Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
El renacuajo de Hyla meridensis (Anura: Hylidae) de los Andes de Venezuela

Se describe el renacuajo de Hyla meridensis con base en cinco larvas prd'Yenientes de La Carbonera, Estado Merida, Venezuela. El renacuajo se distingue de las otras larvas del genero Hyla conocidas en la localidad por el cuerpo subglobular, musculatura caudal que alcanza el extremo final de la cola, tubo cloaca! diestro y separado de la aleta ventral, aparato oral pequeno, margen de las narinas suave y no protuberante, y formula denticular 2(2)/2. Las larvas fueron vistas mordisqueando los restos de un Atelopus carbonerensis; esto y sus robustos y fuertes picos podrian indicar habitos carnivoros
Effects of shrimp fisheries on reefs of Sabellaria spinulosa (Polychaeta)

Vorberg, R. 2000. Effects of shrimp fisheries on reefs of Sabellaria spinulosa (Polychaeta). – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 57: 1416–1420. Intensive beam-trawl fishery on brown shrimps (Crangon crangon) occurs along the German North Sea coast. Fishing effort has increased constantly over recent decades. Simultaneously, changes in the benthos of the Wadden Sea have been observed. Besides shifts in species composition of the communities and the disappearance of oyster beds, there has been a distinct decline in the occurrence of Sabellaria reefs. Investigations were carried out to establish whether or not shrimp fisheries might be responsible for the decrease of the reefs. Underwater video techniques enabled direct observation to be made of the fishing gear in action on the sea bottom. The pictures revealed that shrimpers may trawl over the robust reef structures without causing visible damage. These findings are corroborated by the results of field experiments performed on the reefs of Sabellaria alveolata on the French Atlantic coast, and also by empirical calculations of the load of the fishing gear and the compressive strength of the reef. Reasons for the decline of Sabellaria reefs on the German North Sea coast are discussed with respect to natural and anthropogenic changes in the physical environment. 2000 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
CAPACIDAD HOSPEDADORA DE PLANTAS ADVENTICIAS A PRATYLENCHUS BRACHYURUS EN EL NOROESTE DE RIO GRANDE DEL SUR, BRASIL

Las plantas adventicias pueden ser consideradas como hospedadoras de los “nematodos de las lesiones radiculares” (Pratylenchus spp.), manteniendose o aumentando su poblacion en el suelo; por tal razon el objetivo del presente trabajo es evaluar la reproduccion en 25 especies de plantas adventicias al nematodo Pratylenchus brachyurus. Metodologicamente las plantas adventicias fueron individualmente inoculadas con 1.000 individuos de P. brachyurus y mantenidas en invernadero por 90 dias. Luego de ese periodo, los huevos y nematodos fueron extraidos, cuantificados y el factor de reproduccion (FR = poblacion final/poblacion inicial) fue calculado. Veinticuatro de las 25 especies de plantas adventicias que se testaron resultaron ser buenos hospedadores (FR > 1) para P. brachyurus. Solamente Raphanus raphanistrum se mostro resistente a P. brachyurus (FR < 1).
Fertilizer Concentration Affects Growth and Foliar Elemental Concentration of Strobilanthes dyerianus

Grown as an annual in most of the United States, Strobilanthes dyerianus Mast. has become increasingly popular in summer landscapes partially due to its superior performance in hot and humid conditions. At present, there is no published research on the nutritional requirements of S. dyerianus. Our study examined growth and foliar elemental response to different levels of fertilizer. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and grown with 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg·L -1 N from 5N-2.2 P-12.4 K fertilizer as constant liquid feed. Plants were irrigated whenever the volumetric water content of the substrate was <20% as determined with a Theta Probe moisture meter. Weekly pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were monitored using the pour through method. Eight weeks after initiation of treatment, dry weight and leaf area was measured. Recently mature leaf tissue was analyzed for total N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Mn, B, Cu, Zn, and Mo. There were no signifi cant differences in plant quality under the 100, 200, 300, or 400 mg·L -1 N treat- ments. The largest plants, based on leaf area and shoot dry weight, were produced with 200 mg·L -1 N. Compared to recommended EC levels for bedding plants, the treatments receiving 300 and 400 mg·L -1 N had excessively high levels of substrate soluble salts though overall plant quality was not reduced. The increase in fertilizer concentration yielded a linear increase in tissue concentration of N, P, and K and a linear decrease in tissue concentration of Ca and Mg.
Effect of Dietary Acidification on Mortality Rates, General Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Serum Chemistry of Broilers Exposed to Cycling High Ambient Temperature Stress

