Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficiency of entomopathogenic fungi in the control of eggs of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Homopera: Delphacidae)

The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Homopera: Delphacidae), is an important pest of rice. Although current research indicates that the fungus can infect the adult and nymph, there is no information on the efficacy of entomopathogenic fungi against the egg. In this study, the virulence of two isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae, and six isolates of Beauveria to N. lugens egg were tested in the laboratory. Different stage eggs were sprayed with a standard concentration of 1.0×10 8 conidia/ml. During a 12 day observation period after spray, the infected eggs shrunk in shape, then turned orangebrown for Beauveria, and eventually had outgrowths of the sprayed fungus when maintained under the condition of RH ≥ 95%. The 1 day old of N. lugens egg was the most sensitive to the Beauveria infection followed by the 2, and 3 day old. Only two B. brongniartii Bbr03, and Bbr09 isolates killed >50% of the eggs. Both isolates were further bioassayed against the eggs with sprays of 1×10 6 , 1×10 7 , and 1×10 8
Studies in Asian Nervilia (Orchidaceae) V: Nervilia futago, a Cryptic New Species from Southwest Japan Confirmed by Morphological, Cytological, and Molecular Analyses

Abstract Widespread and poorly studied species complexes confound phylogenetic understanding of the Old World terrestrial orchid genus Nervilia. Recent taxonomic studies have suggested greater species richness in Asia than previously envisaged.We used morphological, cytological, and molecular phylogenetic analyses to confirm the existence of a novel, cryptic species of the Nervilia adolphi-punctata species alliance in southwest Japan, supporting earlier findings from a genetic fingerprinting study. Nervilia futago is formally described and illustrated here. In the vegetative state, the new species is practically inseparable from the more widespread N. nipponica, with which it co-occurs at several sites, but it can be distinguished in flower by its glabrous petals, by the lack of tall clavate hairs on the lip, and by the placement of the pollinia on the stigma prior to anthesis. Chromosome numbers and DNA content also differ. Despite their wide geographic separation, sequence data indicate greater affinity of N. futago to Himalayan members of the alliance than to other species of East Asia. The utility of genetic approaches in resolving identities and relationships in this taxonomically intractable genus is emphasised.
Effects of decreasing salinity on total lipids and fatty acids of mantle and gills in the bivalve Flexopecten glaber (Linnaeus, 1758) under starvation.

Effet de la dessalure sur les lipides totaux et les acides gras du manteau et des branchies du mollusque bivalve Flexopecten glaber (Linnaeus, 1758) sous conditions de jeune. Dans le present travail, nous avons etudie les effets du stress osmotique sur la composition lipidique dans les branchies et le manteau du petoncle Flexopecten glaber maintenu a jeun. Nous nous sommes interesses a l'etude de l'effet du stress salin et de la privation de nourriture sur les classes lipidiques et la composition en acides gras dans les deux organes etudies. Les resultats ont montre que sous stress hypo-osmotique, les lipides totaux et les triacylglycerols des petoncles ont nettement baisse par rapport a ceux des temoins (35) dans les organes etudies. Nous avons egalement note une mobilisation des acides gras lors du processus d'acclimatation. Cette mobilisation a ete differente dans les deux organes etudies. A cet egard, nous avons enregistre une augmentation du pourcentage de l'acide gras 20:4n-6 dans la fraction des triacylglycerols et une diminution des acides gras polyinsatures totaux dans la categorie des phosphatidylcholines au niveau des branchies contrairement au manteau. L'effet combine de la privation de nourriture et du stress hypo-osmotique semble etre plus important au niveau des branchies qui sont amplement impliques dans le processus d'osmoregulation.
The population, survival, growth, reproduction and food of arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus (L.), in four unexploited lakes in Greenland

