Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A review of longnose skates Zearaja chilensis and Dipturus trachyderma

Longnose skates may have a high intrinsic vulnerability among fishes due to their large body size, slow growth rates and relatively low fecundity, and their exploitation as fisheries target species places their populations under considerable pressure. They are found circumglobally in subtropical and temperate coastal waters. Although longnose skates have been recorded for over 150 years in South America, the ability to assess the status of these species is still compromised by critical knowledge gaps. Based on a review of 185 publications, a comparative synthesis of the biology and ecology was conducted on two of the most commercially important elasmobranchs in South American waters, the yellownose skate Zearaja chilensis and the roughskin skate Dipturus trachyderma ; in order to examine and compare their taxonomy, distribution, fisheries, feeding habitats, reproduction, growth and longevity. There has been a marked increase in the number of published studies for both species since 2000, and especially after 2005, although some research topics remain poorly understood. Considering the external morphological similarities of longnose skates, especially when juvenile, and the potential niche overlap in both depth and latitude occupied, it is recommended that reproductive seasonality, population structure and connectivity be assessed to ensure their long-term sustainability.
Desempenho de cultivares de brócolis de inflorescência única em condições de altas temperaturas

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o desempenho de cultivares de brocolis tipo inflorescencia unica produzidas em condicoes de altas temperaturas. O estudo foi conduzido utilizando-se do delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados (DBC), composto por quatro repeticoes e quinze tratamentos em que foram avaliados quinze cultivares de brocolis cultivados de junho a setembro de 2012 em Caceres MT. Durante a realizacao do experimento foram coletados dados a respeito da temperatura minima, maxima e media de Caceres-MT, em que foram obtidas medias de 19,16 oC, 33,35 oC e 26,25 oC. As cultivares Legacy, BRO 68, Yahto, Avenger e Bozano apesar de apresentarem as maiores producoes nao sao recomendadas para a regiao de Caceres, por apresentarem grandes indices de disturbios e inflorescencias defeituosas. As cultivares Salinas e Imperial se mostraram como sendo as mais promissoras para o cultivo em Caceres e regiao, por apresentarem boas producoes e otimo aspecto visual para o mercado in natura e para industria.
Gene action and combining ability analyses to develop NPT based rice hybrids in Chhattisgarh plains

Combining ability in New Plant Type (NPT) lines of rice for hybrid rice breeding programme has been carried out in line x tester mating design involving 3 CMS lines and 6 testers. The analysis of variance for combining ability of all the traits showed that variances due to treatments, parents, hybrids were highly significant. The analysis further revealed highly significant differences for all the characters among the lines, testers and line X tester and parents’ vs hybrids. Among the CMS lines IR 58025A was identified as a good general combiner for grain yield per plant. Among the testers NPT line HR 703 (3.09) was found to be good combiner for grain yield per plant followed by Jirashankar (NPT-Sel) (2.36) and IIRON N-1-114(0.79). The significant difference between lines x tester interaction indicates that SCA attributed heavily in the expression of these traits and demonstrates the importance of dominance or non additive variances for all the traits. Three crosses viz., IR 58025A/HR 703, IR 79156A/IIRON N-1-114, and CRMS 31A /PAU1196 were identified as most promising based on SCA effects, better per se performance and both the parents with high or low GCA effects.
Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns and flaA Genotypes of Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from Contracted Broiler Farms in Eastern Thailand

The increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter has become a major public health concern. Since little is known about antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter isolated from contracted broiler farms, the major type of farm that produces chicken meat for domestic consumption in Thailand, the objective of the present study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns and genotypes of Campylobacter isolated from contracted broiler farms where antibiotics were routinely used in their production. Sixty-nine Campylobacter jejuni isolates from cloacal swabs of chickens reared in 2 small contracted broiler farms in eastern Thailand were tested for their susceptibility to 5 antimicrobial agents by the agar dilution method. Then, eighteen isolates were further genotyped by flaA short variable region ( flaA SVR) sequencing. The majority of C. jejuni tested were resistant to ciprofloxacin (95.65%), followed by tetracycline (84.06%) and ampicillin (34.78%). Approximately 35% of the isolates were multidrug-resistant strains. The most common resistance pattern observed was CIP-TET resistance (30 isolates), followed by CIP-TET-AMP resistance (23 isolates). The main Campylobacter genotype found in this study was flaA SVR allele number 287 (8 isolates), followed by flaA SVR allele number 783 (5 isolates). No concordant between flaA SVR allele number and antibiotic resistance pattern was noticed. The high resistance rate to certain antimicrobial agents observed in the present study suggests that routine monitoring of antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter in contracted broiler farms should be conducted.
Three trichodorid species (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) occurring in China

