Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age‐Specific Weaning Success of Northern Elephant Seals in Relation to Previous Breeding Experience

We studied the effect of age and previous breeding experience on the probability of successful reproduction in female northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). Reproductive data, collected over a 12—yr period, were analyzed by multiple logistic regression to describe the functional relationships among the variables. We also examined the relationships among age, experience, date of breeding, and reproductive success to determine if differences in timing explain age—specific productivity. Finally, we investigated the relationship among age, experience, and maternal behavior to determine if correlates of reproductive effort could be related to age— and experience—specific patterns of reproductive success. Reproductive success increased between the maternal ages of 3 and 7 yr and then levelled off, demonstrating an asymptotic relationship. However, the relationship between reproductive success and age, after statistically controlling for previous experience, showed instead that success increased linearly throughout an animal's lifetime. In contrast, after statistically controlling for age, reproductive success was related to experience in a parabolic fashion; success increased with experience for the first few breeding attempts, but declined later in an animal's reproductive lifetime. The effects of experience depended on age: among young animals experience was apparently beneficial, but among old animals greater experience was deleterious. These results suggest experience—related senescence. Timing of breeding was related to experience, rather than age, in a curvilinear fashion; arrival and parturition dates were later for inexperienced and very experienced females, and were earliest for moderately experienced animals. Young animals that gave birth later in the season experienced reduced reproductive success; we observed no such decline in older animals. Thus, among young females, arriving and giving birth earlier each year was adaptive. Aggressiveness and dominance increased with age and experience, but we were unable to separate the effects of age and experience. We contend that the experience—related drop in reproductive success reflects the cost of reproduction. Breeding at a young age and/or continuously appears to result in lower reproductive success later in life. Furthermore, curvature in age—specific reproductive success can be explained by experience—related senescence. This result has general applicability, suggesting that age—related senescence instead may be due to reproductive "burn—out". These results indicate that previous breeding experience and differences in individual quality do not explain the pattern of increasing reproductive success with age in northern elephant seals, and provide indirect support for the hypothesis that animals increase reproductive effort as they age to offset a concomitant decrease in residual reproductive value.
Development of an efficient protocol for in vitro germination and enhancing protocorm-like body development in three indigenous orchid species in Bangladesh

An efficient protocol has been developed for in vitro seed germination and for growth and development of protocorm likes bodies (PLBs) from three indigenous orchid species namely Acampe premorsa (Roxb.), Agrostophylum khasianum L. and Phalaenopsis cornorerris. We tested three media and among them PM was found to be the best because of the greatest rate of seed germination (98.20%), PLB development and plant formation. PM supplemented with BAP (1.0 mg/l) and NAA (0.5 mg/l) gave a 78.60% PLB formation rate. The MS with 1.0 mg/l BAP and 0.1 mg/l picloram was the most efficient medium for seedling growth of A. premorsa and A. khasianum. But in the case of P. cornorerris the best seedling growth was observed using medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP and 0.1 mg/l NAA. The maximum number and length of roots and plantlets were observed in the ½MS medium with 1.5% (w/v) sucrose where no hormones were added. The well-rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized, planted in pots and transferred to the shade house for establishment. This protocol may be applied for the mass propagation of other orchids for commercial use. We conclude that in vitro seed germination is technique with the highest potential for protocorm formation, multiplication and conservation of indigenous orchids.
Managing Foreign R&D Laboratories in China

This paper focuses on the management of R&D units established by foreign companies in China, investigating R&D missions, site build-up, integration with the parent organization, and overall performance measurement. The research is based on 37 qualitative expert interviews with local R&D directors and managers conducted between 2001 and 2004, using a semi-structured research questionnaire, and semi-quantitative research done on 199 foreign R&D labs in China. Cultural influences on R&D management, location advantages, expatriate involvement, and organizational evolution of local laboratories are discussed. We find that foreign R&D laboratories in China are not only important vehicles for local market development but also increasingly important sources of locally developed technology.
Hybridization and Genetic Diversity in Wild Apple (Malus sylvestris (L.) MILL.) from Various Regions in Germany and from Luxembourg