SUMMARY A 2-phase (starter and grower) experiment was conducted to evaluate efficacy of a commercial phosphoric and citric acid based dietary acidifier (Lucta’cid) on broiler performance, survivability, serum chemistry, and carcass characteristics during cycling high ambient temperature stress. Starter phase acidifier supplementation (0 and 0.2% of diet) had no impact (P > 0.1) on broiler performance. The grower phase examined the 2 starter phase acidifier exposure histories along with 5 acidifier inclusion levels (0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30%) under cycling high ambient temperatures. A significant starter phase acidifier history × grower phase acidifier inclusion level interaction was noted on final BW, BW gain, and mortality. Mortality for birds lacking starter phase acidifier exposure declined quadratically (P < 0.05) with acidifier level, whereas no such response was noted for chicks consuming acidifier during the starter period. Broiler performance and survivability data, combined to estimate productivity per bird placed, indicated a continued mortality-driven acidifier history × inclusion level interaction (P < 0.10) on hot carcass weight, chilled carcass weight, breast yield, and leg quarter weight. Birds lacking starter phase acidifier and consuming acidifier during grower phase exhibited increased carcass, leg quarters, and breast yield per bird placed. In conclusion, data suggest that grower acidifier supplementation has the potential to reduce economic losses attributable to heat stress.
Pathogenesis-related genes as tools for discovering the response of onion defence system against Iris yellow spot virus infection

The Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV) is a viral pathogen of onions and causes severe damage and economic loss in affected onion crops. Pathogenesis-related (PR) genes are part of the innate immune response that onions harbour against viral diseases, which to date remains unclear. Using a sensitive and reliable real-time quantitative PCR method, the dynamic expression of five different genes in infected onions were investigated after biological inoculation with virulent isolate of Thrips tabaci (Lindeman). The transcription levels of PR1, PR2, PR3, PR4, and PR5 genes were highly expressed 1 day post inoculation (dpi). Furthermore, statistical analysis revealed a significant change in peak expression levels of PR1 after 8 dpi and PR3 after 9 dpi. In contrast, the expression level change for the other genes was only moderate. Further, we determined and ranked the expression stability of three reference genes (EF1-α, 18S rRNA, and β-actin) using geNorm and NormFinder. The overall analysis demonstrated that β-act.
Assessment of the biological activity of kefir grains by biospeckle laser technique

This work presents the biospeckle laser technique as a potential tool to analyse the kefir grains activity. In the present work, the kefir grains biological activity was measured from quantitative measurements by means of their speckle activity. The aim was to show that the biospeckle laser is a potential methodology to assess kefir grains viability, monitoring the kefir grains during the beverage production. The monitoring of the activity of the kefir is a key factor to guarantee the efficiency of the production of beverages, however the routine ways it is done compromise its use in the online production. The kefir grains were illuminated by a laser HeNe 17 mW 632 nm and analysed by the numerical biospeckle laser method. The results presented the statistical separation of the kefir in distinct levels of activity as expected. This can be an innovative technique to be used in the beverage industries for kefir grains inoculum control. Key words: Kefir, speckle activity, inoculum control.
Influence of microcystin-RR on growth and photosynthetic capacity of the duckweed Lemna minor L.

The influence of microcystins on animal physiology and pathology has been studied intensively but there is only little information about toxic effects on growth and physiological processes in higher plants. In the present study the duckweed Lemna minor L. was exposed to microcystin-RR, a well known hepatotoxic cyclic heptapeptide produced by several cyanobacterial species. Axenic plants of Lemna minor L. were cultivated for 6 days in a nutrient solution supplemented with 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 mg microcystin-RR l -1 , respectively. There was no effect of microcystin-RR on growth of Lemna minor L. at concentrations between 0.1 and 1.0 mg microcystin-RR l -1 . Concentrations of 3 and 5 mg microcystin-RR l -1 decreased the formation of fronds already 3 days after treatment, significantly. After 6 days most of the plants grown at 5 mg microcystin-RR l -1 formed only dwarfish, partially malformed fronds, and some of these showed chlorosis compared to the control plants. Moreover, the maximum electron transport rate as an indicator of photosynthetic capacity was reduced up to 16 % compared to the values obtained from control plants. Furthermore, the contents of chlorophyll a, b and the total amount of carotenoids were significantly reduced by more than 50 %.
Dry season activity periods of some Amazonian mammals

