linyphia litigiosa (Linyphiidae) begins with 2-6 h of aspermic copulatory courtship, termed pre-insemination phase copulation. Male intromission rate, that is, the speed of repeated genitalic insertions, withdrawals and re-insertions, and body mass are related to fertilization success via cryptic female choice (i.e. female preferences are expressed in their sperm use patterns; Watson 1991b, Anim. Behav. , 41, 343-360). Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) respirometry indicated that pre-insemination phase copulation is energetically demanding. Male intromission rate and body mass (which are uncorrelated traits) each were positively associated with different subsets of six complementary measures of metabolic competence made during copulatory courtship; (1) efficiency; (2, 3) maximum metabolic rate and scope; (4, 5) rate and linearity of metabolic increase; (6) the consistency of metabolic output during sustained courtship. Composite ranks of males based on the six metabolic and the two overt phenotypic measures of quality were positively correlated. Body mass and intromission rate also were associated with two aspects of male fighting ability, strength and aggressiveness (i.e. willingness to escalate when at a modest size disadvantage), respectively. Fighting is important for defence of webs, prey and mates. Thus metabolic competence, a fundamental and possibly heritable component of viability, is favoured by sexual selection; this may help to yield offspring that fare better under both natural and sexual selection.
Song acquisition in European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris: a comparison of the songs of live-tutored, tape-tutored, untutored, and wild-caught males

Abstract Abstract. The songs of four groups of European starlings (24 males) were compared: six starlings were tutored individually by wild-caught adults, six were tutored with tape-recorded songs, six were untutored and six were collected from the field as adults. A description of the complex structure of normal starting song, obtained through an analysis of field and laboratory recordings, provided the basis for quantitative comparisons between groups. Both live-tutored and tape-tutored males developed songs displaying the basic features of species-specific song organization. A few of these features were discernible in the songs of untutored males. The songs of the live-tutored birds largely matched those of wild-caught adults in structural details, differing mostly in repertoire size. Tape-tutored birds imitated a 10th as many motifs as live-tutored birds, their repertoires were less than half as large, and their songs displayed some syntactic and phonological abnormalities. Despite these abnormalities, the tape-tutored birds achieved a much closer approximation of species-specific syntax than did birds reared in acoustic isolation. That they acquired syntactic features of whole songs while copying only short fragments of song from their tutors suggests that they were able to abstract general rules of song organization from the training tapes and that the acquisition of syntactic rules may be a distinct process in normal song learning.
Inter-Limb Muscle Synergies and Kinematic Analysis of Hands-and-Knees Crawling in Typically Developing Infants and Infants With Developmental Delay

Hands-and-knees-crawling is an important motor developmental milestone and a unique window into the development of central nervous system (CNS). Mobility during crawling is regularly used in clinical assessments to identify delays in motor development. However, possible contribution from CNS impairments to motor development delay is still unknown. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare inter-limb muscle synergy and kinematics during crawling among infants at a similar developmental age, however, clinically determined to be typically developing (TD, N = 20) infants, infants at risk of developmental delay (ARDD, N = 33), or infants with confirmed developmental delay (CDD, N = 13). We hypothesized that even though all of the groups are at a similar developmental age, there would be differences in kinematic measures during crawling, and such differences would be associated with CNS impairment as measured by electromyography (EMG) features. Surface EMG of eight arm and leg muscles and the corresponding joint kinematic data were collected while participants crawled on hands and knees at their self-selected velocity. Temporal-spatial parameters and normalized Jerk-Cost (JC) function (i.e., smoothness of movement) were computed from the measured kinematics. The inter-limb muscle synergy and the number of co-activating muscles per synergy were measured using EMGs. We found that the infants with CDD demonstrated higher normalized JC values (less movement smoothness), fewer muscle synergies, and more co-activating muscles per synergy, compared to infants with TD (p < 0.05) and ARDD (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the normalized JC values were correlated (p < 0.05) with the number of co-activation muscles per synergy. Our results suggest a constrained neuromuscular control strategy due to neurological injury in infants with CDD, and such constrain may contribute to the reduced movement smoothness in infant crawling.
The effect of hunger on mating behaviour and sexual selection for male body size in Gerris buenoi


