Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in feeding response among three cucurbitaceous feeding leaf beetles to cucurbitacins

Feeding responses to four cucurbitacins (B, E, I and E-glucoside) were investigated in three cucurbitaceous feeding leaf beetles, Aulacophora femoralis (Motschulsky), A. lewisii Baly and A. nigripennis Motschulsky by filter paper assay. A. femoralis and A. lewisii were strongly stimulated to feed by four cucurbitacins, and A. nigripennis was weakly stimulated to feed by cucurbitacin B at a concentration of only 0.01 mg/ml. A. nigripennis showed no significant feeding stimulant activity to cucurbitacins by a leaf disk assay. These results indicate that not all cucurbitaceous feeding beetle species are strongly stimulated to feed by cucurbitacins.
Growth, Net Photosynthesis and Seed Yield of Groundnut (arachis Hypogeae L.) as Influenced by Organic Sources of Nutrient

Present research was conducted at the instructional farm of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal during summer season of 2008 and 2009 to study the response of organic sources of nutrients on growth, net photosynthesis and seed yield of groundnut. Results showed that combine application of poultry manures @ 2.5 t ha-1 + neem cake@ 2.5 t ha-1 + vermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1 + phosphocompost @ 2.5 t ha-1 significantly improved dry matter, crop growth rate, LAI and net photosynthesis at all the growth stages of observations which ultimately helped in producing 28.54 and 11.65 % more seed yield as compared to 100 % RDF during 2008 and 2009, respectively. Among the yield attributes, the highest correlation coefficient existed between seed yield and LAI (0.986) followed by fertility coefficient (0.966) and followed by total number of flowers plant-1 (0.929). Seed yield of groundnut was highly (95.7 %) influenced by net photosynthesis rate at 60 DAS. Sole application of the organics recorded lower growth attributes, net photosynthesis and seed yield as compared to100 % RDF.
Altitudinal Genetic Differentiation and Diversity of Taiwan Lily (Lilium longiflorum var. formosanum; Liliaceae) Using RAPD Markers and Morphological Characters

Taiwan lily (Lilium longiflorum Thunb. var. formosanum Baker) is distributed from lowlands to high mountains in Taiwan with large morphological variation. The genetic differentiation of seven populations from low, middle, and high altitudes was studied by evaluating seven morphological traits and 64 RAPD markers. Morphological data defined two groups of low‐middle and high altitudes. RAPD analysis employing nine primers also revealed that the populations were differentiated according to the altitudinal differences. When populations were treated as consisting of three groups of low, middle, and high altitudes, the result of analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the variance components among groups, among populations within groups, and among individuals within populations were 5.09%, 2.82%, and 92.09% of the total variance, respectively. A two‐level AMOVA on three populations of low altitudes revealed that the diversities among populations and among individuals within populations accounted for 4.19% and 95.81% of the total diversity, respectively. The same analysis on three populations of high altitudes indicated that 2.32% of the total variance was attributable to population differences, while 97.68% was accounted for by the individual differences within populations. The average similarity among individuals within populations of high altitudes was found to be significantly lower than that of low altitudes based on Mann‐Whitney U‐test. This result indicates that populations of high altitudes are more variable among individuals within populations than are populations of low altitudes. Therefore, there is a need for immediate measures to conserve the germplasms of lower altitude populations.
Recuentos cromosómicos en Compositae de Colombia

Eighty-six chromosome counts of Compositae are reported from different provinces of Colombia. Twenty-four are first counts from the genus Plagiocheilus (Astereae), and from species in Achyrocline, Aspilia, Baccharis, Calea, Eupatorium, Hieracium, Liabum, T agetes, Verbesina, Vernonia and We delia. Additional counts are also provided for 62 populations of taxa counted previously of which nine are new numbers. The systematic significance of certain of these counts is discussed.
SLASH BURN CULTIVATION AND MAMMAL ABUNDANCE IN THE ITURI FOREST, ZAIRE

Etude de l'impact de l'expansion de l'agriculture a partir de l'ouverture de routes et du developpement concomitant de larges zones contigues de forets secondaires dominees par Musanga cecropioides sur les mammiferes de la foret d'Ituri au Zaire
Are citrus species favorable hosts for the Mediterranean fruit fly? A demographic perspective

