Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Répteis squamata de remanescentes florestais do Campus da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal-RN, Brasil

Fauna inventories are crucial for increasing knowledge of biodiversity as well as for planning and conservation strategies. To assess the taxonomic composition and microhabitat distribution of squamate reptiles in three forest fragments on the campus of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), field collections were carried out quarterly from March through July 2008. Active search for specimens was conducted randomly along transects. Both time of capture and microhabitat were recorded for each specimen. A total of 92 specimens belonging to 10 species were documented in the study area. Further examination of material deposited in the herpetological collection of UFRN uncovered eight additional species recorded for the area, totaling 18 species of squamate reptiles on the UFRN campus. The most abundant species recorded in the study area were Mabuya heathi, Hemidactylus mabouia and Tropidurus hispidus. According to the Sorensen Similarity index, squamate fauna from the UFRN campus showed 59% similarity with those recorded in the Natal Dune State Park (Parque Estadual das Dunas do Natal), a conservation area bordering the campus. In spite of heavy urban encroachment, the forest fragments on the UFRN campus harbor species typical of open and forested areas. The records of Coleodactylus natalensis and Amphisbaena heathi, both in relictual forest fragments, further justify efforts to preserve these fragments for the maintenance of these endemic species in the campus area. KEYWORDS: Lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians, diversity, forest fragments
Inhibitory Action of an Imidazole Compound on Ecdysone Synthesis in Prothoracic Glands of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

The precocious pupation was induced either by allatectomy at the time of third ecdysis or by topical application of an imidazole compound (KK‐42; 1‐benzyl‐5‐[(E)‐2, 6‐dimethyl‐1, 5‐heptadienyl] imidazole) to the fourth (penultimate) instar larvae of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. However, the critical period for KK‐42 treatment in induction of precocious pupation was longer than that for allatectomy. The effects of KK‐42 depended on the doses applied and a half‐maximum dose was estimated to be approx. 10 μg/larva. KK‐42 suppressed the increase in hemolymph ecdysteroid titres leading to larval ecdysis in controls. Ecdysteroid levels remained at low levels for about 6 days after the treatment, followed by an increase toward precocious pupation. When the prothoracic glands from the mature fifth instar larvac were incubated in vitro in Grace's medium containing various concentrations of KK‐42, secretion of ecdysone into the medium was suppressed depending upon the doses of KK‐42 added and a half‐inhibition concentration was estimated to be approx. 1 nM. Thus, KK‐42 was shown to be an inhibitory agent to ecdysteroid secretion in silkworm larvae.
Ancylidae (Gastropoda, Basommatophora) na Amrica do Sul: sistemtica e distribuio

The family Ancylidae is represented in South America by the genera: Gundlachia Pfeiffer, 1849, Ferrissia Walker, 1903, Burnupia Walker, 1912 and Laevapex Walker, 1903. The species are caracterized using the combination of shell features and radula by scanning electron microscope, shell muscle and mantle pigmentation. The conchometry is also presented, but it does not help to species identification. The distribution of G. crequi (Bavay, 1904), G. foncki (Philippi, 1866), G. philippiana (Biese, 1948), G. obliqua (Broderip & Sowerby, 1832), G. moricandi (Orbigny, 1837), G. concentrica (Orbigny, 1835), G. radiata (Guilding, 1828), G bakeri Pilsbry, 1913, G ticaga (Marcus & Marcus, 1962), F. gentilis Lanzer, 1991, B. ingae Lanzer, 1991, L. vazi Santos, 1989 and Laevapex sp. in the Neotropical region is based on the bibliography, examination of the material deposited in scientific institutions and in the author's collection.
ESTANDARIZACIÓN DE LA EXTRACCIÓN DE ADN Y VALIDACIÓN DE LA PCR MÚLTIPLE PARA DETECTAR Listeria monocytogenes EN QUESO, LECHE, CARNE DE RES Y POLLO