Summary Three species of the Family Trichodoridae were identified and described from China. Three populations of Trichodorus nanjingensis Liu & Cheng, 1990, were collected from the rhizosphere of bamboo (Bambusa glaucescens var. riviereorum) and Chinese mulberry (Morus cathayana) growing at Hangzhou, and from apple at Beijing, respectively, of which bamboo and Chinese mulberry are new hosts for this species. Two populations of T. pakistanensis Siddiqi, 1962, were recovered from the rhizosphere of Metasequoia glyptostroboides and bamboo growing at Hangzhou, and these represent new hosts for the species. Seven populations of Paratrichodorus porosus (Allen, 1957) Siddiqi, 1974, were collected from Fuyang, Zhejiang, with five associated with Camellia japonica, and the other two from Ligustrum lucidum, and from oriental cherry (Prunus serrula) that are new hosts for the species. These three trichodorid species are new records for Zhejiang province, China. Virus bait-testing of the species did not reveal any association with Tobravirus.
Assessment of magnetized drinking water on excreta quality, nutrients digestibility, serum components and histomorphology of digestive tract in broiler chickens

A total number of 150 male Ross 308 day-old broiler chicks were used to assess the effects of magnetizing drinking water on broilers performance. Thus, an experiment was conducted as 3 treatments with 5 replicates of 10 birds each. The control birds consumed an ordinary tap water. One minute and three hours magnetized water by 0.65 Tesla magnetic field was the second and the third experimental treatments. Magnetiziation of drinking water did not have a pronounced effect on the pH of crop and ileum contents, thigh meat, gastrointestinal passage rate and excreta wetness at 21 day of age. In addition, the pH of crop and thigh meat, pH and relative humidity of litter contents and viscosity of jejunal supernatant at 41 day of age were not influenced by experimental treatments. Magnetized water did not have a pronounced impact on apparent fecal digestibility of dry and organic matter, and crude protein and population of lactobacillus and coliforms in jejunal contents at 21 day of age. The activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum of broilers that drank magnetized water significantly decreased, but cholesterol, triglycerids, calcium, phosphorus, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were not influenced by magnetized water. The relative weights and lenghts of intestinal parts at 21 and 41 day of age were not significantly affected by treatments. Muscularis thickness of small intestine increased significatly by magnetized water both at 21 and 41 day of age. Villus height of jejunum significantly increased, but villus width significantly decreased in birds that drank one-minute magnetized water at 21 day of age. However villus surface area, crypt depth and villus height to crypt depth ratio were not significantly affected by experimental treatments at 21 and 41 day of age. Furthermore, weight, volume, density, length, diameter, and ash of right femur and tibia at 21 and 41 day of age were not influence by megnetized water. In conclusion, magnetized drinking water may influence liver function enzyme and gut physiology in broiler chickens.
Zooplankton growth rates: the larvaceans Appendicularia, Fritillaria and Oikopleura in tropical waters

