Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Instrumentally Inseminated and Naturally Mated Queens

SummarySister queen honeybees (Apis mellifera), 59 instrumentally inseminated (IIS) and 59 naturally mated (NM), were produced in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and put into field colonies at 3 locations in Alberta, Canada and at 1 location in Louisiana, USA. Survival of the IIS queens was lower than that of the NM queens; 37 IIS queens and 50 NM queens survived from August 1981 to May 1982, and 18 IIS and 34 NM queens survived until August 1982 (P<0·01). At all 4 locations, the colonies with NM queens had 21–73% more capped brood in May (February in Louisiana) than did colonies with IIS queens (P<0·01). Probably because of this difference in brood production, the colonies with NM queens produced more honey. Over a 12-month period, the mean loss of spermatozoa from IIS queens was 0·9 million (28% of the original number in the spermatheca), and the mean loss for NM queens was 1·5 million (27%).
Evaluation of Palm Kernel Meal as Substitute for Soyabean Meal in the Diet of Growing Cockerels

One hundred and twenty Anak Cockerels were used in a 56-day trial to determine the substitutional value of Palm Kernel meal (PKM) for Soyabean meal in the diet of growing cockerels. The five week-old cockerels were randomly allotted to five dietary treatment groups in which the dietary soyabean meal had been substituted with PKM at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%. The diets were respectively designated as diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The results showed that mean daily body weight gain and feed-to-gain ratio for all the treatments were significantly (P<0.05) influenced. Birds fed diet 2 had the highest weight gain (1229.17g) followed by birds fed diet 1 (control) while birds fed diets 3, 4 and 5 respectively had their weights depressed. Birds fed diet 2 gave the best feed-to-gain ratio (3.88). The feed cost per kilogramme diet significantly (P<0.05) decreased with the increasing PKM replacement of soyabean meal. Diet 2 gave the least cost per kg weight gain (N159.90) and the highest accruable revenue (N614.58). From the results of this study, it would appear that substituting 25% of soyabean meal with PKM in growing cockerel diets would not only be economically advantageous but enhanced performance.
Examining the functional role of current area closures used for the conservation of an overexploited and highly mobile fishery species

Protecting essential habitats through the implementation of area closures has been recognized as a useful management tool for rebuilding overfished populations and minimizing habitat degradation. School shark ( Galeorhinus galeus ) have suffered significant stock declines in Australia; however, recent stock assessments suggest the population may have stabilized and the protection of closed nursery areas has been identified as a key management strategy to rebuilding their numbers. Young-of-the-year (YOY) and juvenile G. galeus were acoustically tagged and monitored to determine ontogenetic differences in residency and seasonal use of an important protected nursery area (Shark Refuge Area or SRA) in southeastern Tasmania. Both YOY and juvenile G. galeus showed a distinct seasonal pattern of occurrence in the SRA with most departing the area during winter and only a small proportion of YOY (33%) and no juveniles returning the following spring, suggesting areas outside the SRA may also be important during these early life-history stages. While these behaviors confirm SRAs continue to function as essential habitat during G. galeus early life history, evidence of YOY and juveniles emigrating from these areas within their first 1–2 years and the fact that few YOY return suggest that these areas may only afford protection for a more limited amount of time than previously thought. Determining the importance of neighbouring coastal waters and maintaining the use of traditional fisheries management tools are therefore required to ensure effective conservation of G. galeus during early life history.
Epizootics of Lernaea cyprinacea (Copepoda: Lernaeidae) in imported cyprinids to Egypt

