Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of oral suction and other friction-enhancing behaviors on the station-holding performance of suckermouth catfish (Hypostomus spp.)

Effect of oral suction and other friction-enhancing behaviors on the ability to maintain position in a current (station-holding) was determined for the suckermouth catfish (genus Hypostomus Lacepede, 1803). Fish were tested using an increasing velocity test on three substrata (smooth Lucite®, rough Lucite®, and wire grid). On the smooth substratum, use of oral suction and other behaviors delayed the need to swim continuously out of ground contact from 9.1 ± 0.3 cm/s (uslip) to 89.2 ± 7.9 cm/s (uswim). Trials on the wire grid showed that oral suction was ineffective as predicted; however, fish were able to use other friction-enhancing behaviors instead to improve station-holding performance. Behaviors that increased friction by hooking the fish to the substrate via the odontodes and pectoral fin spines were very effective at delaying the need for steady swimming from 12.9 to 145.0 cm/s. On the rough substratum, fish were able to use both oral suction and the odontodes or fin spines to increase friction, an.
Composition and correlation between major seed constituents in selected lentil (Lens culinaris. Medik) genotypes

Tahir, M. , Lindeboom, N. , Baga, M. , Vandenberg, A. and Chibbar, R. N. 2011. Composition and correlation between major seed constituents in selected lentil ( Lens culinaris Medik.) genotypes. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 825–835. Development of lentil cultivars with increased seed amylose, protein and reduced concentration of anti-nutritional constituents are desired from the perspectives of lentil utilization and human health. In selected lentil genotypes, we studied seed weight, seed coat weight and color, seed composition and the association between major quality traits. Significant (P ≤ 0.05) variation existed for all traits except seed coat weight. The starch and protein concentrations ranged from 39.4 to 45.3 g and from 23.8 to 29.3 g 100 g−1 flour DM whereas the amylose concentration ranged from 29.8 to 34.0 g 100 g−1 starch. Glucose, sucrose and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFO) concentrations of lentil genotypes ranged from 0.04 to 0.08 g, from 0.7 to 2.4 g, and from 4.6 to 6.6 mmoles 100 g−1 flou.
Assessing sources of variation underlying estimates of cetacean diet composition: a simulation study on analysis of harbour porpoise diet in Scottish (UK) waters

We use a bootstrap simulation framework to evaluate the relative importance of different sources of random and systematic error when estimating diet or food consumption of cetaceans, using a data set on harbour porpoise diet in Scottish (UK) waters from 1992–2003 (N=180) as a model. We also evaluate the consequences of applying explicit weightings to individual samples and/or sub-sets (‘strata’) of samples. In terms of the precision of estimates of diet composition, sampling error was the most important source of error, to the extent that overall 95% confidence limits changed only very slightly when sub-sampling error and regression errors were taken into account. On the other hand, for estimates of total food consumption by the porpoise population in Scottish waters, uncertainties about population size and energetic requirements were more important than uncertainty about diet composition. In relation to the accuracy of estimates of diet composition, the study also highlighted the importance of selecting regressions appropriate to prey in the study area (as opposed to ones constructed for the same prey species in another area) and demonstrated that applying equal weighting to individual samples or sample strata can substantially alter the resulting picture of diet. Therefore, the rationale for applying such weightings needs to be carefully considered.
Activity Rhythms Of The Squat Lobsters, Galathea Squamifera And G. Strigosa (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura) In South-West Ireland