The material comprised 1205 arctic charr caught by gillnets and electrofishing in the ice-free season 1982 in four interconnected lakes. The lakes were similar in biotic and abiotic factors and the arctic charr populations were therefore treated as one population. Two size groups of fish older than three years, called ‘small charr’ and ‘large charr’, were found. The two groups differed in feeding habits, growth rates, age of maturity and spawning frequencies. However, they did not differ in the frequencies of the F- and S- serum esterase alleles, and were in accord with the model proposed by Johnson (1976) which states that the ‘small charr’ and ‘large charr’ are two different forms of the same population. ‘Small charr’ recruit to the ‘large charr’ by entering a period of fast growth. In the investigated lakes this occurred when the ‘small charr’ were 3–10 years old. Some indications of rematuration of the ‘small charr’ when entering the group of ‘large charr’ were found.
Bryophytes as food: comparative consumption and utilization of mosses by a generalist insect herbivore

Compared with angiosperms, bryophytes are seldom fed upon by insects, despite being commonly used for shelter. Bryophytes are assumed to be unpalatable, and three classes of mechanisms have been suggested as possible barriers to bryophagy: chemical defenses, low digestibility, and low nutrient content. However, very few studies have tested these hypotheses. The present study examines pre‐ and post‐ingestive defenses of mosses. The acceptability and quality of four species of moss –Bryum argenteum Hedw. (Bryales: Bryaceae), Climacium americanum Brid. (Leucodontales: Climaciaceae), Leucobryum glaucum (Hedw.) (Dicranales: Leucobryaceae), and Sphagnum warnstorfii Russ. (Sphagnales: Sphagnaceae) – were compared with two control diets using the generalist caterpillar, Trichoplusia ni Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Plusiinae). In no‐choice trials, caterpillars consumed much less of any of the mosses than lettuce or wheat germ. The only moss consumed in sufficient quantities to evaluate post‐ingestive responses was C. americanum. Digestibility, assimilation, and overall utilization efficiency of C. americanum did not differ from that of lettuce, although C. americanum and lettuce were both less digestible than artificial diet. Choice assays using leaf discs showed that ethanol extract of L. glaucum, the least consumed moss, was deterrent, implying that chemical defenses play a major role in deterring feeding on L. glaucum. This study suggested that pre‐ingestive mechanisms are more important than post‐ingestive mechanisms in discouraging herbivory on mosses, and offered evidence that mosses are not simply nutrient poor.
A targeted metabolomics approach to characterize acetogenin profiles in avocado fruit (Persea americana Mill.)

Lauraceous acetogenins are fatty acid derivatives with an odd-carbon aliphatic chain found in avocado (Persea americana Mill.). These compounds display a wide range of bioactivities that makes them candidates for use as antimicrobial and proapoptotic agents in the food industry and against cancer cells respectively. Existing knowledge about its metabolism in planta is scarce. This work quantifies eight different acetogenins accumulated in fruit tissues (peel, seed, and pulp) from 22 avocado cultivars to sample the existing variation using a targeted metabolomics approach. Multivariate analyses uncovered correlations among acetogenins present in fruit tissues and their chemical backbone that allowed a proposal for classifying them in three families (Avocatins, Pahuatins and Persenins). The seed acetogenin profile differed from that of the pulp and peel, which while different in concentration (peel accumulated low acetogenin amounts), had the same profile. Acetogenins from samples of known origin were also separated by variety using descriptive Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), and a chemotaxonomic model was generated via predictive LDA and was tested on samples from unknown origin. This work effectively sampled acetogenin contents and profile variability in seed (1.09–8.33 mg per g FW), peel (0.22–12.5 mg per g FW), and pulp (0.49–9.58 mg per g FW) from avocado fruit, as well as provides a putative classification to seven avocado cultivars. Results from this work show that the eight acetogenins followed are produced in all 22 avocado cultivars, which points to conserved metabolism among avocado plants.
Learning to See Quickly Improves Thinking: Why PATH neurotraining is essential for improving brain function and ease of learning