We studied, under laboratory conditions, demographic parameters of adult Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) (medfly), obtained from three sweet orange varieties, lemon, and bitter oranges. These data were combined with immature developmental rates and survival on the same hosts to estimate host‐specific population parameters. Pairs of newly emerged adults from each citrus variety were held individually in transparent plastic cages, and females were allowed to oviposit in either red domes (artificial, pre‐punctured plastic oviposition devices), or intact, whole citrus fruits. We found strong effects of larval host (citrus fruits) on adult longevity and fecundity. In all five citrus varieties, females did not manage to deposit eggs into fruit pulp. The proportion of eggs laid in either the flavedo or albedo area of the fruit peel differed depending on the citrus variety. In all cases except bitter oranges, females oviposited fewer eggs in citrus fruits than in the artificial oviposition substrates, suggesting that most citrus fruits cause a significant reduction in the reproductive potential of medflies. Negative correlations were found between fecundity and (a) the density of oil glands, and (b) the amount of essential oils in the flavedo area of citrus fruits. There was no correlation between fecundity and other fruit physical characteristics, such as resistance of fruit peel to pressure and thickness of the flavedo. Apparently, resistance of citrus fruits to medfly infestation is directly related to citrus essential oils. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was higher in bitter oranges than in the three sweet orange varieties tested. A negative r was estimated for flies that developed and oviposited in lemons, indicating a tendency for population decrease in this host. The suitability of citrus fruits for medfly development and the practical implications of our findings for management of medflies in citrus orchards are discussed.
Poultry welfare scenario in South America: norms and regulations

Animal welfare related issues have been intensely discussed in recent years as a consequence of changes in public attitudes and regulatory reforms that are taking place in many countries. A combination of public opinion pressure and trade policy has driven requirements for regulation and the World Trade Organization (WTO) assigned the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to develop guidelines that could be used as international standards. However, trade disputes related to animal welfare are not likely to be resolved under the auspices of OIE, and access to international markets may be questioned in a way that does not necessarily reflect attitudes to animal production in emerging economies, such as those in South America. This paper presents an overall view of basic welfare issues and points out specific items related to the present scenario of norms and regulations that are being implemented in South America, where the growing poultry industry is an important economic activity.
PENGARUH KREATIVITAS DAN KERJASAMA TIM TERHADAP KINERJA PENDAMPING UPPKH (UNIT PELAKSANA PROGRAM KELUARGA HARAPAN) KABUPATEN SAMPANG

Cre a tivity and teamwork were two urgents factors which can effect agent performance. D oing job, work agent often have problems , like is decrease creativity, giving fund agent un accurate, so become agent performance who optimal. The purposes this research are to know the effect of creativity and teamwork to agent performance, simultaneously and partially. This quantitative research used multiple linier regression analysis which 92 employees as sample using stratified sampling. Using this analysis, the results showed that creativity and teamwork effect positively 56,4 percent to agent performance simultaneously. Furthermore, the results showed that both influence to agent performance. Its shows that creativity provides 10,6 per cent to agent performance, while the teamwork provides 62,3 per cent to agent performace. Its means that teamwork provide dominant effect to agent performance.
The alien flowering plants of Mexico

A list of 618 species of alien flowering plants recorded for Mexico is presented; they are distributed in 355 genera and 87 families. The families with the largest number of species are Poaceae (171), Fabaceae sensu lato (57), Asteraceae (56), and Brassicaceae (45). The representation of most families with alien species in Mexico agrees with the average distribution frequencies estimated by Pysek (1998 ) for 26 floras throughout the World. Exceptions are an under‐representation of Asteraceae and an over‐representation of Poaceae. Most alien species (78.9%) in Mexico have their origin in the Old World; South America ranks second with 9.6%. As defined by Richardson et al. (2000 ), 19.8% of the alien species could be considered casual aliens and 80.2% of them naturalized. The proportion of alien species relative to the 22,968 native flowering plant species recorded for Mexico is 2.7%.
On distribution, size and maturity of shortfin squids (Cephalopoda, Ommastrephidae) in the North Sea