This short note describes the in situ activity cycles of Galathea squamifera and G. strigosa (Crustacea: Decapoda) through SCUBA diving observations in south-west Ireland. Both species exhibited nocturnal activity peaks, although they were not exclusively nocturnal. Fluctuating tidal current strength and direction had no discernible influence on either species’ activity cycles. It is suggested that shelters, particularly in terms of both predator avoidance and as foraging areas, play an important role in the ecology of both species. Both the anomuran decapod crustaceans Galathea squamifera Leach and G. strigosa (L.) are widespread throughout the rocky subtidal of the north-west European coastline. In contrast to the general body morphology and the structure of the mouthparts which have been well studied (Nicol, 1932; Pike, 1947), the biology and ecology of the genus Galathea remains poorly studied. These morphological studies have shown that the mouthparts are ill-adapted to living on muddy substrates, essentially restricting the distribution of both G. squamifera and G. strigosa to rocky areas, where their food is obtained by detrital deposit feeding and scavenging. Turner & Warman (1991) have studied the activity patterns of the genus Galathea at Lough Hyne, southwest Ireland and concluded that the genus exhibits nocturnal activity peaks. However, the different species were not distinguished, nor was the potential effect of the aberrant tidal patterns in the area considered. As at least three species (G. squamifera, G. strigosa, G. intermedia) are known to occur at the study site (Holmes, 1985), the present study was initiated to elucidate the activity cycles at a species-specific level.
Breeding season of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) in the Gulf of California, Mexico

Several years of census at two colonies in the Gulf of California (Los Cantiles, situated in the northern portion and Los Islotes in the south) were used to define the reproductive period of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus) in this area. The pattern of births (the length of the breeding period and the mean date of birth) is described using two models: a direct model, based on cumulative counts, and an indirect model, which related the photoperiod and the implanting of the blastocyte. The results of both models show that births begin earlier at Los Cantiles and that synchronization among females was less pronounced at Los Islotes. The mean arrival time of females was similar at both colonies, but differences were observed among the males. This suggests the existence of distinct competitive tactics that may be related to geographic position and the size of the colony. When results are compared with those from San Nicolas (California), it is clear that at Los Cantiles, the reproductive period is more prolonged, begins earlier, and that the time between giving birth and copulation for Gulf sea lions (intervals >30 days) is greater than that estimated for California (21 days).
Mandora Marsh, north-western Australia, an arid-zone wetland maintaining continental populations of waterbirds

Abstract Mandora Marsh in north-western Western Australia floods at intervals of several years to many decades. It flooded in 1999 and 2000, supporting 480000 ± 40000 and 490000 ± 50000 waterbirds in August of each year. Counts of Black-winged Stilts (~180000 and 220000) represented 70% and 80%, respectively, of the estimated Australian population, and counts of Hardheads (~100000) and terns (~110000) comprised considerable portions of the Australian populations of these species. Breeding was prolific and the Marsh appears to be an important breeding site, on the rare occasions it floods, for many species. Waterbird numbers, breeding and movements are discussed in the context that, collectively, the network of arid-zone wetlands, including Mandora Marsh, has a major role in maintenance of Australian waterbird populations. The significance of flooding history and grazing on the biological value of arid-zone wetlands are also discussed briefly.
GARCINIA KOLA HECKEL SEEDS DORMANCY-BREAKING

Seeds dormancy-breaking was investigated for Garcinia kola Heckel by using techniques that can afford small farmers for domestication. Garcinia kola seeds in their natural habitat have 6 weeks to 18 months dormancy. The methods experimented to overcome seed dormancy included conservation or removal of seed coat followed by pre-germination treatments including soaking for 24 hours in cold water (25°C), or in hot water (70°C); immersion in pineapple juice or incorporation in banana false trunk for one week. Sand mixed with compost and sawdust were used as germination substrata. The germination rates were quite low (0-40%) due to poor seed quality. Seed coat removal followed by soaking in cold water affected positively dormancy-breaking while the warm treatment caused embryo destruction and failure of seed germination. The effective dormancy-breaking methods to be recommended were decoated seeds soaked in cold water, coated seeds placed in banana false trunk and coated seeds soaked in pineapple juice where germination started 95, 102 and 110 days respectively from sowing with 130-141 days as mean germination time. The germination substratum irrespective of dormancy-breaking method didn't affect significantly either the germination percentage or the germination time. Further investigation is necessary to improve dormancy-breaking. Keywords. Garcinia kola, seed dormancy-breaking, germination rate, germination time, seedling growth.
A new species of Typhlocharis Dieck, 1869 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Anillini) from South Spain, with notes on the phylogenetic value of sexually related characters and the presence of stridulatory organ (pars stridens) in the genus

