Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Reliance of the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) on Anthropogenic Foods in winter in Central Bulgaria

Abstract. Wild canid foraging behaviour and regional abundance are often affected by the availability of anthropogenic food, supplementing natural diet. The feeding habitats of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) were compared between two populations in central Bulgaria, for which food availability and the extent of anthropogenic-modified habitat differed. Stomach contents were collected from hunting bags during winters from 1997 to 2009 and compared between an agriculturalhilly region (Region 1) and a forested-mountainous region (Region 2). Although mammalian prey predominated in the jackal's diet in the two regions, diets differed significantly between the regions: in Region 1 the main foods were domestic animals (30.2%), while in Region 2 wild ungulates proved to be the dominant food type (47.9%). We propose that although regional differences in jackal foraging habits were apparent between the two regions, foods originating from human activities were important in both regions. In Bulgaria, the golden jackal is regarded as a nuisance pest, requiring population control. Managing the availability of anthropogenic food sources to jackals, e.g., carcasses of wild and domestic animals, may implicitly reduce jackal abundance and/or discourage jackals from foraging around sites occupied by people.
Identification and control of rape stem weevil Ceutorhynchus spp. in winter oilseed rape in Latvia.

Research on identification of Ceutorhynchus spp. on winter oilseed rape in Latvia was done during the vegetation season of 2009 and 2010. Field trials were located in the Research and Study Farm “Peterlauki”, Jelgava municipality, Latvia (56o32’17.38N, 23o43’17.65E). Four species of brassica stem weevils were identified: cabbage stem weevil Ceutorhynchus pallidactylus Marsh. , syn. C. quadridens Pan. , rape winter stem weevil C. picitarsis Gyll. , blue stem weevil C. sulcicollis Pay. , and C. typhae Herb. One of the most common species in winter oilseed rape was cabbage stem weevil C. pallidactylus. Use of a sweep net for identification of particular species cannot be applied, as in practice no specimens have been collected by this method. One of the most appropriate methods for identification of Ceutorhynchus spp. on winter oilseed rape has been yellow sticky traps and water traps that have been used to collect the greatest number of specimens (24) during the vegetation season. First pests appear during the 2nd decade of April, when the plant reaches 33 BBCH. Pest control using systemic insecticide Proteus 110 OD (tiakloprid 100 g L-1, deltametrin 10 g L-1) with a dose of 0.75 L ha-1 was applied when the plant reached 39-44 BBHC. Despite the high population density (2 to 10 insects on 40 plants), significant (p<0.05) decrease in pest damage by 43-51%, when compared to untreated area, was recorded during vegetation seasons of 2009 and 2010. Pest control with a systemic insecticide when the plant is in the stem elongation phase provided a significant (p<0.05) yield increase of 0.5 to 0.7 t ha-1.
Selective filtering of light by coniferous forests and minimum light energy requirements for regeneration

Spectroradiometric analyses were made to examine the light-filtering capacity of coniferous forests and to establish the lower limits of light energy for growth of Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, Abies concolor (Gord. and Glend.) Lindl. , and Pinns ponderosa Dougl. Light energy (400–750 nm) was recorded periodically on clear days in June and July at 48 points under four mixed conifer stands and segregated into four spectral bands (blue, 400–450; green, 500–550; red, 650–700; far-red, 700–750 nm). Minor changes in the proportion of light in one band to that in another occur throughout the day, but in general the 400- to 700-nm range appears rather uniformly absorbed by a coniferous forest canopy. Averaged for an entire day, only the far-red band showed a significant proportional increase under a coniferous canopy compared to unfiltered sunlight.The relation between the energy received in each of the spectral bands and the total recorded in the 400- to 700-nm range was linear. The sampled canopies tran.
In silico docking studies and in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of commercially available terpenoids