Recent scientific research has shown that activating the motion cells in the eye is key for paying attention, understanding problem solving, remembering, and multitasking. These motion cells are activated by various shades of low contrast, gray light. Importantly, these cells are not activated by colors and high contrast patterns, which is why you will see a lot of gray tones, but no color in the program. Motion cells make up the motion pathway. The motion pathway enables us to see images quickly, and is the major input into the attention pathways. Therefore, many developmental disorders, like dyslexia, speech and language problems, attention deficits, and autism (all of which detract from paying attention, understanding, problem solving, and multitasking) are characterized by slow motion processing. Learning to see quickly by improving the function of the motion cells has been found to improve these elements of thinking, see Lawton (2016, 2019).
FIRST REPORT OF RHIZOPUS ORYZAE CAUSING FRUIT ROT OF CITRUS MEDICA L. IN PAKISTAN

Citrus medica, commonly known as Otroj, is a member of the family Rutaceae that contains important nutrients (Al-Yahya et al., 2013). In a survey from September to October 2014, C. medica fruits showing brown, wrinkled, sunken and dark lesions and decayed tissues that extended into the center, were collected in Islamabad Capital Territory (Pakistan). As the disease progressed, the fruits rotted severely and collapsed. A fungus isolated from diseased fruits on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) mediium had an initially white mycelium that, over time, turned grayish black with a net-like structure. The reverse of the colonies was light brown. This fungus resembled morphologically Rhizopus oryzae and was comprised of sporangia, apophysis, sporangiophores and rhizoids. It grew by extending the hyphae along the surface of the substrate and penetrated it with rhizoids. The ultimate identification as R. oryzae was achieved based on the comparative molecular analysis of the ITS1, ITS4 and 18SrRNA sequences. In particular, BLAST analysis revealed 100% similarity with R. oryzae strain LXM4 (GenBank accession No. GQ220706.1) and 99% similarity with R. oryzae isolate F750 (KM249084.1), respectively. To prove Koch’s postulates, mycelial plugs (5-mm diameter) were placed on superficially wounded surface-sterilized C. medica fruits, all of which developed lesions after seven days at 27°C. R oryzae was consistently re-isolated from symptomatic fruits. No infection was observed on wounded but non-inoculated controls. To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. oryzae causing fruit rot of C. medica in Pakistan.
Achieving positive social outcomes through participatory urban wildlife conservation projects

Abstract Context. As urbanisation continues to increase on a global scale, people are becoming increasingly distanced from nature. Fewer opportunities to encounter nature mean that the benefits of engaging with nature are often not realised by urban residents. In response to this, there is a growing number of initiatives that aim to connect people with nature, for the benefit of individuals, communities and nature conservation. However, in order to maximise these benefits, it is important to understand the potential transformative effects for participants, both on a personal level and in terms of wider impacts. Aims. In this study, we evaluate the social outcomes of a participatory wildlife conservation project in an urban area in north-east England, using hedgehogs as the focal species. Methods. Based on an approach of community volunteers working alongside scientific researchers in an evaluation of hedgehog urban habitat use, we examine the transformative effects of this involvement at the individual and community levels via qualitative semi-structured interviews with community volunteers. Key results. Participants were motivated by personal wellbeing factors such as enjoying proximity to the study species, learning and social factors. Participation in the study itself indicates a degree of motivation for engaging with a study of this sort. Nevertheless, involvement in the study was a successful vehicle for increasing participants’ engagement with nature both during the study and potentially into the future, particularly in terms of biological recording and gardening for wildlife. Conclusions. Participation in a wildlife study is a positive experience for many volunteers, leading to actual and potential changes in both personal and wider social outcomes. Implications. Participatory initiatives such as the one described have an important role to play in signposting and supporting volunteers to follow future environmental aspirations and maximise the personal and social benefits associated with participation. This could be enhanced by ensuring that volunteering opportunities are linked in with pre-existing community-based networks that can act as advocates for environmental and wildlife conservation.
Comparing the social values of forest-dependent, provincial and national publics for socially sustainable forest management.

