Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ORIGINAL ARTICLE Infl uence of pinealectomy and long-term melatonin administration on GH-IGF-I axis function in male rats

BACKGROUND: A relationship between circadian GH-IGF-I axis activity and pineal gland function in rats is not suffi ciently elucidated, particularly in the aspect of melatonin (MEL) participation with relation to a possible mechanism of these dependencies. OBJECTIVE: Infl uence of pinealectomy and long-term MEL administration on circadian GH-IGF-I axis function in male rats was evaluated. An attempt was also made to determine whether the effect of exogenous MEL is dependent on the pineal gland presence. METHODS: Studies were performed in 192 sexually mature male Wistar rats, which were subjected to pinealectomy or sham operation. In half of the animals from each group MEL (Sigma, USA) in dose of 50 µg/ 100g b.m. was administrated intraperitoneally (daily between 5 and 6 pm during a 4-week period). Blood for RIA assays of MEL, GH and IGF-I concentrations was collected every 3 hours during a day-beginning at 8 am (rats killed by decapitation). RESULTS: Signifi cant infl uence of pinealectomy and exogenous MEL on a daily profi le of endogenous MEL in rats was confi rmed. Distinct, dependent on the time of the day anomalies in circadian oscillations of GH and IGF-I showing positive correlation with changes in endogenous MEL concentrations were also shown. GH rhythm was suppressed in a group of rats with removed pineal gland; after pinealectomy distinct decrease and after MEL use - distinct increase of GH and IGF-I concentrations during the day were observed. It had infl uenced mean daily concentrations and values of amplitude of circadian GH and IGF-I oscillations in all studied groups of animals. In rats with preserved pineal gland the effect of exogenous MEL action was more intensifi ed. CONCLUSIONS: Pineal gland can infl uence circadian function of GH-IGF-I axis, and in mechanism of this dependence, changes in endogenous MEL concentrations seem to play an important role. Administration of MEL in rats after pinealectomy only partly prevents changes of GH-IGF-I axis function caused by gland removal, which can indicate participation of other pineal gland substances in generating disturbances. Infl uence of exogenous MEL on GH-IGF-I axis function during the day is dependent on the presence of pineal gland, which can be connected with indirect and/or direct infl uence of administrated hormone on this gland.
BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS FOR ICEFISH (CHIONOBATHYSCUS DEWITTI) IN THE ROSS SEA, ANTARCTICA

Icefish (Channichthyidae) specimens were randomly collected by observers during the 2005/06 fishing season. These observers were placed on board three longline vessels targeting Antarctic toothfish ( Dissostichus mawsoni) in the Ross Sea (CCAMLR Subareas 88.1 and 88.2). Biological data from 303 specimens were collected. These data included species identification, fish length, weight, sex, meristics, reproductive biology, diet and age estimation. All of the icefish sampled were identified as Chionobathyscus dewitti, and showed no significant difference in sex ratio. Meristic, diet and age data were consistent with previous research. Regression equations for converting standard length to total length and for defining length–weight relationships were calculated and presented for both male and female fish. Gonad maturity stage data showed that most fish were either immature or resting (mature). Gonadosomatic indices (GSIs) were calculated and plotted against sample month. There was a weak positive trend in GSI between December and February, but this was limited, probably due to the short temporal distribution of the data. Length-atmaturity and age-at-maturity ogives indicated that 50% of the fish sampled were mature at about 340–360 mm total length (TL) and about 3–4 years of age, and that 95% were mature at about 370–400 mm TL and 6–8 years of age. Counts of growth zones in sectioned otoliths were used to determine ages and von Bertalanffy growth parameters. Fish growth was rapid for both sexes, and females approached a significantly larger mean asymptotic maximum size than males. Maximum ages of 8 and 11 years were obtained for male and female fish respectively. Diet analysis showed most icefish stomachs were empty and the few prey items recovered were generally in advanced stages of digestion. This may be due to regurgitation of prey during capture.
Linking functional traits and demographic rates in a subtropical tree community: the importance of size dependency