Abstract Malus sylvestris is the only apple species native to Central Europe. Its genetic integrity may be threatened by hybridization with the cultivated apple (Malus × domestica). A total of 883 genotypes, 477 putative wild apples in Germany and Luxembourg and 406 old to modern cultivars has been investigated. Wild apples growing in Germany originated from Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. The genetic structure was analysed at ten isozyme marker loci, and morphology was studied by fruit size, leaf pubescence, and a complex morphological description performed in advance. A model-based cluster analysis applied to all nuclear data resulted in two clearly differentiated gene pools for putative wild and cultivated apples with moderate proportions of admixture in the wild group on average (0.138 total, 0.111 German sample). At the individual level, the percentages of both hybrids and feral cultivars together ranged from 2.3% in Rhineland-Palatinate to 28.8% in Luxembourg. The intraspecific variability in fruit diameter ranged from 21 to 40 mm, and that in leaf pubescence in autumn ranged from score 0 to score 1. No single morphological trait of a specimen appeared to be sufficient for identification. Even the correspondence between the complex morphological and complex genetic determinations for individuals did not exceed 93% in pure wilds and 64% in hybrids. Genetic variation in pure wild apple is high (species level: P = 90%, A/L = 3.1, He = 0.369). Allelic differentiation & was 0.089, pairwise genetic distance (d0) ranged from 0.065 to 0.148 among five samples. Correspondence between genetic and geographic distance of populations was observed to a certain extent.
Effect of Female Body Size and Adult Feeding on the Fecundity and Longevity of the Parasitoid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae)

Abstract The influence of female body size and adult feeding on the fecundity and longevity of female Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), attacking the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), was examined under laboratory conditions. Size and fecundity were positively correlated, whereas size had no influence on longevity of females continually provided with hosts. In contrast to theoretical models of host feeding, host feeding rate in C. stephanoderis increased over the parasitoid’s lifespan, whereas oviposition rate decreased with age. The oviposition rate was higher and the oviposition period longer in large females than in small ones. As C. stephanoderis grew older, egg and sperm exhaustion were observed, especially in small females where a single mating was not sufficient for fertilization of all the eggs deposited during their lifetime. Developmental mortality of the offspring of small females was higher compared with large females, which may be attributed to a greater ability of large females to subdue and parasitize coffee berry borer pupae. Host feeding, by itself, promoted female survival. All host stages enhanced wasp longevity, but eggs and pupae were the most effective host stages in increasing longevity. Our findings have significant implications in mass rearing and management programs by determining conditions likely to improve parasitoid production and defining desirable biological attributes of C. stephanoderis as a biological control agent of the coffee berry borer.
Algal-dwelling Eophliantidae (Amphipoda): description of a new species and key to the world species, with notes on their biogeography

Eophliantidae are poorly studied marine algal-dwelling amphipods with a wide distribution. A new species was found to excavate burrows across the main stem of Carpophyllum maschalocarpum (Turner) Grev. in the New Zealand subtidal, and a detailed morphological description of this amphipod is given. Bircenna macayai sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Bircenna species by a combination of the following characters: bilobed coxa 1, merus and carpus of pereopods 5–7 strongly extended posteriorly, crenulate basis of pereopod 7 and smooth posterior margin of epimeron 3, pereopod 7 basis longer than wide. A key to the fourteen world species of Eophliantidae is provided. Taxonomy, evolutionary sequences, functional morphology and biogeography of the Eophliantidae are briefly discussed. New Zealand and Australian shallow waters show the highest species diversity of Eophliantidae, containing both species bearing plesiomorphic and highly derived characters, suggesting that Australasia is an evolutionary centre for this amphipod family.
ASSESSMENT OF DEARTH PERIODS FOR HONEY BEES (APIS MELLIFERA) IN GWALIOR (M.P.), INDIA

Management of honeybees for the production of various value added products require complete knowledge & understanding of beekeeping practices. Honeybee colonies should be evaluated for their performance during dearth periods so that appropriate measures can be opted to successfully overcome dearth periods. In the present study, various colony parameters viz. egg laying area, brood area, honey and pollen storage area were observed and recorded. Values obtained for all the parameters viz. egg laying (1712 cm2), brood area (1302.7 cm2), pollen stores (1090.7 cm2) and honey stores (1476 cm2) were maximum in the April month when sufficient bee flora was available. The values decreased for all the parameters and reached minimum (0.0) in June month when the food sources were in scarce. During summer season, natural food sources (pollen and nectar) of honeybee become scarce. In India, summer seasons are getting prolonged and so also the dearth period due to huge industrialization and global warming. Periodical dearth periods results into depletion of food stores & nutritional reserves inside the bee hives. Due to deficiency of protein rich food, egg laying frequency of queen bee decreases. Worker bees stops brood rearing resulting into weakening of colony performance & colony strength. Sometimes prolonged dearth of bee flora may lead to perishing of the bee colonies. Poor bee colonies may sometimes be attacked by bee enemies such as wasps, ants, bee eater birds, wax moth and robbing by wild bees. Therefore management of bee colonies is getting more and more difficult. Quite often beekeepers harvest excess amount of honey before dearth period so that colonies cannot sustain due to the shortage of food. All these reasons forces the beekeepers have to follow the concept of colony migration which involves a lot of labor, time and money. Several colonies may perish during transportation due to accidents, improper timing and improper site selection. In addition to colony migration, study related to colony parameters during dearth period may help in variety of ways in successful beekeeping management. Study of various colony parameters during dearth periods may help in calculating the severity and effect of dearth period and amount of pollen substitute to be provided to bee colonies during different time intervals of the dearth period. Mishra (1995) reported the dearth of bee flora from May to September and emphasized the necessity of feeding artificial diets to bee colonies during this period to strengthen their stores. The present study was conducted to assess the severity of dearth periods and their effect on bee colonies so that suitable arrangements can be done for proper bee management to help tide the colonies of Apis mellifera over the dearth periods.
Fatty acid composition of Camelina sativa as affected by combined nitrogen and sulphur fertilisation