A mail survey was conducted of local residents of a forest-dependent region (Fraser Fort George Regional District, n=974), provincial (British Columbia, n=1208) and Canadian (n=1672) publics to compare their values for forests and preferences for forest management (overall response rate=45.2%). While the local public tended to place a significantly higher (p<0.05) emphasis on economic values and clearcutting practices relative to provincial and national publics, all publics held quite similar views on forest management overall. All publics support a multi-valuelecosystem management over a single-valueltimber management approach to forest management, do not support maximisation of economic returns from timber regardless of the impacts and agree forest managers should be more responsive to local resident values than the values of more distant groups. Responses also reflected a lack of public confidence in government natural resource agencies. Results suggest residents from forest and non forest-dependent communities share similar forest values, that current forest management practices such as clearcutting do not reflect the values of local, provincial or national publics, and that forest managers should be especially responsive to the values of the local public when making forest management decisions.
Monetary Incentives And Employee Performance Of Manufacturing Firms In Anambra State

This study examined the effect of monetary incentives on employee‟s performance in manufacturing firms in Anambra State. The objectives of the study was basically to ascertain the relationship between salary, wages, fringe benefits bonuses and commission and workers‟ performance in manufacturing firms under study. The study formulated four research questions and four hypotheses in line with objective of the study. Related literature were reviewed under conceptual framework, theoretical framework, empirical review. The study adopted survey research design. This study was conducted in the three senatorial zones of Anambra State. Primary and the secondary sources of data were employed. The population of the study consists of the staff of selected manufacturing firms which is 1,019 staff. Taro Yamane‟s formula was used to determine the sample size of 287 from the manufacturing firms and sampling technique was Stratified sampling technique while the research instrument used for data collection was the questionnaire. The questionnaire was pre-tested with supervisor and specialists in data analysts. The reliability of the instrument was done using spearman rank order correlation coefficient and the sectional coefficients and the average were respectively 0.80, 0.60, 0.80, and 0.70. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient formula was used for test of hypotheses. The study revealed among others that there is a significant positive relationship between salary and wages and workers performance and there is a significant positive relationship between commission and workers performance. The study concludes that monetary incentive stigma is seen as one of the most important strategies in the human resource management function as it influences the productivity and growth of an organization. Based on the findings, the study recommends among others that monetary incentives like bonuses, performance based rewards, should be provided to attract, retain and motivate employees for better performance and Commission to employees should be considered in the distribution of reward types to deserving employees for maximum employee performance.
Mobilizing female labour market reserves

With an ageing population and a persistent booming economy, Norway is already facing an unmet demand for labour. Considering the country’s high female part-time work rate, more full-time work among women constitutes a potential labour reserve. This article investigates factors that encourage transitions into full-time work and discourage transitions out of full-time work based on panel data from the period 2003–2009. Shifts between working-time status are linked to human capital, occupational characteristics and household structure, although partner characteristics are less important than assumed. Educational attainment promotes transitions to full-time work and deters shifts to part-time work, while health restrictions have the opposite effects. Working in occupations in the health and service sector restricts transitions to full-time work, as does having a high-earning partner. The partner’s education and working hours have no effect. In spite of well-developed policies for working parents, young children still constrain women’s transitions to full-time work and promote shifts in the reverse direction. Improved access to full-time work and stronger full-time norms in all occupations, more and better educated staff in kindergartens and more involved fathering may promote women’s full-time employment.
Formation of tulip bulbs in vitro