Abstract The set of mating behaviours expressed by an individual may depend upon the state of that individual and local environmental conditions. Understanding how these factors affect mating behaviours may elucidate how a mating system operates, and its consequences for the form and strength of sexual selection. We conducted two experiments on the water strider Gerris buenoi to (1) determine the effect of hunger on the mating behaviour of both sexes and (2) examine female choice for large males. In our first experiment, we manipulated hunger (20 h starvation) in both sexes and recorded mating, male harassment, copulation duration and guarding duration. We predicted that hunger would increase female reluctance to mate because mating conflicts with foraging. Female hunger (20 h starvation) decreased mating rate by two-thirds but had no significant effect on male mating behaviour. In a second experiment, we examined the effect of female hunger, and resulting reluctance, on sexual selection for large male size. Hungry females (5 h starvation) were placed with two fed males (one large, one small) and we recorded male premating and mating behaviours. We observed significant large-male mating advantage when females were hungry, but not when satiated. Mating efforts (harassment, premating struggles) were similar for both male phenotypes in both female hunger treatments, suggesting that the mating advantage of large males resulted from increased reluctance of hungry females to mate. Neither male body size nor female hunger explained a significant amount of variation in copulation duration or guarding duration. We discuss our results in light of two competing hypotheses for female choice (active and passive) on male body size and suggest that passive choice for large males acts in this system. Copyright 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
A Review Study on Vaping and Status of Vaping in India

Introduction-Electronic Cigarettes(E-cigarettes) was introduced into the market in 2007 as an alternative method for quitting smoking. Considering the global rise in the use of Electronic cigarettes, the study aims to perform the comprehensive review of literature on E -Cigarettes. Objectives-To explore the Presence and usage of E-cigarettes in India, to determine the Health -related issues due to the use of E- cigarettes globally, To compare conventional smoking modalities with E- cigarette usage globally, To assess whether use of E-Cigarettes can be helpful in reduction of behavior related to smoking cigarettes Methods -The Literature Search Strategy was developed using the key words based on the objectives and the electronic based data source for identification of papers was done in PubMed and Research Gate. The Study was Conducted from December 2017 to March 2018. Results -There are almost 75 companies which are supplying E-Cigarettes through online in India, and there is no brand in India which manufactures its own product except Evolve Vapors. Limited Studies assessing the health effects of E-cigarettes have been performed as most of them are done in the laboratory conditions. The use of E -Cigarettes were more in current smokers as the usage increasing in adolescents because of the modifiability and similarity with the Conventional Cigarettes. Randomized Control Trial(RCT) and Cohort Study were not able to generate enough evidence because of the Smaller no of participants in the study and lack of previous data available Conclusion-Well designed Newer Generation E -cigarettes trials must be monitored and measured for a longer period so that the Safety and efficacy of the device can be generated.
Ceftriaxone concentration at the surgical site following systemic and isolated upper limb injection

Background and Aims: This study was conducted to find out the equipotent dose of isolated upper limb injection of ceftriaxone in the upper limb (IUL) surgeries under tourniquet that would attain a peak bone marrow concentration (Cmax) similar to systemic (ST) 1 g injection. Material and Methods: Patients were allocated into two groups – ST and IUL. ST group (n = 5) received 1 g of ceftriaxone 20 min before tourniquet inflation, and IUL group received calculated dose (n = 5 in each dosage, i.e., 200, 100, 75, and 50 mg) diluted in 50 mL of normal saline distally after tourniquet inflation. Venous and bone marrow samples were collected at various time intervals intra- and post-operatively. Ceftriaxone concentration was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: There was no significant difference between Cmax following ST 1 g injection and IUL injection with 75 mg (155.8 ± 2.1 vs 158.5 ± 3.1 μg/mL, respectively; P = 0.1). There was significant difference in area under curve (AUC) and t½ between ST 1 g injection and IUL injection with 75 mg of ceftriaxone (AUC 1285 ± 67 vs 784.4 ± 28 μg/mL/h, respectively; P < 0.001), (t½ 5.2 ± 0.5 vs 4.7 ± 0.3 h, respectively; P < 0.001). None of the patients in the ST and IUL groups had post-operative infection up to a period of 1 week duration. Conclusion: IUL injection with 75 mg of ceftriaxone can be equipotent and as effective as ST 1 g injection in upper limb orthopedic surgeries under tourniquet.
Giving and receiving rewards