Este trabajo valido la tecnica de PCR para la deteccion de L. monocytogenes a partir de ADN de cultivos puros y en muestras de leches crudas, quesos frescos, carne de res y carne de pollo. En DNA de cultivos puros la sensibilidad, la especificidad y la reproducibilidad encontrada fue de 100%, 101UFC/ml y K=1, respectivamente. Para la extraccion del ADN de los alimentos se emplearon dos metodos, el primero, basado en la precipitacion alcoholica en presencia de NaI, lo que redujo en gran medida las grasas; permitiendo la deteccion directa de 101 UFC/ml en leche cruda y 105 UFC/g en queso fresco. El segundo metodo, basado en la extraccion con lisozima, proteinasa K y fenol-cloroformo, permitio establecer limites de deteccion de 102 y 104 UFC/g para las carnes de res y pollo respectivamente. La PCR se baso en la especificidad de los iniciadores LI1/U1 que amplificaron una banda de 938 pb (identificacion de genero) caracteristica del rDNA 16S y los iniciadores LF/LR que amplificaron una banda de 750 pb caracteristica del gen hlyA (identificacion de especie). Los resultados de la validacion reportaron con relacion al metodo “Gold Standard” una reproducibilidad, sensibilidad y especificidad del 100% en leches crudas. Para las muestras de queso frescos se reporto una reproducibilidad de 97%, sensibilidad 96.3% y especificidad del 100%, para la carne de pollo la reproducibilidad fue 98.43%, sensibilidad 96.9%, especificidad 100%, valor predictivo positivo 100% y valor predictivo negativo 100%, para la carne de res todos los parametros fueron 100%. El metodo “Gold Standard” reporto 100% para todos los parametros. El trabajo muestra que ambas tecnicas pueden ser utilizadas para detectar L. monocytogenes en este tipo de alimentos y que la PCR reduce el tiempo de ensayo considerablemente.
Optimal foraging in ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and its consequences for their use in biological control

A model optimizing the number of eggs laid in an aphid colony by an adult ladybird reveals that there exists an optimum number, which maximizes the resulting offspring biomass. This remains true even if the model is expanded to include more than one adult ladybird and several aphid colonies. Adult ladybirds should not continue to aggregate in areas of aphid abundance (Kareiva & Odell, 1987), but should leave an aphid aggregate, even though the aphids are still increasing in abundance, as soon as a certain number of eggs are laid and/or larvae are present. If the ladybirds lay the optimal number of eggs, then their offspring have only a slight effect on the peak number of aphids.
Development and poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper puts sub-Saharan Africa’s economic development into perspective. While much did not go as hoped for at independence, much of the region has been on a more promising development trajectory since the mid-1990s, as we illustrate using growth, poverty, and human development indicators. We identify key weaknesses, including lack of structural transformation and the slow rate of employment growth. We refer to global shocks that have played a critical role in sub-Saharan Africa’s economic performance alongside domestic events, policies, and governance. Finally, we discuss a set of critical challenges requiring effective management for sub-Saharan Africa to realize its considerable development potential.
PHARMACOLOGY AND METABOLISM OF COMPOUND A

Abstract : Studies were carried out to determine the pharmacological activity and the metabolic fate of Compound A, (ClF5). The project was planned to determine pharmacological effects by evaluation of behavioral, physical, and biochemical changes induced by administration of the material. Preliminary studies were carried out to establish maximum tolerated doses. For this purpose it was elected to follow alterations in hepatic, renal, and metabolic function at those tolerated levels. The procedures employed included tests of dye excretion, blood coagulation, enzyme levels (serum and tissue transaminases as indices of cellular metabolism), blood chemical levels (urea nitrogen, glucose), and nitrogen balance studies to permit evaluation of the general physiological status of the test animals as affected by the exposure.
Consistent patterns in diatom assemblages and diversity measures across water‐depth gradients from eight Boreal lakes from north‐western Ontario (Canada)