Objective Xanthine oxidase is a highly versatile enzyme that is widely distributed among different species. The hydroxylation of purines is catalysed by xanthine oxidase and especially the conversion of xanthine to uric acid. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors are much useful, since they possess lesser side effects compared to uricosuric and anti-inflammatory agents. The present study deals with in silico and in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory analysis of commercially available terpenoids (bisabolol, β-caryophyllene, limonene, and α- terpinene). Methods Molecular docking studies were performed using AutoDock 4.2 and in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity was carried out using xanthine as the substrate. In addition, enzyme kinetics was performed using Lineweaver Burkplot analysis. Allopurinol, a known xanthine oxidase inhibitor was used as the standard. Results The results revealed that bisabolol exhibited a lowest binding energy value of about -7.33 kcal/mol. All other compounds showed binding energy values ranging between -7.33 to -5.87 kcal/mol which was less than the standard (-4.78 kcal/mol). In the xanthine oxidase assay, IC 50 value of bisabolol was found to be 34.70 µg/ml, whereas that of allopurinol was 8.48 µg/ml. All the remaining compounds exhibited IC 50 values ranging between 34.70 to 68.45 µg/ml. In the enzyme kinetic studies, bisabolol, β-caryophyllene showed non competitive and Limonene, α- terpinene and allopurinol showed competitive type of enzyme inhibition. Conclusion It can be concluded that terpenoids could be a promising remedy for the treatment of gout and related inflammatory disorders. Further in vivo studies are required to develop potential compounds with lesser side effects.
Salinity stress alters ion homeostasis, antioxidant activities and the production of rosmarinic acid, luteolin and apigenin in Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss

Salt stress affects growth and secondary metabolism in medicinal plants. There is no information about the impacts of salt stress on Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. Therefore, in this study, the 60-day old seedlings grown in coco peat and perlite were irrigated with various concentrations of NaCl (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM) in accordance with a randomized complete block design for 3 weeks. The results showed that with increasing salt concentration, Na+ concentration was increased, but Ca2+ and K+ concentrations and fresh and dry weights were decreased in both roots and shoots. Besides, photosynthetic pigments and relative water content declined, whereas proline concentration and electrolyte leakage levels elevated in leaves under salinity stress. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase and guaiacol peroxidase enzymes were enhanced at lower salt concentrations but impaired under higher concentrations of NaCl. High-performance liquid chromatography showed that the contents of rosmarinic acid, luteolin, and apigenin were increased with aggravation of salt stress. The highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the rosmarinic acid, luteolin, and apigenin contents were verified at 75 mM NaCl that was concomitant with the most 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl scavenging activity in the leaves. In contrast, all these attributes decreased under 100 mM NaCl. In conclusion, the results unveiled that D. kotschyi is a moderate salt-tolerant plant and adaptive mechanisms adopted by this plant are including Na+ exclusion in roots, the activation of the antioxidant system, and the alteration of phenolic profile. This study also suggests that mild to moderate salinity can be employed as an elicitor to increasing some pharmaceutical important phenolic compounds in D. kotschyi.
Beetles (Coleoptera) of Peru: A Survey of the Families. Buprestidae