An important goal in plant community ecology is to understand how species traits determine demographic performance. Several functional traits have been shown to correlate with growth and mortality rates in trees, but less is known about how the relationships between functional traits and demographic rates change with tree size. We examined the associations of functional traits with growth and mortality across 43 tree species in the Fushan 25‐ha subtropical rain forest plot in northern Taiwan. We estimated the 95th percentile maximum stem diameter, wood density and six leaf functional traits (leaf area, specific leaf area, thickness, succulence, and mass‐based nitrogen and phosphorus contents) obtained from leaves on juvenile and adult individuals of each species. To quantify size‐dependent changes in growth and mortality, relative growth rate (RGR) and mortality were estimated as a function of stem diameter using hierarchical Bayesian models. These rate estimates were then correlated with functional traits at a range of stem diameter classes. Relationships between functional traits and demographic rates varied with tree size. Maximum size was positively correlated with RGR across a wide range of tree sizes. Wood density was negatively correlated with RGR and mortality for small‐sized trees. Leaf traits such as leaf area and specific leaf area at juvenile and adult stages were associated more strongly with demographic rates for corresponding sizes than from other sizes. Synthesis. The observed size‐dependent changes in the trait–demography relationships are possibly due to the effects of developmental and environmental changes with increasing tree size. The underlying effects of functional traits on demographic performance vary with tree size, and this should influence dynamics in a tree community.
Length-weight relationship and condition factor of Liza parsia (Hamilton-Buchanan) in relation to industrial pollution

The coastal waters of Visakhapatnam get polluted by the effluents of all Industries of Visakhapatnam. The effect of the industrial effluents on the length-weight relationship and condition factor of the mullet, Liza parsia, a frequent component of the local fishery was attempted. Gosthani estuary near Bhimili, a relatively unpolluted habitat situated at about 30 km away from the harbour area of Visakhapatnam, has been taken as the control station. The results of the study revealed that the length-weight relationship and condition factor were significantly less in the polluted harbour and coastal waters, compared to those from Gosthani waters. The details of the pollutants and the extent of their impact, specifically on the growth and fishery of L.parsia, have been dealt in this paper.
Integrated risk analysis for rare marine species impacted by fishing: sustainability assessment and population trend modelling

Risk assessment and conservation management of rare species are challenging due to a lack of data. We developed an integrated risk assessment approach to assess human impact on population sustainability of rare species. The approach involved two components: a quantitative sustainability assessment coupled with modelling trends in relative abundance. Both components took nil catches into account through zero-inflated statistical distributions that simultaneously modelled the zero and non-zero catches separately in submodels. The sustainability assessment used detection–non-detection data for population estimation and linked sustainability to easily collected life-history traits. This component provides an assessment of population sustainability at one point in time. The trend modelling applied zero-inflated negative binomial models to temporal trends in density and dispersion of species. It provided a complement to the static sustainability assessment. We applied this integrated approach to assess the risk to 14 species of rare, protected sea snakes incidentally caught in the Australian Northern Prawn Fishery. This approach can be applicable for risk assessment of many species with limited abundance data, a large number of absences and some presence–absence information only.
Hen Mineral Nutrition Impacts Progeny Livability

SUMMARY A concern of nutritionists and live production personnel is to improve early flock livability and growth rate of broilers. Improvements in progeny performance through trace metal supplementation in the hen’s diet may be a method to accomplish this. The focus of this experiment was to evaluate live performance and carcass parameters of progeny from broiler breeders fed diets containing different levels and forms of Zn and Mn. Cobb 500 breeders received a control diet or diets containing supplemental Zn and Mn from inorganic sources, amino acid complexes, or a combination of the two. Body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, livability, percentage carcass without giblets, percentage abdominal fat, and percentage breast meat were measured on the progeny of 37-wk-old breeders. Feeding broiler breeders supplemental Zn and Mn from amino acid complexes improved livability of progeny without affecting growth or carcass characteristics. In conclusion, future research should address progeny carryover of Zn and Mn to improve livability during stress or disease conditions.
Phenolic Compounds and Seed Oil Composition of Ziziphus mauritiana L. Fruit