A new species of the genus Typhlocharis Dieck, 1869 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Anillini) is described (T. deferreri nov. sp.) from the province of Cadiz in the south of the Iberian Peninsula. Its affinities with other species are discussed, mainly those with males having a median tubercle in sternum II: T. bivari Serrano and Aguiar, 2006, T. passosi Serrano and Aguiar, 2005, T. navarica Zaballos and Wrase, 1998 (outereloi group), T. monastica Zaballos and Wrase, 1998 and T. peregrina Zaballos and Wrase, 1998 (monastica group). The value of sexual dimorphism as a phylogenetic and taxonomic tool is revised; seemingly there is no relationship between this kind of sexual dimorphism and the traits that differentiate the established species groups (umbilicate series, type of gonocoxite, dimorphism in tibiae I and II, etc.). The presence and significance of stridulatory organ (pars stridens) is also commented upon, updating and increasing the scarce data available about this structure, poorly considered in the literature, with notes about distribution and relationships of the species which have it.
Determinação da exigência nutricional de treonina para poedeiras leves e semipesadas

An experiment was carried out to determine the nutritional threonine requirement for white-egg and brown-egg laying hens, during a period from 21 to 36 weeks. Five hundred and seventy six laying hens, 288 from white-egg and 288 from brown-egg, were used during four experimental periods of 28 days each. A complete randomized blocks design in a fatorial arangement (level x trademarks), with six replicates (eight birds/replicate), was used. The treatments consisted on a basal diet with 14.2% crude protein supplemented with 0.025, 0.050, 0.075, 0.100, and 0.125% of L-threonine providing a total of 0.510, 0.535, 0.560, 0.585, 0.610, and 0.635% of threonine. The productive performance and internal egg quality were evaluated. Feed intake, egg production, egg mass and weight gain were superior for the brown-egg laying hens. Egg production and internal egg quality, feed: gain ratio, body weight gain were not influenced by the used threonine levels. The level of 0,510% of threonine, that correspond to 515 mg/hen·day (0,423% of digestible threonine) and 535 mg/hen·day (0,440% of digestible threonine), was sufficient to meet the performance and to the internal egg quality for the studied characteristics of both white-egg and brown-egg laying hens, respectively.
Conifer stump condition and pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) reproduction

Reproduction of the pine weevil (Hylobius abietis (L.)) in stumps of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst. ) was studied in relation to stump condition. Cut surfaces of stumps were treated to promote or retard microbial colonization. During the 4 months following cutting, chemical and physiological properties of the stumps were monitored. The number of emerging weevils and the estimated proportion of root area utilized by the weevil larvae and other organisms were used to evaluate the influence of the stump treatments on pine weevil reproduction. Stump treatments had no clear effect on pine weevil reproduction. However, fewer pine weevils emerged from stumps treated to retard microbial colonization than from other stumps. Moisture content increased with time and decreased with distance from the cut surface. Pine stumps died faster (content of living cells estimated by dehydrogenase activity) and supported higher levels of pine weevil reproduction compared with spruce stumps. Ethanol contents of both pine and spruce stumps were lower in August than in the preceding months. This lower ethanol content coincided with a lower content of living cells.
Effect of Different Levels of Silymarin (Silybum marianum) on Growth Rate, Carcass Variables and Liver Morphology of Broiler Chickens Contaminated with Aflatoxin B1