Summary 1. Until recently, the distribution of diatom species assemblages and their attributes (e.g. species richness and evenness) in relation to water depth have been identified but not quantified, especially across several lakes in a region. Here, we examined diatom assemblages in the surface sediment across a water-depth gradient in eight small, boreal lakes in north-western Ontario, minimally disturbed by human activities. 2. Surface-sediment diatom assemblages were collected within each lake along a gentle slope from near-shore to the centre deep basin of the lake, at a resolution of ∼1 m water depth. Analysis of sedimentary samples provided an integrated view of assemblages that were living in the lake over several years and enabled a high-resolution analysis of many lakes. The study lakes ranged in water chemistry, morphology and size and are located along an east–west transect approximately 250 km long in north-western Ontario (Canada). 3. The majority of diatom species were distributed along a continuum of depth, with those taxa having similar habitat requirements forming distinct, though overlapping, assemblages. Three major zones of diatom assemblages in each lake were consistently identified: (i) a near-shore assemblage of Achnanthes (sensu lato), Nitzschia, Cymbella (sensu lato) and other benthic species; (ii) a mid-depth assemblage of small Fragilaria (sensu lato)/small Aulacoseira and various Navicula taxa; and (iii) a deep-water assemblage of planktonic origin (mainly Discotella spp.). 4. The depth of the transition between assemblage zones varied between the eight lakes. The boundary between the deep-water planktonic zone and the mid-depth benthic zone varied according to water chemistry and was probably related to light attenuation. The boundary was deeper in lakes with the lower dissolved organic carbon and total phosphorus (TP) (i.e. less light attenuation) and vice versa. 5. Generally, species richness, species evenness and turnover rate of species as a function of depth were significantly lower in the planktonic assemblage zone in comparison with the two zones nearer the shore. Reproducibility of species and assemblage distributions across the depth gradient of the lakes illustrated that, despite potential for sediment transport, detailed ecological characterisation of diatom species can be gleaned from sedimentary data. Such data are often lacking, particularly for near-shore benthic species.
Control of male production in the swarm‐founding wasp, Polybioides tabidus

In social insect colonies, male production may involve conflicts over the sex ratio, worker vs. queen reproduction, and each queen's contribution to the males when there are multiple queens. We examined male production in the swarm‐founding, multiple‐queened wasp, Polybioides tabidus, for which previous work suggested worker control of the sex ratios. We found that queens produced the males in accord with the collective worker preference. We also found that diploid males were produced, but only in association with haploid males. Simulations show they should have been produced in other colonies as well and their absence indicates that they were killed in some of these other colonies. The pattern of their removal indicates that P. tabidus cannot distinguish diploid from haploid males, and that haploid males would have been removed from these colonies too. This provides evidence that the workers are able to manipulate male production when collective preferences dictate.
Respuesta de seis gramíneas tropicales a la quema prescrita en la costa oeste de México

A three year study was conducted in Nayarit, Mexico with the objective of evaluating the effect of fire on yield, forage quality, and height of six tropical grasses. Panicum maximum and Hyparrhenia rufa were studied at El Verdineno Experimental Station. Cenchrus ciliaris, P. maximum var. Trichoglume, Cynodon plectostachyus, and C. dactylon were studied at El Macho Experimental Station. Treatments applied were prescribed burn and an unburned control. Two, 150-m2 field plots were used per treatment during three consecutive years. Each year in late May and early June, experimental areas were burned and environmental conditions recorded including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and soil moisture. When regrowth initiated, grasses were sampled at 15-day intervals until maturation. Analysis of variance and mean separation (LSD) tests were conducted. The response of grasses to fire varied with species. Yield of P. maximum, H. rufa, C. plectostachyus, and C. dactylon were not improved (P>0.05) by fire. In contrast, C. ciliaris and P. maximum var. Trichoglume showed a positive response (P<0.05) to prescribed burning. Forage quality was improved by fire in all forage species. Height of C. ciliaris was positively (P<0.05) influenced by fire. Prescribed burning only increased yield in two grasses, but forage quality was improved for all species. Fire is ordinarily used in tropical areas to eliminate old growth, to maintain pastures free of weeds, and to reduce certain insect pests. In this case results obtained are of great value for pasture management and animal production implications.
Tapping Iceland's DNA

A Harvard geneticist returned to his native Iceland last year to begin gathering up and indexing the heredity of the entire nation. The result, he hopes, will be the world9s finest collection of family data for studying the genetic causes of common diseases. He intends to make this resource available for a fee, and for pharmaceutical companies, part of the price will be free treatment for Icelanders if the research leads to a therapy.
A Ten-year Time Laps, Regarding Drug Consumption in the Western Part of Romania