Department of Food Analysis and Chemistry, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Czech Republic. Department of Agrochemistry, Soil Science, Microbiology and Plant Nutrition, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic. Department of Crop Sciences, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria. Department of Agrochemistry and Plant Nutrition, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Slovakia. Department of Animal Breeding, Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic.
Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind and Open-Label Studies in the Treatment and Prevention of Acute Diarrhea With Enterococcus faecium SF68

Enterococcus faecium SF68® (SF68) is a licensed pharmaceutical for treatment and prevention of diarrhea in Austria, Italy and Switzerland. However, as for other probiotics, evidence for its efficacy is based on small to medium-sized studies. Four unpublished studies on the treatment of acute diarrhea and the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea were analyzed: one randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) for treatment (n = 1,143), one open-label study for treatment (n = 5,093), one RCT for prevention (n = 1,397) and one open-label study for prevention (n = 4,340). Patients in the treatment-arm and the open-label studies received SF68 (b.i.d. for the prevention studies, t.i.d. for the treatment trials) for 7 days. Primary end points were time to resolution of diarrhea (treatment) and percentage of development of diarrhea (prevention). The primary endpoint of the treatment study was met with a decreased time to resolution of diarrhea in SF68-treated patients compared to controls (median 3 vs. 4 days, p < 0.001). Time to resolution of secondary symptoms was also significantly reduced. Preventive treatment with SF68 was more effective than placebo with development of diarrhea in 8.6 vs. 16.2% (p < 0.001). Results from the open-label studies were consistent with the RCTs. The incidence of adverse events were low (1.1 and 1.4% in the RCT and 4.7 and 7.4% in the open-label studies). SF68 is effective and safe in the treatment of acute diarrhea and prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
Redescription of four species of lagenophryid peritrichs (Ciliophora) from Australia and New Guinea, with descriptions of two new species

Four insufficiently described species of ectosymbiotic peritrich ciliates in the family Lagenophryidae that occur on crustacean hosts in Australia and New Guinea are redescribed. These include two species of Operculigera from phreatoicid isopods, one species of Setonophrys from a phreatoicid isopod, and one species of Lagenophrys from a palaemonid shrimp. Two undescribed species of Operculigera, also found on phreatoicid isopods, are described for the first time. Australian species of Operculigera appear to be restricted to phreatoicid hosts. This is unusual because a diverse array of other lagenophryids occur on parastacid crayfish in Australia. Furthermore, species of Operculigera are conspicuous symbionts of parastacids and various freshwater crabs in Chile and Madagascar. In addition to this peculiarity of distribution, the Australian species of Operculigera appear to comprise a morphologically distinct group within the genus.
Evaluation of Raw and Boiled Velvet Bean (Mucuna utilis) as Feed Ingredient for Broiler Chickens

3 Abstract: Chemical analysis and a performance trial were carried out to determine the effect of boilin g Mucuna utilis seeds on their proximate composition, minerals assay and amino acid profile, level of antinutritional factors and blood seral and haematological parameters of finisher broiler chickens. Four types of mucuna seed meal were prepared. Type 1 was prepared from raw seeds, types 2, 3 and 4 were from seeds soaked in water for 24 h and then boiled in water for 20, 40 and 60 min respectively. The four dietary treatments had 20% inclusion of the four types of mucuna seed meal respectively. A four week feeding trial was conducted using one hundred and twenty, five week old, broiler birds averaging 590 gm live weight. Results of the study show that raw mucuna seeds are a good source of nutrients. Increase in boiling time significantly (p<0.05) reduced the crude protein content, phosphorus, iron, selenium, methionine, cystine, lysi, isoleucine, alanine, tyrosine and threonine content. Concentration of antinutritional factors in the seeds were significantly (p<0.05) reduced. Significant (p<0.05) improvements in feed: gain and protein efficiency ratios with a corresponding increase in mean daily weight gain were observed as the boiling time increased. At the end of the experiment, the haematological parameters revealed no significant differences among treatments in the levels of Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), Red Blood Cell (RBC) counts, mean corpuscular volume (MHV) and Mean corpuscuscular Haemoglobin concentration (McHc). Similarly, albumin, globulin, serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase estimated were found to be insignificantly varied with the exception of total protein.
Habitat-related germination behaviour and emergence phenology in the woodland geophyte Anemone ranunculoides L. (Ranunculaceae) from northern Italy