Epidemie bei den in Agypten eingefuhrten Cypriniden verursacht durch Lernaea cyprinacea In the past few years, many countries of subtropical and tropical areas have imported broadstocks of rapidly growing fish to establish aquaculture projects. However, this procedure can be associated with some ecobiological changes. In Egypt, where serious efforts were directed at increasing fish production, broad stocks of the family Cyprinidae were imported in the last three years from different parts of the world. However, our laboratory was notified of the presence of 3 epizootics among these fishes in different Egyptian hatcheries. Parasitological examination revealed the dangerous copepod Lernaea cyprinacea as the etiological agent. L. cyprinacea induced severe degenerative and necrotic changes in the skin and muscles of affected fish, perforated the abdominal cavity, attached to the eyeball, liver, and buccal cavity, and induced growth retardation in fingerlings. Hence, we Stress the necessity of strict veterinary measures during live fish shipment between different countries, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas, where pathogens might constitute a potential hazard to local fish breeds. Zusammenfassung In den letzten Jahren wurden in verschiedene sowohl subtropische als auch tropische Lander Laichfische der schnell wachsenden Arten eingefuhrt um Aquakulturprojekte durchzufuhren. Das konnte jedoch zu einigen Veranderungen der biologischen Elemente des Okosystems fuhren. In Agypten, wo ernsthafte Anstrengungen unternommen wurden, um die Fischproduktion zu erhohen, wurde in den letzten drei Jahren Laichfische der Familie Cyprinidae aus verschiedenen Teilen der Welt importiert. Uns wurde von Epidemien bei diesen Fischen in drei agyptischen Fischbruthausern berichtet. Nach parasitologischen Untersuchungen konnte der gefahrliche Copepod Lernaea cyprinacea als Erreger identifiziert werden. L. cyprinacea hat zu ausgedehnter Degeneration der Haut und Muskulatur, Durchlocherung der Bauchhohle und zu Verlangsamung des Wachstums bei Karpfenbrutlingen gefuhrt. Im Ubrigen heftete sich dieser an die Augen, an die Leber und an die Wand der Mundhohle. Aus diesen Grunden ist die Einhaltung strenger tierarztlicher Kontrollen wahrend des Transportes lebender Fische unentbehrlich, zumal in den tropischen und subtropischen Zonen, wo die Krankheitserreger, die mit den Importfischen mitgeschleppt wurden, die einheimischen Fischarten gefahrden konnen.
Eufáusidos (Crustacea: Malacostraca) del centro y sur del Mar Caribe mexicano

Se analiza la composicion, abundancia y distribucion de los eufausidos del Mar Caribe mexicano durante Agosto de 1986. Las muestras de zooplancton fueron recolectadas durante el crucero ARCOMM I, a bordo del B/O “Justo Sierra” de la UNAM. Los muestreos se realizaron mediante arrastres oblicuos con una red Bongo (malla de 0.5 mm) desde los 200 m hasta la superficie en 28 estaciones. La especie mas abundante fue Stylocheiron carinatum, con el 49% del total de eufausidos recolectados, le siguieron Euphausia americana 9.8% y E. tenera con 7.8%. Las maximas densidades de las tres especies mas abundantes se encontraron durante los muestreos nocturnos; esto puede estar relacionado con los patrones migracionales de las especies. El indice de Bray-Curtis origino tres grupos, separados por las variaciones nictemerales de la comunidad de eufausidos. Las especies se distribuyeron con mayor frecuencia en el area oceanica y estuvieron ausentes en la region neritica. La fauna local presenta afinidad con la comunidad de eufausidos del Golfo de Mexico y otras areas del Mar Caribe. Se encontraron cuatro especies que representan registros nuevos para el Mar Caribe occidental.
Music enhances cognitive-related behaviour in snails ( Achatina fulica )

Music is a collection of sound waves which exist at varying frequencies, some of which may appear melodious while some appear unbearable to our ears and then there are frequencies which our ears cannot perceive e.g. Ultrasound. Most living forms bear the sense of hearing; the ability to perceive sound within specific ranges of frequencies, but organisms without non-auditory features perceive these frequencies in the form of vibrations or via the phenomenon of resonance. In humans, music therapy is a proven relaxation technique that helps manage stress and acts as a form of secondary treatment for several neural based disorders. The basis of this study was to understand whether music or rather sound vibrations, can enhance brain related activities mainly cognitive behaviour in snails, as these invertebrates do not possess auditory features, thus hypothesizing the interaction to be at a cellular level. Cognition is an important attribute of every living organism which although varies considerably from species to species, helps facilitate their day to day activities. Cognitive abilities of snails in this study were monitored, as time taken to complete the T-maze run post exposure to two different soundtracks for 15 minutes for a period of 5 days. A highly significant reduction in run time was observed in snails exposed to music signifying enhanced cognitive effects in comparison to control group. The significance was higher in the snails exposed to meditative music with lesser variation in frequencies, as compared to a rock soundtrack with varying frequencies. A linear and gradual short-term memory learning profile was observed in snails exposed to meditative music with lesser variation in frequencies as compared to snails exposed to rock music which showed a large variation in frequencies. The results of the studies confirmed that sound generated vibrations augments cognitive capacity of the brain and at reduced variation in frequencies can enhance learning ability with an increase in short-term memory gain. Resonating vibrations in the form of waves can definitely bring a change in behaviour of organisms without non-auditory features as observed in this study, which may induce biochemical changes at a cellular level, the mechanism for which needs to be evaluated.
Influence of Social Activity on Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Moderating Effects of Education