Phenolic Compounds and Seed Oil Composition of Ziziphus mauritiana L. Fruit Ber is a tropical fruit which grows from the tree species, Ziziphus mauritiana Lamk. The pericarp of this fruit is consumed either fresh or dried while its seeds are usually discarded as waste. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of the fruit, and to evaluate if any potential value-added phytochemicals can be extracted from seed waste. The edible portion of the fruit was extracted with 60% aqueous methanol by sonication and then assayed for total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and individual phenolic compounds by HPLC-DAD. The seed oil extracted with n-hexane was assayed for fatty acid composition, sterols, and tocopherols content by GC-MS. The total phenolic content of the fresh fruit was 12.8 mg/g as gallic acid equivalent, with an antioxidant activity of 0.5 μmol/g as quercetin equivalent by Folin-Ciocalteu and DPPH assays respectively. Hydroxybenzoic acid, vanillin, ortho- and para-coumaric acid, epicatechin, quercetin, and naringenin were tentatively identified by matching retention time and UV spectra with those of commercial reference standards. GC-MS analysis of the TMS derivative of fruit extract showed the presence of following compounds: propanoic, hexanoic, heptanoic, octanoic, nonanoic, decanoic, dodecanoic, n-pentadecanoic, hexadecanoic, benzoic, and trihydroxybenzoic acids. In addition, D-fructose, galactofuranoside, gluconic acid, and β-sitosterol were also detected. In seed oil of ber, the fatty acids such as, hexanoic, octanoic, 7-octadecenoic, 9,12-octadecendoic, eicosanoic, 11-eicosenoic, and docosanoic acid with 7-octadecenoic acid, were found to make up 55% of total fatty acids. Squalene, γ-tocopherol and stigmasterol were identified as minor constituents in the unsaponifiable fraction of seed oil. Current study shows that ber fruit is a good source of healthy phytochemicals.
Host-parasite relatedness in wood ducks: patterns of kinship and parasite success

We investigated the role of kinship in intraspecific nest parasitism of wood ducks (Aix sponsa). Among waterfowl, female philopatry creates the potential for female relatives to nest in proximity. Costs of intraspecific nest parasitism to host females may be reduced if parasites lay eggs with kin. However, previous observations of marked wood ducks indicated that females avoided parasitizing clutch mates or the female that incubated them. To further examine the role of kinship, we determined the genotypes of 27 host-parasite pairs at five microsatellite loci. Average relatedness between hosts and all females laying parasitic eggs was only 0.04 ± 0.03. Parasites appeared to choose hosts randomly with respect to kinship from among females with nests in the neighborhood and those within the entire study area. However, host relatedness to the parasite with the greatest number of young leaving the nest was 0.11 ± 0.03, which was greater than expected if eggs were accepted randomly from neighboring females or from females present on the entire study area (p e .03 and p e .02, respectively). These patterns may reflect parasitism of randomly selected nests followed by differential acceptance by hosts, differential hatching success of related parasites (e.g., due to greater laying synchrony), or a mixture of parasitic strategies, one with a focus on related hosts and the other on unrelated hosts. Genetic data revealed that social relationships did not always reflect true relatedness and that success of primary parasites was associated with kinship to hosts. Copyright 2006.
Floristic composition, structure and natural regeneration in a moist semi-deciduous forest following anthropogenic disturbances and plant invasion.