The growth rates of Appendicularia sicula, Fritillaria borealis sargassi, Fritillaria haplostoma, Oikopleura dioica and Oikopleura longicauda were determined from microcosms incubated in situ at 28°C in Jamaican waters. Experiments were conducted from oligotrophic offshore waters, through mesotrophic Lime Cay and eutrophic Kingston Harbour in both natural and nutrientenhanced phytoplankton communities. Length-weight relationships were calculated for two of these species: O.longicauda log W = 2.47 log TL 6.10 and F.haplostoma log W = 2.44 log TL 7.37, where weight (W) is in micrograms and trunk length (TL) is in micrometres. Instantaneous growth rates averaged 1.7-2.5 day* for the five species and were observed as high as 3.3 day-'. These instantaneous rates are equivalent to daily specific growth rates averaging 4.6-11.4 and ranging up to 28. In larger genera, growth rates were related positively to picoplankton and nanoplankton concentration, and negatively to the biomass of larvaceans, but in the smallest species growth was unrelated to these factors. However, because the variability in these two factors within microcosms exceeded their natural range of variability, growth rates of larvaceans may normally be unlimited by resources or population density effects.
Demography and Breeding Ecology of the Critically Endangered Montserrat Oriole

Abstract. The Montserrat Oriole (Icterus oberi) is a critically endangered species, confined to a small range in the hill forests of the volcanic island of Montserrat in the eastern Caribbean. From 1998 to 2005 we studied its breeding biology and survival of adults, finding that the Montserrat Oriole has a smaller clutch, more extended parental care, and higher adult survival than do orioles nesting in the North Temperate Zone. Adults' probabilities of survival varied by year from 0.60 to 0.76 but were similar for both sexes. Average clutch size was 2.6 eggs (± 0.04 SE), and post-fledging parental care was 40 ± 5 days. We found nest success of 29% (n = 275 nests), and 87% of nest failures were due to predation by either introduced rats (Rattus sp.) or the native Pearly-eyed Thrasher (Margarops fuscatus). Most pairs initiated several nesting attempts after both failed and successful first broods, leading to an overall annual productivity of 1.2 fledged chicks per pair. Despite being able to raise up to three broods per season, the Montserrat Oriole's annual productivity was lower than that of its temperate-zone congeners, and we recommend that conservation management focus on enhancing nesting success via rat control.
Analysis of the trophy sport fishery for the speckled peacock bass in the Rio Negro River, Brazil

The middle portion of the Rio Negro River in Brazil near the equator supports a popular recreational sport fishery for speckled peacock bass, Cichla temensis (Humboldt). The objective of this study was to determine the effect of fishing mortality on this population. Fish were collected from sport-fishing (n = 72) and commercial (n = 103) catches and otoliths were aged to estimate longevity, growth and natural mortality. Recreational anglers in this region seek to catch, then release, larger speckled peacock bass; and fish larger than 62 cm standard length (SL) (about 4.5 kg) served as a bench mark to assess the potential impact of subsistence and commercial harvest on the abundance of larger fish in the sport fishery. Time of opaque band formation on otoliths generally coincided with the dry season (November to April); these bands appeared to form once per year, but formation was highly variable. Speckled peacock bass grew to 62 cm SL on average in 6.4 years, but some fish obtained this size in 4–5 years. Maximum age was 9 years, but most fish were less than 7 years. Instantaneous annual natural mortality (M) estimated from maximum size, longevity and growth ranged from 0.19 to 0.44. Simulation modelling predicted that exploitation rates of fish >25 cm SL similar to the estimated natural mortality rates would reduce the abundance of fish >62 cm by 67–89% compared with no harvest. Even modest exploitation rates of 5% and 10% would result in approximately 30–50% reduction, respectively, of these larger fish. Abundance of large speckled peacock bass that sustains the sport fishery is susceptible to low rates of exploitation in this remote region of Brazil.
Synthesis, characterization and targeted cell imaging applications of poly(p-phenylene)s with amino and poly(ethylene glycol) substituents

A novel approach for bioconjugation associated with a fluorescent conjugated polymer is demonstrated. For this purpose, a conjugated polymer, poly(p-phenylene) (PPP), with lateral substituents, namely primary amino groups and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains, as a potential building block for polymer bioconjugates was synthesized and characterized. The synthesis was achieved through Suzuki polycondensation reaction in the presence of Pd(PPh3)4 catalyst by using independently prepared PEG and amino functionalized dibromo benzenes in conjunction with benzene diboronic acid. For the evaluation of the bioactive PPP labeled with folic acid (FA) as a potential targeted cell imaging probe, HeLa and A549 cancer cells were used. Cytotoxicity assay showed that the polymer was not toxic to either of the cells. Additionally, the fluorescence images showed that, depending on the level of the FA receptors on the cell surfaces, the fluorescent intensity in HeLa cells was obviously higher than A549 cells when treated with FA conjugated PPP-NH2-g-PEG polymer. The resulting FA/PPP-NH2-g-PEG conjugate was successfully used as a bioconjugate for targeting and specifically imaging FA receptor positive HeLa human cervical cancer cells.
Ovarian maturation and oogenesis in the blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus (Decapoda: Portunidae)