Abstract This study examined whether the restricted habitat preference of the spring-flowering woodland geophyte Anemone ranunculoides L. , compared with that of A. nemorosa growing in the same woodlands in northern Italy, could be explained by subtle differences in germination preference and emergence phenology. Immediately after harvest, seeds of A. ranunculoides were either sown on agar in the laboratory under simulated seasonal temperatures or placed in nylon mesh sachets and buried in the wild. Embryos, undifferentiated at the time of seed dispersal, grew during summer in the laboratory and in the wild, culminating in radicle emergence in the autumn, when temperatures fell to c. 15°C. Shoot emergence was delayed under natural conditions until soil temperature had dropped further to c. 10°C. Compared with populations of the closely related Anemone nemorosa L. occupying the same woodland habitat, which have been reported to have non-dormant radicles, A. ranunculoides displayed a narrower temperature tolerance for radicle emergence and high levels of germination were possible only after prolonged exposure to summer conditions, indicating physiological dormancy. However, unlike A. nemorosa, shoot emergence in A. ranunculoides was not dependent on winter temperatures, suggesting weaker epicotyl morphophysiological dormancy. Under a regime of diurnal temperature alternation, simulating the microclimate where there is little plant cover, germination failed almost completely; this could explain the absence of A. ranunculoides in open habitats.
ASSESSMENT OF INHERITANCE PATTERN OF SOME MULTIGENIC CHARACTERS IN COTTON (GOSSYPIUM HIRSUTUM L.)

In a study conducted in the Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan during 2005-07 a complete diallel cross comprising five cotton cultivars (MNH-147, LRS-5166, S-12, FH-682 and DPL-2775) was made to investigate the inheritance mode of various quantitative traits. The results revealed varietal differences (P < 0.01) for all parameters. Adequacy tests showed that data for boll weight, seed cotton yield, lint percentage, fibre fineness and fibre strength were fit for additive dominance model while those of monopodia per plant, sympodia per plant, number of bolls and staple length were unfit for further analysis. Additive component of variation (D) was significant (P < 0.01) and prominent over H 1 and H 2 components for boll weight, seed cotton yield, lint percentage and fibre fineness, while dominant genes (H 1 and H 2) were main controlling factors for fibre strength and it was confidently sustained by the value of H 1/D 0.5 . Values of h 2 and H 2/4H 1 demonstrated asymmetrical and unequal distribution fo dominant genes in parents for all characters. Boll weight, seed cotton yield, lint percentage and fibre fineness exhibited high narrow sense heritability (h 2 n.s) due to the existence of additive gene action. However, fibre strength acquired low heritability due to dominance effects. The genetic analysis recommended that boll weight, seed cotton yield, lint percentage and fibre fineness could be upgraded through any selection procedure, while exploitation of heterosis breeding would be progressive for fibre strength.
FOODS OF ARCTIC FOXES (ALOPEX LAGOPUS) DURING WINTER AND SPRING IN WESTERN ALASKA

Abstract During 1986–1991, carcasses of 619 arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) collected from local trappers and at biological field camps on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska from November through May were analyzed to determine gastrointestinal contents, age, sex, and body condition. Prey in declining order of importance were small mammals (95% tundra voles, Microtus oeconomus), birds, marine mammals, and fishes. Foxes with small mammal remains in their stomachs were captured farther from the Bering Sea coast (X̄ = 5.2 km) than those without small-mammal remains (2.8 km); foxes consuming remains of marine mammals were closer to the coast (1.9 km) than others (4.9 km). Although eggshells had a poor likelihood of occurrence in stomachs, they were found in all months and years. In 1986 and 1987, foxes consumed fewer small mammals than in other years. Mean ages of foxes captured in 1986 (3.7 years) and 1987 (3.2) were greater than in all other years (1.5). Capture of adults was more common as winter progressed. Indexes of subcutaneous fat decreased annually in April–May and were highest in 1991, when occurrence of carrion of marine mammals was highest.
Antibiotic resistance in Escherichia coli strains isolated from water springs in Al-Ahsa Region

In Saudi Arabia, water resources are largely limited to groundwater, which is used both for drinking and agriculture. There is no surface water except for a few oases and no permanent streams. The contamination of this source possibly through wastewater, agriculture activities and wild birds as well as amphibians and reptiles that have access to wells and springs. Twenty six strains of Escherichia coli, isolated from water springs in Al-Ahsa Region of Saudi Arabia were analyzed for their antimicrobial susceptibility. Fifteen strains, representing 57.74% of the total twenty six strains, showed multidrug resistance phenotypes. RAPD-PCR with two random primers produced different DNA fingerprinting profiles with varied number of bands. The dendrogram obtained from the RAPD-PCR results discriminated the isolates into 26 single isolates and 3 clusters at the level of 40% similarity.