The floristic composition, structure and natural regeneration were studied in three 50 x 50 m plot each in undisturbed, disturbed-invaded and disturbed forests (UF, DIF and DF respectively) of the Tinte Bepo forest reserve. A total of 108 plant species belonging to 37 families, 77 genera and 8 life forms were identified in all the forest blocks. Trees represented the most diverse life form. Celtis mildbraedii Engl. and Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Shum. were the overall dominant species in the forest reserve. Species richness of all life forms was highest in the UF followed by the DIF and DF. Plant species diversity was quantitatively higher in the UF (H´ = 3.6) compared to the DIF (H´ = 3.3) and DF (H´ = 2.9). Plant species densities also differed significantly (p = 0.000) among the forest types. Mean basal area, canopy cover and height were higher in the UF compared to the DF and DIF. There was a significant positive relationship between tree size and height in all the forest types studied. The distribution of trees in the lower and higher diameter classes was highest in the UF. Diversity of saplings was greatest in the DF (H´ = 2.72). Plant invasion impeded regeneration of native plant species in the DIF. The UF had a higher rate of converting saplings to adult trees. The Tinte Bepo forest reserve looks floristically rich and structurally complex in the face of human activities and plant invasion. Thus, there is the need for proper management intervention to curb these anthropogenic activities and plant invasion so as to protect the integrity of the forest. Key words: Floristic composition and structure, moist semi-deciduous forest, Tinte Bepo forest reserve, regeneration
Faunal response to revegetation in agricultural areas of Australia: A review

Summary We reviewed the literature on fauna in revegetation in Australian agricultural areas. Of 27 studies, 22 examined birds, with few studies focusing on other faunal groups (four to six studies for each remaining group) and nine examined multiple groups. Existing evidence suggests that revegetation provides habitat for many species of bird and some arboreal marsupials. Species richness of birds was greater in revegetated areas that were large, wide, structurally complex, old and near remnant vegetation. Bats, small terrestrial mammals, reptiles and amphibians did not appear to benefit significantly from revegetation in the short term. Evidence to date suggests that revegetation is not a good replacement of remnant vegetation for many species. Key information gaps exist in the faunal response to (i) revegetation as it ages; (ii) different structural complexities of revegetation; (iii) revegetation that is composed of indigenous vs. non-indigenous plant species; and (iv) revegetation that is in riparian vs. non-riparian locations. In addition, little is known on the value of revegetation for declining or threatened fauna, or of the composition of fauna in revegetation. There is a need to better understand the balance between quantity of revegetation in the landscape, and the quality or complexity of revegetation at the patch scale. Based on current evidence, we recommend revegetation be conducted in patches that are large, wide and structurally complex to maximize the benefits to fauna.
Habitat use and movement patterns in the graceful crag lizard, Pseudocordylus capensis

ABSTRACT We characterized the habitat use and movement patterns of adult male, adult female and juvenile Pseudocordylus capensis, a diurnal, rock-dwelling, insectivorous lizard. Rock use was vertically stratified: males spent most of their time at local high points, females at mid-level on the rocks, and juveniles were typically in the lower regions. Movement patterns varied with demographic class as well: juveniles moved more frequently and spent a greater proportion of their time in motion than did adults, and the number of moves of different durations varied among the classes. Finally, juveniles scanned their surroundings and appeared to feed more frequently than adults.
Adaptation to a novel predator in Drosophila melanogaster: How well are we able to predict evolutionary responses?

Evolutionary theory is sufficiently well developed to allow for short-term prediction of evolutionary trajectories. In addition to the presence of heritable variation, prediction requires knowledge of the form of natural selection on relevant traits. While many studies estimate the form of natural selection, few examine the degree to which traits evolve in the predicted direction. In this study we examine the form of natural selection imposed by mantid predation on wing size and shape in the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster. We then evolve populations of D. melanogaster under predation pressure, and examine the extent to which wing size and shape have responded in the predicted direction. We demonstrate that wing form partially evolves along the predicted vector from selection, more so than for control lineages. Furthermore, we re-examined phenotypic selection after ∼30 generations of experimental evolution. We observed that the magnitude of selection on wing size and shape was diminished in populations evolving with mantid predators, while the direction of the selection vector differed from that of the ancestral population for shape. We discuss these findings in the context of the predictability of evolutionary responses, and the need for fully multivariate approaches.
Gorillas and seed dispersal in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. II: Survival and growth of seedlings