The purpose of the research was to see the time-trends (2005/2006-2015/2016) of types and patterns of drug usage between the young adults from medical school in TimisCounty. The study is a comparison of two cross-sectional cohorts of student from Timis County, Romania (2005/2006: 365 females and 248 males; 2005/2016: 336 females and 123 males). In both investigations the same questionnairewas used. Through the investigation we measured the types and patterns of drugs used in relation with gender and cohort effect frequency. For the 2005/2006 evaluation 15% of boys and 4.9% of girls have tried at least one kind of drug. In the reevaluation study 2015/2016 the consumption of at least one kind of drug has risen 34.4% boys and 14.4% girls, which means meaning that the number of consumers has risen by 3 times in between investigations. The intervention to minimize the usage of any sort of drugs in a specific university environment or in the general population has to be done in very careful way in concordance with the specific patterns of usage and types of drugs.
The claw closer muscle of Neohelice granulata (Grapsoidea, Varunidae): a morphological and histochemical study

Longo, M.V. , Goldemberg, A.L. and Diaz, A.O. 2011. The claw closer muscle of Neohelice granulata (Grapsoidea, Varunidae): a morphological and histochemical study. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92: 126–133. The claw closer muscle of Neohelice granulata was studied according to histological, histochemical, and morphometrical criteria. Adult male crabs in intermoult stage were collected from Mar Chiquita Lagoon (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Muscle fibers show evident striations and oval-elongated nuclei with loose chromatin. The loose connective tissue among muscle fibers consists of cells and fibers embedded in an amorphous substance. Muscle histochemistry reveals two slow fiber types: ‘A’ and ‘B’. Prevailing A fibers are larger, and they usually show, with respect to B type, a weaker reaction to whole techniques. Fibers with short (SS), intermediate (IS), and long sarcomeres (LS) appear in the claw closer muscle, being the LS fibers predominant. Concluding, the histochemical and morphometrical characteristics of the claw closer muscle fibers of N. granulata are indicative of slow fibers. The slow A type (low resistant to fatigue) prevails.
Bioherbicidal Potential of Fusarium moniliforme and its Phytotoxin, Fumonisin

An isolate of Fusarium moniliforme (Sheldon) (JW #1) was discovered on greenhouse-grown jimsonweed in Mississippi, U.S.A. , in 1990. Applications of aqueous suspensions of spores/mycelia (>1 × 107 propagules ml−1) grown on potato-dextrose agar to the potted soil in which 2- to 4-wk-old jimsonweed plants were grown caused local lesions or mosaic-like patterns on the leaves and inhibited growth. Application of lesser doses to the leaves only produced no visual effects. When the fungal suspensions were applied at higher dosages (>1 × 107 propagules ml−1) either by soil drench or subirrigation, symptoms such as local lesions or a mosaic-like pattern on the leaves appeared and plant growth was inhibited. When the fungus was grown on an autoclaved rice medium and the ground mixture applied to jimsonweed plants, the plants wilted within 24 h and died after 48 h. Crude and cell-free filtrates of the fungal-rice culture also killed 1- to 2- and 3- to 4-week-old plants after 24 to 72 h. A major toxin identified was fumonisin B1, isolated from fermented rice at 400 μg g−1. Fumonisin B1 applied in water at 2.5 μg 100 μl−1 to excised jimsonweed leaves caused the same symptomology (i.e., soft rot diffusing along leaf veins) within 24 h as the cell-free extract or the crude culture filtrates. Similar damage occurred to intact plants treated with crude or cell-free filtrates or purified aqueous fumonisin B1 solutions.
Las ectomicorrizas de Quercus ilex subsp. ballota y su dinámica post-incendio en una zona potencialmente trufera