Buprestidae Diversity in Peru: 4 subfamilies, 12 tribes, 29 genera, 110 species and 3 subspecies. Recognition: Buprestidae are commonly called “jewel beetles” because of the spectacular colors of the adults of many species. Most buprestids are small to medium-sized beetles, although Euchroma gigantea is one of the largest Neotropical insects (55 mm). Adults display two extremes of morphology and ecology: members of one group are small (2–6 mm), rhomboidal, dorso-ventrally flattened, and mine leaves as larvae; the rest of the family are borers in wood or soft tissues and are larger (4–35 mm), elongate, and cylindrical or moderately flattened. Adults of many species are strongly shining and brightly metallic in coloration, a few are more or less covered by waxy yellow powder, and some have patterns formed by setae. Mimicry occurs in adults of both leaf-miners (models include chrysomelids and coccinellids; Hespenheide, 2014) and wood-borers (models include ants, flies and wasps; Hespenheide, 1986, 2010, 2012). Larvae are typically flattened with a large prothorax. Habitat: Members of the family occur primarily at low- to mid-elevations, below 2000–3000 m. Buprestids are most common in primary forest canopies, at forest edges, or in secondary growth, although a few species are found in open habitats on weeds and sedges. Adult behavior is related to larval feeding type. Wood-boring species are more numerous in areas of lower rainfall and a well-defined dry season and are usually found running on the trunks and branches of recently dead trees or branches, or feeding on leaves of their larval hosts. Adults are most active during the sunny weather during midday, and they fly readily, making them difficult to capture. Leaf-mining species are more common in areas with higher rainfall, and adults usually feed on the leaves of the larval host. Larval mines are usually full-depth and may be either serpentine or blotch-like in form, depending on the species. Except for some of the larger wood-boring species, most buprestids of both ecological types are apparently relatively narrowly host-specific and many appear to exist in very low populations. Many are associated with woody dicots, especially legumes, although leaf-miners are known from ferns and such monocots as sedges (Cyperaceae) and palms (Arecaceae). Pest species in Peru: Very few tropical species appear to be important agriculturally. Leaf-mining species (Leiopleura spp.) are associated with cassava or yuca (Manihot esculenta). The invasive Aphanisticus cochinchinae seminulum likely occurs on sugar cane, but neither appears to have much effect on the plants. Chrysobothris species have been reported as pests in plantations of woody plants.
Insect Pest Scenario of Pigeonpea in Northern Karnataka

Field survey was carried out for three years from 2001 to 2003 in Bijapur and Gulbarga districts of northern Karnataka where extensive cultivation of pigeonpea is followed. A roving survey was taken up during different stages of the crop growth on farmer's fields; insect pests observed during various stages of the crop growth were recorded both from farmers as well as the research fields. The survey carried out over three years in two districts revealed that a total of 30 insect pests were found feeding on pigeonpea. Out of these, two pests viz., Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) and Aceria cajani Channa. were recorded as major pests on this crop by causing more than 51 per cent damage to the crop, whereas, eleven insects viz., Megalurothrips usitatus (Bangall), Empoasca kerri Pruthi, Clavigralla gibbosa Spinola, Riptortus pedestris Fb. , Exelastis atomosa (May.), Melanagromyza obtusa Mlloch, Cydia ptychora (Meyr.), Maruca testulalis (Geyer), Etiella zinckenella Treit. , Adisura atkinsoni M. and Mylabris pustulata (Thumberg) were recorded as moderate pests by inflicting damage between 31 to 50 per cent. As many as seven insect pests were recorded as minor pests on this crop, while ten were recorded as negligible pests.
Tree Competition and Species Coexistence in a Sub-boreal Forest, Northern Japan

Abstract The growth and mortality patterns and the mode of competition of six tree species forming a sub-boreal climax forest in Hokkaido, northern Japan, were investigated based on the diffusion model at the level of the individual tree ⩾ 2 m height in a 2·3-ha study site. Picea jezoensis, Picea glehnii, Betula ermanii and Abies sachalinensis were dominant species, occupying approx. 94% of the total basal area. Sorbus commixta and Acer ukurunduense were subordinate species occupying approx. 6% of the total basal area. A model for individual growth was developed, considering both intra- and inter-specific competition and the degree of competitive asymmetry. Asymmetry was found in intraspecific competition of Sorbus commixta and Acer ukurunduense. Picea jezoensis, Betula ermanii and Abies sachalinensis showed symmetric intraspecific competition. There was little interspecific competition amongst Picea jezoensis, Picea glehnii and Betula ermanii. Abies sachalinensis competed symmetrically with Picea jezoensis (only very weakly, P Betula ermanii ( P Picea glehnii gave no indication of inter- or intra-specific competition. The growth of the four dominant species was never affected by the two subordinate species; the growth of the two subordinate species was governed by the abundances of the four dominant species, the sum of which almost amounted to stand crowdedness (i.e. symmetric competitive effect and one-sided competitive direction). On the scale of 2·3 ha of the sub-boreal forest, symmetric competition prevailed over one-sided or asymmetric competition although statistical evidence for any competitive effects was rather weak. This was probably due to the relatively low tree density and stand crowdedness of this climax forest. Little competition between the dominant species suggested by relatively low proportions of r 2 -values attributable to competitive effects indicates weak organization amongst the component species (i.e. species were more or less independent of each other) at the level of the individual tree ⩾ 2 m height on the 2·3-ha scale.
Treatment of amblyopia using a CAM vision stimulator