Abstract Camera trapping efforts at three adjacent sites in Madidi National Park and Natural Area of Integrated Management, Bolivia, revealed dry season activity periods for 15 species of Neotropical forest dwelling mammal. Nasua was strictly diurnal, Atelocynus, Dasyprocta, Pecari and Tayassu mostly diurnal, Eira, Hydrochaeris, Mazama, Panthera and Puma cathemeral, Leopardus, Procyon and Tapirus mostly nocturnal, and Cuniculus and Sylvilagus strictly nocturnal. In general, these results support previous natural history knowledge regarding these mammals in humid forests. The importance of considering activity periods when designing field survey and census methods is highlighted.
Characterization and Molecular Analysis of Fragilysin: The Bacteroides fragilis Toxin

CHARACTERIZATION AND MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF FRAGILYSIN: THE BACTEROIDES FRAGILIS TOXIN by Richard Joseph Obiso, Jr. Dr. Tracy D. Wilkins, chairman Department of Biochemistry and Anaerobic Microbiology (ABSTRACT) Bacteroides fragilis is a gram negative, anaerobic rod, that is a member of the normal colonic microflora of most mammals, and it is the anaerobe most commonly isolated from human soft tissue infections. During the past decade, strains of B. fragilis that produce an enterotoxin have been implicated as the cause of diarrhea in a number of animals, including humans. The extracellular enterotoxin has been purified and characterized as a single polypeptide (Mr~ 20,600) that causes rapid morphological changes in human colon carcinoma cell lines, particularly, HT-29. This dissertation research began in 1993 with the purpose of determining how this enterotoxin, termed fragilysin, causes diarrhea. The deduced amino acid sequence revealed a signature zinc binding consensus motif (His-Glu-Xx-Xxx-His-Xxx-Xxx-Gly-Xxx-Xxx-His/Met) characteristic of metalloproteinases. Sequence analysis showed close identity with metalloproteinases within the zinc-binding and Met-turn regions. Purified fragilysin contained 1 gram atom of zinc per molecule, and it hydrolyzed a number of proteins, including gelatin. Optimal proteolytic activity occurred at 37° C and pH 6.5. Activity was inhibited by metal chelators but not by inhibitors of other classes of proteinases. When fragilysin is injected into ligated ileal and colonic loops of animals, there is significant tissue damage and a subsequent dose dependent fluid response. Histological examination revealed mild necrosis of epithelial cells, crypt elongation, villus attenuation, and hyperplasia. There was extensive detachment and rounding of surface epithelial cells and an infiltration of neutrophils. Enterotoxic activity was inhibited by the metal chelators EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline; and, to some degree, the enterotoxic activity could be reconstituted by the addition of zinc to chelated toxin. Fragilysin rapidly increased the permeability of the paracellular barrier of epithelial cells to ions (decrease in electrical resistance across monolayers) and to larger molecules (increase in mannitol flux across monolayers). Furthermore, there is a direct effect on the tight junction proteins. Fragilysin appears to cause diarrhea by proteolytically degrading the paracellular barrier of epithelial cells. Fragilysin is a recently discovered virulence factor that could contribute to the pathogenesis of B. fragilis in both intestinal and soft tissue infections. This research was supported by a Public Health Service grants AI 322940 and AI 32940-03 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and by the Commonwealth of Virginia project 6127250
Anther Culture of Pepper: Morphological Characteristics of Fruits of Androgenetic Pepper Lines (Capsicum Annuum L.)