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the ability of Silybum marianum seeds (SMS) on performance, carcass variables, and liver morphology of the broiler chickens contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). A total of 216 broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used. Birds were randomly assigned to nine treatment groups, with four replicates and six birds in each replicate. Chickens were reared on litter from 1 to 35 days of age. Treatments were (AFB1) in three levels (Zero, 250 and 500 ppb) and SMS in three levels (Zero, 0.5 and 1.0 percent) using factorial experiment based on completely randomized design. Feed intake at the end of the three weeks did not significantly change in comparison with the control group. With the increase in the level of (AFB1) in the diet, feed intake and body weight gain were decreased compared with the control group in week 4. Feed conversion ratio was not influenced by the treatments. In diets containing AFB1, breast muscle, carcass ratio, abdominal fat and bursal gland weight were significantly decreased (P1 alone did not affect thigh, back, neck, wings, heart, legs and spleen weights. Increasing the level of SMS in the diet alone or in combination with AFB1 resulted in significant changes in the weights of carcass and internal organs. Liver of birds fed diets containing AFB1 showed abnormal signs including enlargement, yellowish, friable and rounded shape. Liver of other treatments did not show any abnormal signs. In conclusion, these findings suggest that silymarin might be used in chickens to prevent the effects of AFB1 in contaminated feed.
Impact of Malaysian Continental Drift on the Genetic Diversity of Horseshoe Crab Inferred through mtDNA Sequence Analysis

An attempt was made to examine the influence of Malaysian continental drift on the genetic and haplotype diversity of Malaysian horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas [Muller, 1785]) distributed along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia and distant Borneo Island. Mitochondrial DNA (AT rich region = 369bp) analysis showed that T. gigas has higher haplotype diversity in peninsular Malaysia compared to east Malaysian (Sarawak) samples. Highest haplotype diversity (h±SD) was observed among the Terengganu samples (0.813 ± 0.071) followed by Pahang samples (0.813 ± 0.065). There were no difference in nucleotide diversity (Pi) noted in east cost of Peninsular Malaysian (PM) samples. Overall haplotype (h±SD) and nucleotide (Pi±SD) diversity of T. gigas in PM samples including Sarawak was 0.827 ± 0.051 and 0.0078 ± 0.0014 respectively. A total of 6 unique haplotypes were recorded of which 2, 2 and 1 were unique to Terengganu, Sarawak and Pahang samples respectively. Pair wise haplotype frequency (FST) value was not statistically significant (P > 0.05) for all the groups indicating the limited gene flow among the population. In addition phylogenetic scrutiny visibly clustered T. gigas samples from T. tridentatus samples representing sound phylogenetic signals in mtDNA AT rich region. The findings from this study have important implications for proper management and conservation of horseshoe crab in Malaysia.
Elephant poaching in Niassa Reserve, Mozambique: population impact revealed by combined survey trends for live elephants and carcasses

Abstract Trends in the populations of large herbivores in Niassa Reserve, Mozambique, have been monitored through biennial aerial surveys since 1998. The elephant Loxodonta africana population has been subjected to intensive illegal hunting since 2006. We used a simple population model to mimic the observed trends in the numbers of live and dead elephants to demonstrate the impact of poaching. The number of fresh or recent carcasses recorded was used in the model as an index of the annual mortality rate. A maximum likelihood analysis to compare population models revealed that the best fit to the survey estimates of both live elephants and old or very old carcasses was a model that started with 6,635 elephants in 1987. This number increased through births by 4.6% annually and decreased through deaths from natural and anthropogenic causes. In the best-fit model, the mean mortality rate in any year was 3.2 times the observed 1 + 2 carcass ratio (ratio for carcasses in age categories 1 and 2), and carcasses remained visible for a mean of 6 years. The model suggested that c. 900 elephants were poached during 2007–2010 and another c. 1,000 during 2011. Population estimates for live elephants and carcasses are now routine outcomes of aerial surveys conducted as part of the CITES programme for Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants, and our method can be applied to any population with a time series of estimates for live and dead elephants.
SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OF CONSPECIFICS AND FOOD ON GROWTH AND ENERGY ALLOCATION OF A DAMSELFISH