Abstract Cephalopods are important predators and key organisms in numerous marine ecosystems, but their abundance in the North Sea, one of the most productive shelf seas, seems to be low. Here we report on three Ommastrephidae (Illex coindetii, Todarodes sagittatus, and Todaropsis eblanae) that have been caught on several North Sea cruises between 2007 and 2010. T. eblanae was most abundant (n = 269 specimens), followed by I. coindetii (n = 95) and T. sagittatus (n = 51). We provide new information on their distribution patterns for summer and winter and relate the species abundances to sampling depth, temperature and salinity. Further information is given on the species size, distributions, maturation and possible spawning sites and times in the North Sea. Although occurring in relatively low numbers, our study suggests that Ommastrephidae are distributed throughout most parts of the northern and central North Sea, underpinning their constancy and potential influence on the ecosystem.
Divergência Genética em Melipona scutellaris Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) com Base em Caracteres Morfológicos

A Melipona scutellaris (Urucu) e uma especie endemica do Nordeste brasileiro, sendo importante nao so para a producao de mel e de polen, mas tambem para a polinizacao de Fanerogamas. Foram utilizadas tecnicas de analise multivariada para comparar populacoes de M. scutellaris de 8 regioes da Bahia. Foram avaliadas as seguintes caracteristicas das asas: comprimento e largura das asas anterior e posterior, comprimento da nervura radial, medial e cubital das asas anterior e posterior, comprimento da nervura medial + cubital, da nervura radio sectar + medial – 1o , da nervura radio sectar + medial – 2o , comprimento da nervura anal e comprimento da nervura medial-cubital das asas anteriores e comprimento da nervura radial sectar da asa posterior. Foram necessarias as tres primeiras variaveis canonicas para acumular 85% da variacao. A analise de agrupamento realizado utilizando distância D2 de Mahalanobis levou a formacao de tres grupos distintos conforme a altitude, um formado por colonias a 1100m de altitude, um segundo grupo formado por colonias que estao entre 0 e 560m e o terceiro grupo formado por colonias que estao localizadas entre 600 e 964m de altitude. Indicando que provavelmente, as conformacoes geograficas existentes nestas regioes estejam impedindo que ocorra o fluxo genico entre essas populacoes.
Characterisation of novel TAC3 and TACR3 gene variants and polymorphisms in patients with pre-eclampsia

In South Africa, pre-eclampsia is the second highest cause of maternal deaths. The incidence of this disease in the Western Cape alone is 6.8% and places a large burden of health care facilities. The placenta and implantation thereof is thought to play the most significant role in the onset of this disease. Among the many theories for its aetiology, is the acknowledged two stage theory. This is based on evidence that pre-eclamptic placentas demonstrate altered remodelling and invasion into the uterine endometrium and myometrium. The sub-optimal endometrium invasion leads to less oxygenation of the placental environment causing transient hypoxia. Consequently, the placenta is thought to release unknown factors into the maternal circulation which then culminates in clinical features associated with pre-eclampsia. Neurokinin B is thought to be one of these placental factors and subsequently binds to the NKB receptor in the maternal system. Endothelium-derived nitric oxide synthase has recently been shown to activate this receptor. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of neurokinin B (TAC3) and the neurokinin B receptor (TACR3) genes in the predisposition of pre-eclampsia and their interaction with eNOS in the South African coloured population together with a matched control cohort. Fifty infant samples were screened to complete a mother/cordblood pilot study. The maternal sample cohort was subsequently extended to include 124 patients and a cohort of ethnically matched controls. Additionally, 54 patient samples also had NKB levels measured by radioimmunoassay. Samples were genetically screened using multiphor SSCP/HD analysis followed by automated sequencing to confirm variants. Where possible, restriction enzyme analysis was utilised to genotype identified polymorphisms in the patient and control cohorts. Three novel variants were identified in the TAC3 gene in the course of this study: an intronic IVS53g/t transversion, an exonic 295t/c (Ser99Pro) transition and a 479t/c transition in the 3’ UTR. Additionally, four documented SNPs were identified in the TAC3 and TACR3 genes. A -25c/t transition was identified in the 5’UTR of the TAC3 gene. In the TACR3 gene, a -103t/c transition was identified in the 5’UTR, a amino acid substitution, R286K, was evident in exon 3 and a +75t/c variant was identified in the 3’UTR of the gene. No statistical significant difference was identified in
Development of new marker methods—an example from oil palm