The presented study describes the effectiveness of induced androgenesis in in vitro pepper anther culture. The aim of this study was the establishment of effective technology for induction of embryogenesis in pepper anther culture; development of the embryos into plantlets; successful adaptation and acclimatization of plantlets from sterile to greenhouse conditions, and the breeding process of obtained androgenetic pepper lines in the plastic tunnel conditions. From 19 pepper genotypes under investigation, 12 possessed potential for embryo formation in anther culture. After the acclimatization and adaptation of plantlets, seed material from four pepper genotypes were collected: Piran, Kurtovska kapija SR, Zlaten medal SR and Feherozon. From the collected seed material, breeding processes of androgenetic pepper lines was set up in plastic tunnel (from April-October 2007-2010). The pepper genotypes and androgenetic lines as their products differ among themselves in the length of phonological phases, fruit type and fruit utilization. Detailed study for characterization of morphological and production parameters of the fruits was established that indicate to sort out lines with positive characteristics.
Fish Entrainment into Irrigation Canals: An Analytical Approach and Application to the Bow River, Alberta, Canada

Abstract The Carseland Canal on the Bow River, Alberta, diverted water at a rate of 1.4–37.7 m3/s during the 2003 irrigation season. We estimated daily entrainment rates of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, brown trout Salmo trutta, and mountain whitefish Prosopium williamsoni throughout the diversion season using population assessments of fish in the Bow River and the irrigation canal coupled to an estimate of the evacuation rate of intentionally entrained fish. Total entrainment during the irrigation season was estimated at 3,996 rainbow trout, 664 brown trout, and 2,352 mountain whitefish. Large fish (>150 mm fork length [FL]) made up 42.0% of the total number of entrained rainbow trout, 17.0% of entrained brown trout, and 0.5% of entrained mountain whitefish, representing 1.1, 0.8, and 0.3% of the total mortality observed in these Bow River populations. Earlier estimates of canal losses based on fall rescues of fish suggest that entrainment varies annually and that the 2003 estimates were low for rai.
Direct measurement of swimming speeds and depth of blue marlin

Acoustic telemetry was used to monitor the swimming speed, depth and water temperature of three blue marlin (60 kg, 70 kg, 125 kg) and 165 h of continuous swimming speed data containing both sustained and burst swimming events were collected. Measurements of swimming speed show that, while blue marlin are capable of high speeds, they spend most of their time swimming slowly. The fastest sustained swimming speeds (80–120 cms−1) occurred during a 4–6 h recovery period immediately after tagging when marlin consistently swim at depths greater than 50m. Short bursts of speeds up to 225 cms−1 were usually associated with changes in depth. Slower swimming (15–25 cms−1) occurred when fish were within 10 m of the surface. These velocities are similar to direct measurements of swimming speeds of free-swimming sharks, seals and sea lions, indicating that many large aquatic vertebrates swim slowly to minimize energetic costs of transport.
Field Sex Ratio of a Braconid Parasitoid Wasp, Heterospilus prosopidis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), in the Southwestern United States: Concordance with Host-Quality Model

Abstract Field sex ratios of the solitary ectoparasitoid wasp Heterospilus prosopidis Viereck were examined. H. prosopidis mates panmictically in the field, and the size of their bruchid hosts vary. According to the theory that combines local mate competition and host quality effects, two major predictions for H. prosopidis sex ratios in the field can be made: more females should emerge from larger hosts, and 1:1 or slightly male-biased sex ratios should be observed in a natural population. Prosopis seeds infested with bruchids were collected in Hawaii, Arizona, and Texas in 1996, 1997, and 1998. Among nine collections, six did not deviate significantly from a 1:1 sex ratio, one showed a male-biased sex ratio, and two were female-biased. Although environmental factors other than host quality and mating structure may influence sex ratio temporally or spatially, these results generally support our predictions.
FIELD COMPARISON OF REMOVAL AND MODIFIED DOUBLE-OBSERVER MODELING FOR ESTIMATING DETECTABILITY AND ABUNDANCE OF BIRDS