Grouping organisms may suffer reduced growth due to food deprivation in the presence of larger conspecifics, but this cost can be outweighed by advantages of reduced predation risk in larger groups. Here, tagged new juveniles of a small, grouping damselfish Dascyllus aruanus, were added to small coral heads that were either empty or supported small groups of larger conspecifics. Half of the coral heads with conspecifics and half of those without were subjected daily to additions of brine shrimp, similar to natural zooplankton food, over a three-week period. Growth was measured as increase in body length, change in body condition (lipid content), and overall energy gain. Body lipid reserves were higher (21%) in recruits subjected to added food and in the presence of conspecifics (13%). Total energy was higher (53%) in recruits with added food but was not affected by conspecific presence. There was an interaction between conspecific presence and food supplementation treatment on change in body length, a commonly used growth estimator. These differences suggest that the benefits of extra food and effects of conspecific presence differ depending on the metric used to measure growth, but that presence of larger conspecifics enhanced the increased growth that resulted from higher food intake.
Bairdemys, a New Side-Necked Turtle (Pelomedusoides: Podocnemididae) from the Miocene of the Caribbean

Abstract A new genus, Bairdemys, is erected for two species of side-necked turtles. Bairdemys venezuelensis (Wood and Díaz de Gamero, 1971) from the late Miocene Urumaco Formation of Venezuela is represented by four skulls and a number of shells. Bairdemys hartsteini from the Miocene of Puerto Rico is known from a skull. Bairdemys is a member of the Podocnemididae because it possesses a cavum pterygoideus, and is related to the Shweboemys Group because it has a well-developed secondary palate. It differs from all other Podocnemididae in having large ventral convexities on the secondary palate, the eustachian tube separated by bone from the fenestra postotica, and the frontal and prefrontal strongly convex dorsally.
Geobiological analysis using whole genome‐based tree building applied to the Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya

We constructed genomic trees based on the presence and absence of families of protein‐encoding genes observed in 55 prokaryotic and five eukaryotic genomes. There are features of the genomic trees that are not congruent with typical rRNA phylogenetic trees. In the bacteria, for example, Deinococcus radiodurans associates with the Gram‐positive bacteria, a result that is also seen in some other phylogenetic studies using whole genome data. In the Archaea, the methanogens plus Archaeoglobus form a united clade and the Euryarchaeota are divided with the two Thermoplasma genomes and Halobacterium sp. falling below the Crenarchaeota. While the former appears to be an accurate representation of methanogen‐relatedness, the misplacement of Halobacterium may be an artefact of parsimony. These results imply the last common ancestor of the Archaea was not a methanogen, leaving sulphur reduction as the most geochemically plausible metabolism for the base of the archaeal crown group. It also suggests that methanogens were not a component of the Earth's earliest biosphere and that their origin occurred sometime during the Archean. In the Eukarya, the parsimony analysis of five Eukaryotes using the Crenarchaeota as an outgroup seems to counter the Ecdysozoa hypothesis, placing Caenorhabditis elegans (Nematoda) below the common ancestor of Drosophila melanogaster (Arthropoda) and Homo sapiens (Chordata) even when efforts are made to counter the possible effects of a faster rate of sequence evolution for the C. elegans genome. Further analysis, however, suggests that the gene loss of ‘animal’ genes is highest in C. elegans and is obscuring the relationships of these organisms.
Antimicrobial effects of Aloe vera on some human pathogens

Aloe vera is a species of succulent plant that probably originated in Northern Africa. The species does not have any naturally occurring populations, although closely related aloes do occur in Northern Africa (Akinyele and Odiyi, 2007). Aloe barbadensis miller (Aloe vera ) belongs to the lialiaceal family of which there are about 360 species. It is a cactus-like plant that grows readily in hot, dry climates and ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 3 Number 3 (2014) pp. 1022-1028 http://www.ijcmas. com