Evidence is presented for the importance of western lowland gorillas as seed dispersers in the Lopé Reserve, Gabon. The survival and growth of seedlings of three tree species, growing from dung deposited at gorilla nest sites, were monitored for up to 2 y after deposition. A comparison was made between this and seeds (i) deposited in dung on gorilla feeding trails, (ii) dropped (spat out) under conspecific canopies, and (iii) scatter-dispersed (spat out) by other consumers away from conspecific trees but under intact forest canopy. The highest survival and the best performance of seedlings was always at a gorilla nest site, although not every site was favourable for survival or growth. Seedling performance was related to the surrounding vegetation conditions: better performance was observed in seedling clumps with less vegetation cover. Gorillas at Lopé apparently provide high quality seed dispersal for these species, not just because they consume large quantities of seeds, but because the pattern of seed deposition, especially in nest sites, can result in the enhanced survival and growth of seedlings.
Nontarget Effect of Entomophagous Biocontrol: Shared Parasitism Between Native Lepidopteran Parasitoids and the Biocontrol Agent Trigonospila brevifacies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in Forest Habitats

Abstract The parasitoid guild attacking preimaginal Tortricidae on shrubs and small trees in broadleaf/podocarp forests was studied at six sites in the central North Island. Connectance and quantitative webs were used to interpret the complexities of host parasitoid interactions at a community level and identify competition between native parasitoids and the introduced species Trigonospila brevifacies (Hardy). Trigonospila brevifacies is numerically dominant in the tortricid parasitoid guild. Its host range overlaps with 12 native and one introduced parasitoid species, and it parasitizes more species of Tortricidae than other parasitoids at the North Island forest sites surveyed. Quantification of the parasitoid load on native Lepidoptera indicated that T. brevifacies parasitism comprised between 15.6 and 79.5% of the parasitoid load per species. Only the introduced Australian canefruit pest Eutorna phaulocosma Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) received a higher proportion of parasitism from T. brevifacies than any of the native Lepidoptera. The number of parasitoid species attacking each preimaginal host stage (except for pupae) of native Lepidoptera was relatively constant. The only pupal parasitoid recorded was the introduced ichneumonid Xanthopimpla rhopaloceros Krieger (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). All native parasitoid species were less abundant than T. brevifacies.
Self-recognition specificity expressed by T cells from nude mice. Absence of detectable Ia-restricted T cells in nude mice that do exhibit self-K/D-restricted T cell responses

The presence in athymic nude mice of precursor T cells with self- recognition specificity for either H-2 K/D or H-2 I region determinants was investigated. Chimeras were constructed of lethally irradiated parental mice receiving a mixture of F1 nude mouse (6-8 wk old) spleen and bone marrow cells. The donor inoculum was deliberately not subjected to any T cell depletion procedure, so that any potential major histocompatibility complex-committed precursor T cells were allowed to differentiate and expand in the normal parental recipients. 3 mo after reconstitution, the chimeras were immunized with several protein antigens in complete Freund's adjuvant in the footpads and their purified draining lymph node T cells tested 10 d later for ability to recognize antigen on antigen-presenting cells of either parental haplotype. Also, their spleen and lymph node cells were tested for ability to generate a cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to trinitrophenyl (TNP)-modified stimulator cells of either parental haplotype. It was demonstrated that T cell proliferative responses of these F1(nude)----parent chimeras were restricted solely to recognizing parental host I region determinants as self and expressed the Ir gene phenotype of the host. In contrast, CTL responses could be generated (in the presence of interleukin 2) to TNP-modified stimulator cells of either parental haplotype. Thus these results indicate that nude mice which do have CTL with self-specificity for K/D region determinants lack proliferating T cells with self-specificity for I region determinants. These results provide evidence for the concepts that development of the I region-restricted T cell repertoire is strictly an intrathymically determined event and that young nude mice lack the unique thymic elements responsible for education of I region-restricted T cells.