사회활동이 활발한 생활양식은 인지비축에 기여함으로써 신경인지장애와 인지노화에 보호적 역할을 할 것으로 제안되고 있다. 본 연구는 농촌 노인의 다양한 사회활동 참여가 처리속도, 일화기억, 언어, 집행기능과 같은 인지기능에 미치는 영향을 살펴보고, 이러한 영향이 교육 수준에 따라 차별적으로 나타나는지 교육수준의 조절 효과를 검증하고자 한다. “한국인의 사회적 삶, 건강한 노화에 대한 조사(Korean Social Life, Health and Aging Project: KSHAP)” 연구에 참여한 K지역의 정상 노인 146명(평균연령= 72.33세, 표준편차=6.46)을 대상으로 사회활동 질문지 및 신경심리검사 배터리를 실시하였다. 먼저 연령, 교육, 사회활동, 인지수행 간의 관계를 상관분석을 통해 살펴보았고, 그 결과를 바탕으로 각 인지 수행에 사회활동이 미치는 영향, 사회활동과 교육 수준의 상호작용 효과를 연령효과를 통제한 위계적 회귀분석을 이용하여 분석하였다. 그 결과, 전반적인 인지기능 측정치인 MMSE-DS 총점에 대해 사회활동의 효과가 유의하였다. 마찬가지로 Stroop 색깔읽기, 범주유창성 검사와 단축형 K-BNT 점수에서도 사회활동의 효과가 유의하였다. 또한 EVLT 재인, SRFT 지연회상, Stroop 글자읽기, 그리고 TMT 시행 A에서 사회활동과 교육수준의 상호작용 효과가 유의한 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 결과는 노년기 활발한 사회활동이 여러 인지기능 영역에 긍정적인 영향을 미치며, 특히 교육경험이 적은 노인들의 인지기능에 더 보호적인 역할을 함을 시사한다. 따라서 성공적 노화를 위해 노인들의 사회활동 참여를 활성화시키는 제도적인 노력의 필요성을 함의한다.
Pollination Ecology of Impatiens rufescens (Balsamineae) - An Endemic Annual Herb From Nilgiri Mountains, Western Ghats, India

I examined the breeding and pollination systems of Impatiens rufescens ( Balsamineae), a rare annual balsam restricted to the Western Ghats of India. The experiments were conducted in the Korakundah (KR) and Upper Bhavani (UB) montane swamps of the Nilgiri Mountains (2200 m altitude). In each treatment, 46-50 flowers were emasculated from 15-22 plants at each swamp site. Manipulation experiments demonstrated that the geitonogamy produced, on average, lower fruit set (43%) and seed number (3.73 ± 0.18%) than the xenogamy treatment (fruit set (92%) and seed number (7.94 ± 0.06%). Fruit set (87%) and mean seed number (7.26 ± 0.14%) in the control set were not significantly different between two sites and no fruit set was recorded from the autogamy. The results suggest that I. rufescens is an obligate out-crosser and is partially self-incompatible. The self-incompatibility index (ISI) was calculated as 43/92 = 0.47% (between 0.2 and 1), the ratio of fruit set between the two sites. Each pollinator visit differed significantly from the total number of visits; however diverse insect visit was significantly higher between two sites. It is concluded that outcrossing rate may increase the I. rufescens population by greater pollen deposition through manipulation and aid by foraging pollinators.
Expansin gene expression in cherimoya fruit is correlated with flesh firmness during fruit ripening and softening