Therapy with the CAM Vision Stimulator was given in 55 patients with amblyopia who had been referred for pleoptic treatment. Most of them had received conventional occlusion therapy and six even pleoptic therapy without any improvement. The age range was 6-14 years. The examination of visual acuity was given special consideration. Line visual acuity was examined with an E chart on which the direction of the signs could be altered to eliminate memorizing and where the spaces between the signs and lines could be logarithmically reduced. Single visual acuity was examined with single E tests and near acuity with Jaeger's chart. The number of treatment sessions varied from six to 29. averaging 15.6. The change in line, single and near vision acuity was always parallel. In 76% of the patients a line acuity of ≥ 0.5 was achieved. In 71% of the patients line acuity was improved by at least two lines. The therapeutic result was of the same magnitude in all age groups. The correlation with initial vision was clear.
Drip-tips do not impair the development of epiphyllous rain-forest lichen communities

Drip-tips are a common phenomenon in tropical rain forests, often believed to facilitate drainage of water from the leaf surface and, in that way, reduce epiphyll growth. Some authors suggest a function in reducing splash soil erosion, leaching of substances from the leaf, and light reflectance, while other studies did not find any such correlations. We used an experimental approach to test for the effect of drip-tips on the development of epiphyllous lichen communities. Artificial leaves with and without pronounced drip-tips were exposed in a tropical lowland rain forest at La Selva Biological Station (Costa Rica) for a period of 38 mo, and the physical behaviour of rainwater was tested. On leaves with drip-tips, the water ran off in small, frequent drops 8–30 mm3 in size. On leaves without drip-tips, the water accumulated in the apex region and dripped off periodically in large drops 50–150 mm3 in size. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in the development of epiphyllous lichen communities on leaves with and without drip-tips, in terms of area covered, species richness and composition. However, leaves without drip-tips had more debris accumulated in the apex region and, at the same time, fewer lichen species present in this region. Thus, while drip-tips do have an influence on how water is channelled off the leaf surface, they do not impair the development of epiphyllous lichen communities, except for the apex region where the presence of drip-tips does in fact enhance, not reduce, the establishment of lichens, by preventing the accumulation of debris. We conclude that, while drip-tips may have an ecological function, this function is unrelated to the development of epiphyllous lichen communities.
Effect of Sowing Season and Seeding Rate on the Morphological Traits and Yields in Pea Cultivars of Differing Leaf Types

The effects of three seeding rates (25, 50, and 100 seeds m−2) on several morphological traits, and dry matter, seed and protein yields were evaluated in two leafed, two semi-leafless and two tare-leaved pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars, with fall and spring sowing for 3 years. The experiments were conducted under rain-fed conditions in the Bursa Region of Turkey. Sowing season, seeding rate and cultivar type had a significant effect on most of the measured traits and the yield determinants. The actual number of seedlings per unit area varied greatly among varieties, sowing seasons and climatic conditions during emergence. Fall sowings had taller plants, and more pods and seeds per plant. The number of tillers per plant usually increased with declining seeding rate. Semi-leafless varieties had improved standing ability particularly at higher seeding rates and fall sowing conditions. The harvest index was higher for short strawed, tare-leaved varieties than both leafed and semi-leafless varieties. Harvest index was hardly affected by sowing season and seeding rate. In general, fall sowings and the highest seeding rate produced the highest dry matter, seed and protein yields in all pea cultivars. The yields of spring sowings varied greatly, primarily depending on the amount and distribution of the spring rainfall. In the wet spring of 1993, dry matter, seed and protein yields from spring sowing was higher than those of fall sowings for all varieties. The semi-leafless pea varieties, Countess and Niva, presented a clear advantage in the yield determinants under Bursa rain-fed conditions.
The root systems of Fraxinus excelsior and Fagus sylvatica and their competitive relationships