The study was aimed at understanding the process of reproduction and the changes happening in the ovary of Portunus pelagicus during maturation, which would be useful for its broodstock development for hatchery purposes. For that, tissue samples from different regions of the ovary at various stages of maturation were subjected to light and electron microscopy, and based on the changes revealed and the differences in ovarian morphology, the ovary was divided into five stages such as immature (previtellogenic oocytes), early maturing (early vitellogenic oocytes), late maturing (late vitellogenic oocytes), mature (vitellogenic oocytes), and spent (resorbing oocytes). The ovarian wall comprised of an outermost thin pavement epithelium, a middle layer of connective tissue, and an innermost layer of germinal epithelium. The oocytes matured as they moved from the centrally placed germinal zone toward the ovarian wall. The peripheral arrangement of nucleolar materials and the high incidence of cell organelles during the initial stages indicated vitellogenesis I. Movement of follicle cells toward oocytes in the early maturing stage and low incidence of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in the ooplasm during late vitellogenic stage marked the commencement and end of vitellogenesis II, respectively. Yolk granules at various stages of development were seen in the ooplasm from late vitellogenic stage onwards. The spent ovary had an area with resorbing oocytes and empty follicle cells denoting the end of one reproductive cycle and another area with oogonial cells and previtellogenic oocytes indicating the beginning of the next.
Detection and Delineation of CXCR-4 (Fusin) as an Entry and Fusion Cofactor for T Cell-Tropic HIV-1 by Three Different Monoclonal Antibodies

A chemokine receptor, CXCR-4, has been identified as an entry cofactor for T cell line-tropic (T-tropic) HIV-1. To detect expression of CXCR-4 at the single cell level and dissect postbinding events of HIV-1 infection, we generated three mAbs against human CXCR-4. These mAbs inhibited SDF-1-induced intracellular Ca2+ mobilization, and one of the mAbs immunoprecipitated a specific 47-kDa component from CXCR-4+ cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that most human cell lines examined expressed CXCR-4. A fraction of normal PBMC expressed CXCR-4, but neutrophils were negative. Two-color analysis revealed that the majority of T cells, virtually all B cells, and all monocytes expressed CXCR-4, while it was only weakly present on NK cells. Thus, expression of CXCR-4 is not ubiquitous but cell type specific in hemopoietic cells. The three mAbs were shown to suppress cell fusion mediated by envelope proteins of a T-tropic NL432 virus but not by those of an M-tropic JRCSF virus. Likewise, they suppressed infection of NL432 but not that of an M-tropic NL162 virus. In both cases it was noted that the suppressive activity varied considerably among the mAbs. These data confirmed that CXCR-4 is directly involved in env-mediated entry and fusion of T-tropic HIV-1 and suggest that the epitopes on CXCR-4 recognized by the three mAbs may have different roles in interaction with the envelope proteins of T-tropic HIV-1.
Evaluation of Diversity and Traits Correlation in Spring Wheat Cultivars under Drought Stress