The propagation of tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L.) in vitro fully depends on vegetative bulb formation. To determine the internal and external factors influencing bulb development, the in vitro shoots of two cultivars of tulip were used for experiments: 'Blue Parrot' - with high rate of shoot multiplication but difficult-to-form bulbs, and 'Prominence' - well multiplying and easily forming bulbs. Effects of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and gibberellin (GA 3 ) as well as environmental factors (light, darkness and cooling period) and the kind of gelling agent on bulb formation were studied. Contents of endogenous plant hormones for in vitro shoots were determined by ELISA. The content of ABA and trans-zeatin riboside (t-ZR) in 'Blue Parrot' was significantly higher than in the shoots of 'Prominence'. After cooling (4°C), the content of endogenous ABA in shoots of 'Blue Parrot' decreased, but it was still 70% higher than in the 'Prominence' shoots before the low temperature treatment. The level of endogenous cytokinins (t-ZR and IPA - isopentenyladenosine) in 'Blue Parrot' significantly increased after cooling. Bulb formation of this cultivar was negatively influenced by ABA application. The results suggest that the poor capacity for bulbing observed in 'Blue Parrot' may result from high concentration of endogenous ABA and t-ZR in the shoots of this cultivar. A significant improvement of bulb development was obtained by extending the cooling period up to 14 weeks, as well as by application of MeJA and activated charcoal into the medium.
Expression profile of water-soluble proteinases during ontogenesis of Megachile rotundata: an electrophoretic investigation

Variations in proteinase activity pattern in larva, pupa and imago of the solitary bee Megachile rotundata are described. Extraction of insect homogenates under mild conditions was followed by the electrophoretic separation of the protein extract in polyacrylamide gels, precast with either gelatine or pollen protein extracts. In these conditions, twelve distinct proteinases were detectable in the pooled I-IV instar larvae, six in the pollen-eating V instar, two in the mature V instar, none in the diapausing V instar, none in the pupa, and two in the imago. Some of the detected proteinases were able to digest the protein mixture extracted from the pollen provisions. Some proteinases were insect specific since they were not detectable in pollen provisions extract. The enzymologic properties of the major proteolytic band suggest its serine-proteinase nature. solitary bee / Megachile rotundata / development / proteinase / zymography
The clownfish/anemone symbiosis: a problem of cellular recognition

D. aruanus. Combined samples of A. clarkii and D. aruanus mucus elicited a strong stinging response in almost all cases. This suggested that, if an active inhibitor of nematocyst discharge was present in A. clarkii mucus, its effects were relatively weak or specific and in-sufficient to prevent stimulatory elements in D. aruanus mucus eliciting heavy discharge. Attempts were also made to alter S. haddoni's responses by denaturing mucus from A. clarkii and D. aruanus in a variety of different manners. Rods coated with mucus were heated to 100 °C or were immersed in acetone, ether or in a chloroform-methanol mixture. The results showed that denaturation did not produce a marked change in the anemone's pattern of response. Whereas D. aruanus mucus remained essentially stimulatory, that of A. clarkii remained more or less unreactive. Excitatory substances appeared to be present in D. aruanus mucus but not in A. clarkii mucus. The possibility that A. clarkii mucus was essentially excitatory but achieved protection from nematocysts by means of specific substances that either chemically masked excitatory compounds or inhibited nematocyst discharge seemed relatively unlikely. Any such protective substance would have had to have been unusually resistant to denaturation to account for these results.
Influence of adjuncts as a debittering aids in encountering the bitterness developed in cheese slurry during accelerated ripening.

Summary An attempt was made to accelerate the flavour development in cheese base with the help of exogenous proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes (1:1 proportion, each at the rate of 0.025% by weight of cheese-base) and ripening at elevated temperatures (i.e. 20 ± 1 °C) for up to 12 days. To counter the bitterness developed, adjunct cultures were used: viable or attenuated (freeze-shocked or heat shocked). Study of biochemical characteristics, electrophoretic pattern and sensory evaluation of the product were carried out. An acceptable enzyme-modified, lightly salted cheese base was obtained using 0.025% each of proteolytic and lipolytic enzymes, along with 5% starter culture and adjuncts followed by ripening up to 12 days. Freeze-shocked adjunct Lactobacillus helveticus produced enzyme-modified cheese base with no detectable bitterness. The usage of exogenous enzymes, temperature of ripening, ripening period and interactions amongst these parameters had significant (P < 0.01) influence on all of the biochemical characteristics monitored.