Abstract This paper reviews marker methods based on retrotransposons and illustrates examples from oil palm. Prior to this study, very little had been known about the repetitive DNA present in oil palm and no marker systems based on retrotransposons had been developed. Firstly, copia like retrotransposons of Elaeis oleifera, Elaeis guineensis and Cocos nucifera were characterized by performing phylogenetic analyses on a portion of the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene of copia-like retrotransposons. The results identified three classes of copia-like retrotransposons in the three species studied. While the C-class RT sequences seemed to have amplified preferentially only in Elaeis guineensis, the classes A and B were present in Elaeis guineensis and Cocos nucifera as well. Secondly, long terminal repeats (LTRs) from these retrotransposon classes were isolated as a prelude to developing a marker system in palm based on retrotransposons. The B- and C-class LTRs were isolated by primer walking from the RT region and the B-class from Elaeis oleifera and Cocos nucifera with the use of oil palm-specific RnaseH primers. The method has been developed and applied for breeding purposes in oil palm, hybrids between E. oleifera and E. guineensis and within the tribe Cocoeae. There is scope for the method to be used in the isolation of new retrotransposon families endogenous for each palm species and as an alternative to amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) in diversity studies within the Palmae.
Effect of dietary supplementation with taurine, β-alanine andGABA on the growth of juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder Paralichthysolivaceus

: Three diets supplemented with taurine, β-alanine andGABA and a control diet were fed to juvenile and fingerling Japaneseflounder to investigate the effects of the diets on growth and metabolicchanges of free amino acids in whole body and tissues. In experimentI, three diets supplemented with 1% each of taurine, β-alanineand GABA and a control diet were fed to juvenile Japanese flounderwith an initial mean body weight of 0.4 g for 4 weeks at20°C. In experiment II, the taurine-supplemented diet anda control diet were fed to fingerling Japanese flounder with an initialmean body weight of 15 g for 4 weeks at 20°C.Only supplementation of taurine in the diet of juvenile flounderimproved their growth performance in experiment I, but fingerlinggrowth performance of experiment II was not significantly relatedto taurine supplementation in the experimental diet. These resultssuggest that there is a greater requirement for taurine for thegrowth of juvenile Japanese flounder than fingerling Japanese flounder.
Immunomodulatory effects of porcine interleukin-18 on a modified live vaccine immune response against swine influenza virus

Current swine influenza vaccines fail to protect against the broad range of strains circulating within the United States. To induce effective broad cross-protection against influenza, strong humoral and cell-mediated immune responses are needed. However, animals are often vaccinated at a young age when they exhibit a host of dysregulated or insufficient immune responses including biased T cell polarization and immature inflammatory responses. Porcine neonates have diminished expression of IL-18 in their respiratory tract, a major site of infection in young animals. Initially named interferon- inducing factor (IGIF), IL-18 is most widely known for its potent ability to up-regulate expression of interferon- (IFN-, resulting in a phenotypic TH1 driven T cell polarization. For many infections, such as influenza, deficiencies in IL-18 expression have been shown to result in deleterious effects on the development of protective immune responses. Insufficient expression of IL-18 during neonatal development in swine may result in a reduced expansion of a TH1 immune response and may result in improper immunological polarization in response to vaccination. Based on findings by Kim et al. (2001), two amino acid conversions were introduced (E41A & K88A) to porcine IL-18 by PCR primer site directed mutagenesis. Synonymous mutations to human IL-18 (huIL-18) by Kim et al. (2001, 2002) resulted in 4fold increases in biological activity and extended half-life. Replication-defective adenoviruses expressing either the wild type porcine IL-18 or the mutated form was generated. Additionally, to create a succinct swine influenza modified live virus (MLV) vaccine expression rIL-18 protein, the mutated form of IL-18 (mutIL-18) was inserted into the truncated region of the NS1126 gene of an attenuated H3N2 modified live swine
In vitro studies on Egyptian Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don. IV: manipulation of some amino acids as precursors for enhanced of indole alkaloids production in suspension cultures.