Tras el estudio de la comunidad micorricica de Quercus ilex L.subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp. , llevado a cabo desde otono de 1998 hasta otono de 2001 en un carrascal situado en Nazar (Navarra, Espana), dentro de la zona potencial de distribucion de la trufa negra en Navarra, y afectado en parte por un incendio de baja intensidad ocurrido en 1994, se puede concluir que: se han descrito de forma detallada y se ha elaborado una clave de determinacion de un total de 36 morfotipos de ectomicorrizas de carrasca (Cenococcum geophilium, Sphaerosporella brunnea, Genea verrucosa. Tuber melanosporum, T.brumale, Hebeloma cf.sinapizans, Psiloithus tincotirus, Tomentella galzinii, T.pilosa, tipo Tuber, tipo Chroogomphus, tipo Hebeloma-Cortinarius, tipo Scleroderma, tipo Scytinostroma, tipo Lactarius, tipo Boletaceae, Pinirhiza dimorpha, Quercirhiza cumulosa, Q.stellata, morfotipo AD y 16 morfotipos no identificados); la comunidad micorricia del carrascal esta denominada por Cenococcum geophilum y un grupo de morfotipos tomenteloide,s quedando asi de manifiesto la gran importancia que este grupo de hongos tradicionalmente ignorados tienen dentro de la comunidad micorricia; el incendio ha provocado cambios significativos en la abundancia relativa de determinados morfotipos y una disminucion en la cantidad de apices micorrizados existentes, aunque no ha alterado ni la diversidad ni la composicion especifica de la comunidad micorricica; en la zona afectada por el incendio existe un proceso de recuperacion de la comunidad micorricica, la diversidad micorricica es maxima en otono y minima en verano, mientras que la cantidad de apices micorrizados es maxima en invierno y minima en otono; a los tres anos de la introduccion de plantas micorrizadas con Tuber melanosporum en la zona quemada del carrascal de Nazar se ha comprobado que la micorrizas de trufa negra persisten en el sistema radical de las plantas, aunque han de competir con otros
EPYPHITIC CYANOBACTERIA ON Avicennia marina PNEUMATOPHORE IN MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM OF CAGAR ALAM PULAU DUA (CAPD) SERANG, BANTEN

A Study aimed to explore cyanobacteria on pneumatophore Avicennia marina was conducted on September 2013 in mangrove ecosystem of Cagar Alam Pulau Dua (CAPD) Serang, Banten. Sampling was assessed a long a transect line at two stations. Physico-chemical parameters of both stations, including temperature, salinity, pH, nitrate, dan phosphate were measured. Epyphitic cyanobacteria sample were collected from nine pneumatophores of Avicennia marina at each station. The samples were scraped from cortex of pneumatophore and isolated on solid ASN-III medium incubated at 25 oC under light intensity of < 500 lux for 14 days. The result showed that a total of 9 genera of cyanobacteria; Choococcus, Aphanothece, Aphanocapsa, Myxosarcina, Oscillatoria, Microcoleus, Lyngbya, Phormodium, and Calothrix were observed. They are belonging to 4 order, Choococcales, Pleurocapsales, and Oscillatoriales which were non-heterocystous cyanobacteria order and one heterocystous order of Nostocales.
Ecologia trófica de peixes ocorrentes em bancos de macrófitas aquáticas na baia Caiçara, Pantanal Mato-Grossense

The present research characterized the diet of fish and determined the trophic guilds of ichthyofauna residence of aquatic macrophytes stands. The sampling were carried out through a trap with mesh size of 3mm under stands of aquatic macrophytes of two portions of bay Caicara, Pantanal Mato-Grossense. Species diet was determined through analysis of stomach contents, using frequency of occurrence and volumetric methods, being expressed by the Alimentary Index (IAi). Only eighteen fish species, of the sixty five captured, have their diet characterized. Five species were considered herbivorous, four insectivorous, four omnivorous, three carnivorous and two detritivorous.
What, if anything, is a 'typical' viper? Biological attributes of basal viperid snakes (genus Causus Wagler, 1830)

For many major phylogenetic radiations of organisms, the available ecological knowledge is disproportionately derived from a small minority of taxa, and sometimes from organisms that are highly atypical. Viperid snakes provide a good example of this situation; high-latitude cold-climate taxa in northern Europe (vipers) and North America (rattlesnakes) have been studied intensively, but more speciose radiations in tropical Africa, Asia, and Central America remain poorly known. We dissected > 500 specimens (six species) of night adders (genus Causus), mostly from Cameroon (68%) in equatorial Africa, to quantify morphology, diets, and reproductive biology. By contrast to the ‘slow’ life-histories of cold-climate viperids, night adders feed frequently on frogs (rather than infrequently on mammals), and produce frequent large clutches of relatively small eggs (rather than infrequent small litters of relatively large live young). Thus, putatively ‘typical’ viperid attributes such as low fecundity, viviparity, and predation on mammals reflect adaptations to the invasion of cold environments by a small and perhaps atypical subset of viperid taxa. Our data on prey size suggest that one of the critical innovations of early viperids may have been an ability to subdue and ingest relatively large prey. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 89, 575–588.