In order to study of diversity and classify agro-morphological characters under normal irrigation and drought stress in spring wheat cultivars, 20 cultivars were evaluated in the research farm of University of Tabriz, Iran. According to the results, significant correlation was found between grain yield and number of spikes per plant, number of tiller per plant, number of fertile tillers, spike length, root length, root number, root volume, root diameter and root dry weight under both conditions. Moreover, 1,000 grain weight and plant dry weight had significant positive correlation with grain yield under drought stress. Factor analysis detected four and two factors which explained 96.77% and 90.59% of the total variation in normal irrigation and drought stress conditions, respectively. In drought stress condition the first factor justified 69.52% of total variation and was identified as yield factor. The second factor explained 21.07% of total variation and represented the biomass and plant height factor. Cluster analysis was based on the four and two factors obtained. According to the amount of factors for clusters obtained under drought stress, ‘Kavir’, ‘Niknejhad’, ‘Moghan 3’, ‘Darya’ and ‘Marvdasht’ were identified as the most drought tolerant cultivars. Other cluster was comprised of ‘Bahar’, ‘Pishtaz’, ‘Bam’, ‘Sepahan’, ‘Sistan’, ‘Pars’ and ‘Sivand’ and was named as the most sensitive under drought stress. Tolerant cultivars identified within the study can be used for direct culture or as genitors in breeding programs.
Forgotten Grasslands of the South: Natural History and Conservation

"Forgotten Grasslands of the South" is the study of one of the biologically richest and most endangered ecosystems in North America. In a seamless blend of science and personal observation, renowned ecologist Reed Noss explains the natural history of southern grasslands, their origin and history, and the physical determinants of grassland distribution, including ecology, soils, landform, and hydrology. In addition to offering fascinating new information about these little-studied ecosystems, Noss demonstrates how natural history is central to the practice of conservation. Although theory and experimentation have recently dominated the field of ecology, ecologists are coming to realise how these distinct approaches are not divergent but complementary, and that pursuing them together can bring greater knowledge and understanding of how the natural world works and how we can best conserve it. This long-awaited work sets a new standard for scientific literature and is essential reading for those who study and work to conserve the grasslands of the South as well as for everyone who is fascinated by the natural world.
Two types of division of labour in clonal plants: benefits, costs and constraints

Abstract Clonal plants spread vegetatively within their habitats by forming rooted ramets on stolons or rhizomes. Each of these ramets is capable of an independent existence after establishment. Nevertheless, ramets remain physically connected by stolon or rhizome internodes for variable periods of time, thereby allowing for resource movement and signal transduction within clones. Interconnected ramets of clonal plants, though potentially independent and totipotent, can specialize functionally in the performance of limited numbers of tasks such as the uptake of resources from above- vs below-ground sources, carbohydrate storage, vegetative spread and sexual reproduction. Such specialization and cooperation is comparable to a division of labour in economic systems or in colonies of social animals. The ecological significance of division of labour in clonal plants may be found in the increased efficiency of entire clones in exploiting their environments. Two different types of division of labour in clonal plants will be discussed in this review. The first type is an environmentally-induced specialization of ramets in the uptake of locally abundant resources (plastic division of labour), which can be found in several stoloniferous species. Evidence exists that this response increases resource uptake in spatially heterogeneous environments. The second type of division of labour, which occurs mainly in rhizomatous species, relates to a developmentally-programmed specialization and cooperation between interconnected ramets. This response pattern is thought to enhance plant performance by restricting the number of tasks for individual ramets and thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of task performance. In some plants, such an inherent division of labour is likely to contribute to nutrient extraction from poor and unpredictably variable sources. In this article not only benefits but also potential costs and constraints on division of labour in clonal plants are shown. The aim is to provide a review of existing knowledge and to develop concepts and hypotheses for future research.
A Well-Preserved Partial Skeleton of the Poorly Known Early Miocene Seriema Noriegavis santacrucensis

Seriemas (Cariamidae) include two extant species, Cariama cristata and Chunga burmeisteri, which live in semi-open plains of South America and have a poorly documented evolutionary history. One of the earliest fossil representatives of Cariamidae is the recently described Noriegavis santacrucensis from the early Miocene Santa Cruz Formation (Argentina). So far, however, this species was only known from a cranium and tentatively referred distal tibiotarsi, and its phylogenetic assignment has been questioned. Here we describe a well-preserved partial skeleton from the Santa Cruz Formation, which substantiates the classification of Noriegavis in Cariamidae. Plesiomorphic features show N. santacrucensis to be outside crown group Cariamidae, but the species is nevertheless very similar to its modern relatives and documents that the osteology of seriemas underwent only few changes during the past 16 million years.