Summary Expansins are proteins that have been shown to contribute to fruit softening. However, whether expansins are involved in the loss of flesh firmness in harvested cherimoya fruit has not yet been confirmed. In this study, three different full-length expansin gene (AcExp1, AcExp2, and AcExp3) cDNAs from ripe cherimoya fruit were isolated and characterised, and their patterns of mRNA expression were investigated in relation to flesh firmness in fruit stored at different temperatures (10°C, 15°C, or 20°C) and in fruit stored at 20°C and pretreated with propylene. The results showed that flesh firmness began to decline on day-2 after storage and declined rapidly by day-4. Meanwhile, ethylene production increased significantly by day-4 after storage at 20°C. Flesh firmness declined slowly and fruit exhibited a low level of ethylene production throughout storage at 10°C. RNA hybridisation revealed that AcExp1 mRNA was detectable throughout 8 d of storage at 10°C, 15°C, or 20°C, and that AcExp2 mRNA was detectable only after the decline in flesh firmness in fruit stored at 15°C or 20°C. Moreover, the accumulation of AcExp3 mRNA coincided with the decline in flesh firmness in fruit stored at 15°C or 20°C. Propylene treatment increased ethylene production, accelerated the decline in flesh firmness in fruit stored at 20°C, and increased the accumulation of AcExp2 and AcExp3 mRNAs. These findings therefore show that AcExp3, together with AcExp2, may be involved in cherimoya fruit softening.
Forest biomass energy: assessing atmospheric carbon impacts by discounting future carbon flows

Although forest biomass energy was long assumed to be carbon neutral, many studies show delays between forest biomass carbon emissions and sequestration, with biomass carbon causing climate change damage in the interim. While some models suggest that these primary biomass carbon effects may be mitigated by induced market effects, for example, from landowner decisions to increase afforestation due to higher biomass prices, the delayed carbon sequestration of biomass energy systems still creates considerable scientific debate (i.e., how to assess effects) and policy debate (i.e., how to act given these effects). Forests can be carbon sinks, but their carbon absorption capacity is finite. Filling the sink with fossil fuel carbon thus has a cost, and conversely, harvesting a forest for biomass energy – which depletes the carbon sink – creates potential benefits from carbon sequestration. These values of forest carbon sinks have not generally been considered. Using data from the 2010 Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences ‘Biomass sustainability and carbon policy study’ and a model of forest biomass carbon system dynamics, we investigate how discounting future carbon flows affects the comparison of biomass energy to fossil fuels in Massachusetts, USA. Drawing from established financial valuation metrics, we calculate internal rates of return (IRR) as explicit estimates of the temporal values of forest biomass carbon emissions. Comparing these IRR to typical private discount rates, we find forest biomass energy to be preferred to fossil fuel energy in some applications. We discuss possible rationales for zero and near‐zero social discount rates with respect to carbon emissions, showing that social discount rates depend in part on expectations about how climate change affects future economic growth. With near‐zero discount rates, forest biomass energy is preferred to fossil fuels in all applications studied. Higher IRR biomass energy uses (e.g., thermal applications) are preferred to lower IRR uses (e.g., electricity generation without heat recovery).
Desenvolvimento Inicial de Espécies Florestais em Sistema Silvipastoril na Região Sudeste

The selection of adapted tree species is fundamental for the success of silvopastoral systems. The present study aimed to evaluate the initial development of native trees seedlings planted on pastureland chosen by their economic value and nitrogen retrieval. The seedlings were planted in strips containing three lines. Between each strip there was an area of 15 m with pasture. From the measurements of tree height, diameter at the base, damage by insects or by diseases, it was reported the best performances for canafistula (Peltophorum dubium), pau-jacare (Piptadenia gonoacantha), mutambo (Guazuma ulmifolia) and capixingui (Croton floribundus). Ipe-felpudo (Zeyheria tuberculosa) showed the worst performance of all under the conditions evaluated. Survival rate in eleven months for pau-jacare was under 50%.
SIMILARITIES IN CALLING SITE AND ADVERTISEMENT CALL AMONG ANURAN AMPHIBIANS IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL1

Abstract We hypothesized that species that overlap in calling sites partition the acoustic space, whereas those that segregate calling sites overlap in the acoustic space. Most of the 12 analyzed species (75%; n = 9 species) were generalists with respect to at least one of the calling site variables, a characteristic of species living in unpredictable or human-altered habitats. In most water bodies, segregation in calling sites occurred as a result of low species richness in the communities. Higher overlaps in calling sites were observed among species that called from the ground or while floating in water than among those that called perched on vegetation, probably due to differences in the use of two- versus three-dimensional spaces. As a result of the analysis of similarity among advertisement call features, we observed higher segregation among species that called on the ground or floating on water than perched on vegetation. For those species, differences in advertisement calls seem to explain their coexistence.
Characterization of the protein import pathway in pea chloroplast