Abstract For point-count data to reliably index bird abundance or density, estimates must be corrected for variation in detection probabilities across species, observers, and environmental conditions. Removal and double-observer modeling are two recently developed statistical techniques for estimating detection probabilities and bird abundance. We collected point-count data in north-central Indiana and used a Huggins closed-capture model in MARK to directly compare those two methods. We found that when detection probabilities were relatively high for individual observers, the two methods yielded similar estimates of density for nearly all 17 species modeled. However, when true detection probabilities for observers were relatively low, removal estimates of detectability and density were biased high and low, respectively, perhaps because of the effect of low-detection probability on the removal estimator or smaller sample sizes associated with less-skilled observers. In general, we consider removal modeling a more desirable approach than double-observer modeling because it requires half as many observers, allows more sources of variation in detectability to be modeled, and estimates abundance or density of the true population of birds. By contrast, double-observer modeling estimates only the abundance of the “apparent” population (i.e. those birds that are visually or audibly conspicuous). For species that vocalize infrequently or are otherwise elusive, the apparent population may be significantly smaller than the true population. However, double-observer modeling is more robust to violations of the assumption of population closure and may outperform removal methods when data are collected by less-experienced observers.
Repellency of Milled Aromatic Eastern Red Cedar to Domiciliary Cockroaches (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae and Blattidae)

Repellency and toxicity of milled aromatic eastern red cedar, Juniperus virginiana L. , flake board were evaluated against the German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L.) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae), and the smokybrown cockroach, Periplaneta fuliginosa (Serville) (Dictyoptera: Blattidae). Cedar flake board was repellent to B. germanica in Ebeling choice-box tests but was not repellent to either P. americana or P. fuliginosa . The degree of repellency for B. germanica increased linearly (P 63% of the cockroaches repelled. Cedar boards did not cause cockroach mortality in continuous-exposure tests. Cedar flake boards may be useful as a repellent in indoor cockroach integrated pest management.
Predation by omnivorous copepods on early developmental stages of Calanus finmarchicus and Pseudocalanus spp.

Predation is thought to be an important source of mortality in the early life stages of fish and copepods on Georges Bank. Omnivorous copepods may be predators on copepod eggs and nauplii, but data on feeding rates or selectivity are scarce. As part of the GLOBEC Georges Bank program, we generated functional response curves for the omnivorous copepods Metridia lucens, Centropages typicus, and Temora longicornis feeding on the eggs and nauplii of Calanus finmarchicus or Pseudocalanus spp. in shipboard predation trials. Neither C. typicus nor M. lucens reached saturation feeding on Calanus eggs until prey concentration was >400 L−1. Individual M. lucens and C. typicus ingested up to 34 ± 9 (mean ± SD, n = 3) and 24 ± 14 eggs d−1, respectively (68C). T. longicornis was more abundant in late spring, when they ingested Calanus eggs at rates similar to those of C. typicus. At ambient prey concentrations, ingestion rates of Calanus nauplii were higher than rates of Calanus eggs for the predator M. lucens but were similar for C. typicus. Advanced naupliar stages were less susceptible to predation than young stages. Pseudocalanus nauplii moved faster and were ingested at lower rates than similarly sized Calanus nauplii. Predation rates increased with increasing temperature for the warm‐water species C. typicus but decreased for the cold‐water species M. lucens. These results may contribute to models predicting the development of copepod populations and their availability to larval fish.
Natural regeneration of lodgepole pine following partial harvesting on northern caribou winter range in west-central British Columbia

This study compares pine natural regeneration density and height growth in small harvested openings (0.01–0.07 ha) within two biogeoclimatic subzones (Sub-Boreal Pine–Spruce [SBPS] xc and Montane Spruce [MS] xv) and three partial harvesting treatments on northern caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou Gmelin) winter range in the western Chilcotin region of British Columbia, Canada. Regeneration density was assessed annually for 7 years (1996–2002). In year 7, post-logging ingress stems > 1 year old had a significantly greater density on SBPSxc blocks (5898 stems per hectare) than on the higher-elevation MSxv blocks (1829 stems per hectare). The percentage of 2-m2 plots with a natural post-logging seedling > 1 year old averaged 52% in the SBPSxc and 31% in the MSxv. Advance regeneration added substantially to density and stocking in the SBPSxc but not in the MSxv. These results indicate that small (0.01–0.07 ha) harvested openings in the SBPSxc can be naturally restocked by lodgepole pine without post-logging site preparation, but higher-elevation blocks in the MSxv will need to be planted to ensure full stocking by lodgepole pine within 7 years. However, the long period between harvest entries on caribou winter range may still allow sufficient time to naturally regenerate openings in the MSxv.