Awards in the form of orders, medals, decorations, prizes, and titles are ubiquitous in monarchies and republics, private organizations, and not-for-profit and profit-oriented firms. Nevertheless, this kind of nonmaterial extrinsic incentive has been given little attention in the social sciences, including psychology. The demand for awards relies on an individual's desire for distinction, and the supply of awards is governed by the desire to motivate. The technique of analytic narratives is used to show that a number of empirically testable propositions about awards are consistent with observable data.
Neurobehavioral Alterations in Developing Transgenic Mice Expressing TNF-α in the Brain

During development, neuronal circuitry and memory formation are associated with the synthesis and release of several biological mediators, including cytokines. Among the numerous cytokines, the role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in neurobehavioral development is largely unknown. Thus, the recently generated transgenic mice expressing murine TNF-alpha in the brain represent a valid animal model for investigating the role of TNF-alpha in neurobehavioral processes. Using these mice, we showed that an overexpression of murine TNF-alpha increases grooming in the novel object investigation test, decreases rearing as a reaction to novel olfactory cues, and produces a retardation of passive avoidance acquisition while enhancing the thermal response in the hot-plate test, a task regulated by both peripheral and central mechanisms. The possibility that these effects are associated with endogenous changes in concentration of the NGF, known to be modulated by TNF-alpha, is discussed.
The effect of wing colour on male behavioural strategies in the speckled wood butterfly

The behaviour of male speckled wood butterflies, Pararge aegeria L. (Satyrinae), was studied in relation to the following phenotypic traits: dorsal wing colour, submarginal wing spots, wing length and generation. Wing colour was of overriding importance. Pale males spent most of their time resting within a sunlit patch and engaged in short flights and intra- and interspecific interactions. Darker males flew more frequently between sunlit patches through the shaded forest. Thus males differing in phenotype did not have the same probability of showing perching, patrolling or an intermediate type of mate-locating behaviour. Darker and larger males were also more likely to leave the forest. There was very little effect of spot type, but a clear influence of generation on the behavioural variation. It is hypothesized that the observed variation is related to differences in thermoregulation between differently coloured individuals. Darker individuals are expected to have an increased warming rate which means that they can spend more time flying through the shady wood from one sunlit patch to another, while pale males will not suffer from overheating as soon as dark ones when settled on a sunlit patch. This in turn causes variation in their adaptedness to different behavioural strategies
Functional Analysis of Four Terpene Synthases in Rose-Scented Pelargonium Cultivars (Pelargonium × hybridum) and Evolution of Scent in the Pelargonium Genus

Pelargonium genus contains about 280 species among which at least 30 species are odorant. Aromas produced by scented species are remarkably diverse such as rose, mint, lemon, nutmeg, ginger and many others scents. Amongst odorant species, rose-scented pelargoniums, also named pelargonium rosat, are the most famous hybrids for their production of essential oil (EO), widely used by perfume and cosmetic industries. Although EO composition has been extensively studied, the underlying biosynthetic pathways and their regulation, most notably of terpenes, are largely unknown. To gain a better understanding of the terpene metabolic pathways in pelargonium rosat, we generated a transcriptome dataset of pelargonium leaf and used a candidate gene approach to functionally characterise four terpene synthases (TPSs), including a geraniol synthase, a key enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of the main rose-scented terpenes. We also report for the first time the characterisation of a novel sesquiterpene synthase catalysing the biosynthesis of 10-epi-γ-eudesmol. We found a strong correlation between expression of the four genes encoding the respective TPSs and accumulation of the corresponding products in several pelargonium cultivars and species. Finally, using publically available RNA-Seq data and de novo transcriptome assemblies, we inferred a maximum likelihood phylogeny from 270 pelargonium TPSs, including the four newly discovered enzymes, providing clues about TPS evolution in the Pelargonium genus. Notably, we show that, by contrast to other TPSs, geraniol synthases from the TPS-g subfamily conserved their molecular function throughout evolution.
Influence of different alcohol intake frequencies on alveolar bone loss in adult rats: A sem study