In order to sustain their structure and metabolism, chloroplasts and other plastid types must import the majority of their proteins from the cytosol across the envelope membrane. Translocation of these precursor proteins across the double envelope membrane is achieved by two multimeric complexes - the so-called TOC and TIC complexes (Translocon at the Outer envelope of Chloroplast and Translocon at the Inner envelope of Chloroplast, respectively). N-terminal transit peptides essential for import of the precursor proteins are cleaved after their entry into the stroma. It was thus far believed that all of the different cytosolic precursor proteins would enter the chloroplast through the same, jointly acting TOC/TIC machineries. Recent evidence, however, suggests that multiple, regulated import pathways exist in plastids that involve different import machineries. Different combinations of TOC and TIC proteins were shown to establish different import sites in Arabidopsis thaliana with specificity for either photosynthetic proteins (the general import pathway) or non-photosynthetic „housekeeping“ proteins. Moreover, numerous non-canonical import pathways such as the import of Tic32 and AtQORH mediated by the yet unknown novel import pathway and the import via the secretory pathway were shown to exist. Proteomics studies have revealed the presence of a large number of plastid proteins lacking predictable N-terminal transit sequences for import. The import mechanism for the majority of these proteins has not been determined yet. Examples of the transit sequenceless precursor proteins are the chloroplast envelope quinone oxidoreductase homologue, AtQORH and the chloroplast inner envelope protein 32, Tic32. Both proteins are imported into the inner plastid envelope membrane by a non-canonical pathway (Toc159- and Toc75-independent) and without any proteolytic cleavage. In the present study not only the import characteristic of nine tentative ‘non-canonical’ chloroplast precursor proteins but also the new interactions between these precursor proteins and the proteins at the organellar surfaces were analyzed. Moreover, a non-canonical precursor protein without the classical transit peptide, the iron superoxide dismutase (FSD1) could be identified. Biochemical crosslinking experiments revealed that FSD1 interacts with new members of the Toc159 family in pea, namely PsToc132 and PsToc120. Using deletion mutants as well as a peptide scanning approach, regions of the precursor protein, which are involved in receptor binding could be defined. These are distributed across the entire sequence; surprisingly only the extreme N-terminus as well as a C-proximal domain turned out to be essential for targeting and import. En route into the plastid FSD1 engages components of the general import pathway, implying that in spite of the ‘non-canonical’ targeting information and recognition by a specific receptor, this precursor protein follows a similar way across the envelope as the majority of plastid precursor proteins.
Copper toxicity in the physiology and early development of Fucus serratus

Fucus serratus was used in a series of laboratory experiments to study the effects of Cû "̂ exposure on the early development of zygotes and physiological effects on adults collected from Cû "̂ polluted and clean habitats. Comparative studies showed that Cu^* tolerance in Fucus is an inherited character. Zygote development and growth of embryos and adults during Cu^* exposure indicated that Fucus serratus from a Cû "̂ polluted habitat had a higher tolerance limit than material from two clean habitats. Furthermore, there was no difference in the tolerance level of zygotes, embryos and adults from the same habitat. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed that Cu^* affected photosynthetic electron transport at PSn, and increased the sensitivity of the alga to saturating light. These effects were most pronounced in non-resistant alga. The algae responded to reduced photosynthetic efficiency by increased non-photochemical quenching, that was more apparent in resistant than in non-resistant algae. Copper accumulation and release of organic substances by non-resistant fronds was much higher than that of resistant fronds, and the algae may therefore possess different response mechanisms to Cû "̂ exposure. The respiratory demand of non-resistant fronds was higher and the relative growth rate much lower than that of resistant fronds in the presence of Cu^^ Cû "̂ affected zygote development in a very selective manner. Initiation of the polar growth axis was unaffected whereas there was an inhibitory effect on axis fixation and rhizoid elongation. Inhibitory effects on axis fixation resulted in an abnormal cell division pattem in the zygotes. The effects of Cu^* on axis fixation were downstream of F-actin localisation, which was unaffected, and upstream of localised secretion of fucoidin, which was severely inhibited by Cû "̂ . By microinjecting the rhizoid cell of germinated zygotes with fluorescent Câ * dye and using confocal microscopy, it was determined that l / i M Cû "̂ abolished the apical Câ * gradient and disrupted normal Câ ^ signalling dynamics in the rhizoid apex. Furthermore it was shown that acute exposure of zygotes to extreme [Cu^^ resulted in a dramatic elevation in [Ca^ ]̂cyf The observed effects of Cû "̂ on Câ "̂ signalling suggests that Cû "̂ toxicity in Fucus serratus, in part, acts through induction of reactive oxygen species and inhibition of Câ * conducting ion channels.