Egyptian Catharanthus roseus (L.) plants produce some pharmaceutical import ant indole alkaloids, of which the bis and mono-indole alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine are antineoplastic medicines, and ajmalicine and serpentine are antihypertension drugs. Suspension cultures have been induced from leaf explants of C. roseus on MS-medium containing 1 mg/l kin under light condition. T he influence of L-tryptophane; L-glutamine; L-asparagine; L-cystine and L-arginine at t he concentrations of 0; 100; 300 or 500 mg/l on enhanced either cell growth characteristics and idole alkaloids production was investigated. The highest value of mass cell cult ures and indole alkaloids production were achieved with modified MS medium containing 300 mg/l of either L-glutamine for mass cell induction or L-typtophane for enhancement and enrichment of total indole alkaloids; vinblastine and vincristine as compared with other used amino acids at different concentrations.
Scaling of cardiovascular physiology in snakes

Synopsis. The elongate body form of snakes and the wide diversity of habitats into which they have radiated have affected the form and function of the cardiovascular system. Heart position is strongly correlated with habitat. The heart is located 15-25% of the body length from the head in terrestrial and arboreal species, but 25-45% in totally aquatic species. Semi-aquatic and fossorial species are intermediate. The viperids are exceptional, with generally more posterior hearts but arboreal species have hearts closer to the head. An anterior heart is favored when snakes climb because it reduces the hydrostatic pressure of the blood column above the heart and tends to stabilize cephalic blood pressure. In water, where hydrostatic blood pressure is not a problem, a more centrally located heart is favored because the heart does less work perfusing the body. In terrestrial species, head-heart distanee increases linearly with body length and the increased hydrostatic pressure is matched by higher resting arterial blood pressure in longer animals. Unlike mammals and birds, snakes have blood pressures that increase with body mass. The added stress on the ventricle wall in larger snakes is correlated with ventricles that are larger than predicted by other reptiles. Heart mass scales with body mass to the 0.95 power in snakes but only 0.77-0.91 in other reptiles that are not as subject to the hydro? static effects of gravity. The spongy hearts of reptiles do not conform well to the Principle of Laplace.
Relationships of disease and leaf area variables with yield in the Alternaria helianthi–sunflower pathosystem

Three field experiments were carried out in 1997/1998, 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 to investigate the relationship between severity (S) of alternaria leaf spot, caused by Alternaria helianthi, area under disease progress curve (AUDPC), healthy leaf area index at any given day (HLAI), healthy leaf area duration (HAD), radiation intercepted by healthy leaf area at any given day (HRI), total healthy leaf area absorption (HAA), and yield components of sunflower sown on four dates. AUDPC showed a relationship with yield in two years, following the negative exponential model coefficient of determination (R2 = 0·79 and 0·60). The HAD–yield relationship was linear for each of three trials (0·73 < R2 < 0·83). Among the integral variables analysed, the HAA–yield relationship was the best, fitted by the exponential model (0·77 < R2 < 0·89). Single-point models using disease severity, HLAI and HRI to estimate yield at various times during the crop season were tested. The slope of the severity–yield relationship was stable from the R1 (inflorescence visible) growth stage. The HLAI–yield relationship was stable between R1 and R6 (anthesis completed) and increased from the R7 (first phase of achene development) stage. The HRI–yield relationship was variable and not stable. The relationship between severity and yield in the R3 (second phase of inflorescence elongation) growth stage proved that plants with disease severity higher than 10% had yield lower than 500 kg ha−1, regardless of the sowing date. This value can be used as a damage threshold for the disease. Disease severity can be used as an independent variable in a sunflower–alternaria leaf spot management system and can be used to produce recommendations at the research level, such as genetic breeding for disease resistance or studies on sowing date.