Summary Following reports from field foresters on so-called ‘beech regeneration dieback’, the root systems and competitive relationships of sapling-stage mixtures of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) were investigated in vivo and in vitro. Ash has a plate-root system from an early age, and beech a heart-root system. The distribution of ash roots is determined by competition for light under a closed overstorey of beech while the distribution of beech roots changes if there is competition with ash roots. In a replacement series experiment in a greenhouse, interspecific competition for water strongly reduced growth and survival of beech saplings. It is concluded that this competition for water could be the reason for beech regeneration dieback on sites where it occurs.
The evaluation of the pathogen germ load and configuration at the bovine carcasses destined for public consumption.

Taking into consideration the fact that at the su rface of the meat and even in depth there might be developing a variety of bacter ia, some of them pathogen and that "preventing is more efficient than treating", it is necessary to pay a special attention to the hygienic requirements for obtaining and processing meat, as well as to the strict supervision in the cooling chain, to prolong the shelf life of the product as well as to ensure safe products for the consumer. The material subjected to researc h was represented by 72 samples of beef collected in the period of 2009-2010, from slaughte ring units in the center of Transylvania, taken from four different regions of the carcasses: chest, flank, cervical area, thigh. From the samples collected there were the following determin ations made: the aerobic plate count, the Enterobacteriaceae plate count, the identification of the germ from the genres: Salmonella, Listeria, Campylobacter, Yersinia and Escherichia . The logarithmic average of the total germ load from the bovine carcasses surface in the year 2009 has shown different values, ranging between 2.32±0.71 and 5.24±0.05 log ufc/cm 2 . The total Enterobacteriaceae load from the bovine carcasses surface in the year 2009 has revea led values between 0.67±0.12 log ufc/cm 2 and 2.34±0.23 log ufc/cm 2 . In the case of the bovine samples there were germ s from Salmonella and Listeria genus identified.
Adubação de soqueira de cana-de-açúcar

), poucas sao as informacoes publicadas a respeito do tratamento das soqueiras da cana-de-acucar com fertilizantes. Esse fato mostra uma grande incoerencia economica, ja que as socas, em seus diversos cortes, representam, no minimo, uma area duas vezes maior que a da cana-planta. Essa escassez de informacao experimental alimenta a duvida de muitos plantadores e permite, inclusive, que alguns bancos relutem em financiar a aquisicao de insumos modernos para utiliza­cao em socas de segundo e terceiro cortes. Para tentar obter alguma informacao local que pudesse orientar a adocao dessa pratica, foi instalado um ensaio cujos resultados sao descritos neste trabalho. Material e metodos: O ensaio foi instalado no ano agricola 1972-73, na Fazenda Santana do Baguacu, municipio de Pirassu-nunga SP, em um talhao de latossolo roxo cuja analise quimica foi a seguinte (
Evaluation of multi-sequential interventions with water to reduce microbial loading as applied to chicken carcasses during slaughtering - a review

The poultry industry has faced many difficulties with bacterial contamination which affects carcass microbiological status, hence influencing its shelf life and safety as human food. During processing, contamination from carcasses can be transferred to equipment, allowing cross-contamination of subsequent carcasses. HACCP strategies suggest the establishment of water showers to minimise the apparent infection of carcasses, thus allowing them to pass through the PCC2 stage with minimal contamination. The only problem is that some countries do not allow implementation of such washing procedures. The following review article compares the results of studies in this matter, and raises potential strategies for ameliorating the situation.