Background Alcohol intake is associated with oral diseases and bone changes including alveolar bone loss in humans and in experimental animals. The main aim of the present study is to assess the effect of long-term alcohol intake, at different frequencies, on periodontal bone loss (PBL) in adult rats. Material and Methods Thirty-six (36) rats were divided into 3 groups: Control (daily water intake, n=12), daily alcohol intake (20% ethanol, n=12), and social alcohol intake (20% ethanol twice a week, n=12). The rats were sacrificed after 90 days and their right maxillae were removed. Initially, a random portion from each group was analyzed through SEM (scanning electron microscope) to assess surface topography. Next, all pieces were dissected and stained with methylene blue 1% and photographed in stereomicroscope at 10x magnification. The PBL was assessed by measuring the distance between cement-enamel junction and alveolar bone crest. Results Results showed higher (p=0.0368) alcohol solution amount in the daily intake group than in the twice week intake one. The SEM showed qualitatively flat bone surface in the control group, the social intake group presented surface with few minor hollows, and the daily intake group evidenced increased number and diameter of wells. The comparison between groups showed higher bone loss (p<0.05) in both frequencies than in the control, but the bone loss was lower (p<0.05) in the social alcohol intake group than in the daily intake one. Conclusions Alcohol intake may cause alveolar bone loss in periodontitis-free rats depending on the frequency. Key words:Alcohol intake, alveolar bone loss, alcohol-induced periodontitis, alcoholic rats.
Proximate costs and benefits of mate acquisition at leks of the frog Ololygon rubra


Abstract Abstract. Female choice of mates in lekking species is considered paradoxical because females in such a non-resource-based breeding system exhibit strong preferences for particular males with elaborate phenotypes who provide only their sperm. Theoretical explanations for resolving this paradox have usually touted indirect genetic benefits accruing to offspring through either runaway or good-genes mechanisms; however, the direct selection of preferences explanation has been gaining acceptance as a logical model that solves the lek paradox. This hypothesis indicates that female preferences evolve because of their direct benefits to female fitness (i.e. affect the survival or fecundity of females) and not to the genetic effects accruing to progeny from mate choice. This study represents the first unequivocal corroboration of the hypothesis for a lekking species. Mating behaviour of the Neotropical lekking frog Ololygon rubra included female choice and three male mating strategies. Females chose particular vocal mates close to the optimum ratio of 81% of their own snout-vent length. Fertilization was maximized for such pairs and is described well by a second-degree polynomial regression equation; however, female choice was often thwarted by size-associated male displacement competition, and to a much lesser extent by small silent satellite male interceptions. In these cases, size ratios departed from the optimum and clutch fertilization was depressed. Fewer eggs were fertilized in most small male matings probably because small males depleted their sperm reserves before females completed laying. Furthermore, relatively large males could not maintain constant cloacal apposition during oviposition, thereby contributing to reduced fertilization. Thus, the benefits associated with female preferences swamped any potential costs, and female choice was adaptive because it accrued direct benefits to female fitness. However, male-male competition reduced female fitness but enhanced male reproductive success.
Altered Gut Microbiota and Compositional Changes in Firmicutes and Proteobacteria in Mexican Undernourished and Obese Children

Mexico is experiencing an epidemiological and nutritional transition period, and Mexican children are often affected by the double burden of malnutrition, which includes undernutrition (13.6% of children) and obesity (15.3%). The gut microbiome is a complex and metabolically active community of organisms that influences the host phenotype. Although previous studies have shown alterations in the gut microbiota in undernourished children, the affected bacterial communities remain unknown. The present study investigated and compared the bacterial richness and diversity of the fecal microbiota in groups of undernourished (n = 12), obese (n = 12), and normalweight (control) (n = 12) Mexican school-age children. We used next-generation sequencing to analyze the V3–V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, and we also investigated whether there were correlations between diet and relevant bacteria. The undernourished and obese groups showed lower bacterial richness and diversity than the normalweight group. Enterotype 1 correlated positively with dietary fat intake in the obese group and with carbohydrate intake in the undernourished group. The results showed that undernourished children had significantly higher levels of bacteria in the Firmicutes phylum and in the Lachnospiraceae family than obese children, while the Proteobacteria phylum was overrepresented in the obese group. The level of Lachnospiraceae correlated negatively with energy consumption and positively with leptin level. This is the first study to examine the gut microbial community structure in undernourished and obese Mexican children living in low-income neighborhoods. Our analysis revealed distinct taxonomic profiles for undernourished and obese children.