Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of different pesticide management options on the population dynamics of aphids, Lipaphis erysimi pseudobrassicae (Davis) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), their natural enemies and the yield of cabbage

Cabbage is a popular vegetable grown in Ghana and it serves as an important source of livelihood for smallscalefarmers. Aphids are major pests of cabbage in the field and as such, farmers have resorted to theindiscriminate use of insecticides which have had adverse environmental and health implications. Thecurrent study sought to investigate the effect of commonly used management options on the populationof aphids, Lipaphis erysimi pseudobrassicae (Davis) and Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae),their natural enemies and the yield of cabbage. Cabbage seedlings were planted during the major andminor seasons of 2015 in 3 x 3 m plots and the treatments used included Chlorpyrifos, Lambda-cyhalothrin,hot pepper, Capsicum futescens fruit extract, neem, Azadirachta indica seed extract, solution of local soap(alata samina) with water as a control. Ten cabbage leaves per treated plot were randomly sampledweekly into 70% alcohol to obtain actual counts of aphids and their natural enemies. The least numberof aphids was recorded in the neem treated plots, while Lambda-cyhalothrin treated plots recorded thehighest number of aphids. The control and biopesticide treated plots recorded the highest numbers ofthe natural enemies (hoverflies, ladybirds and spiders). The highest yield and marketability was recordedin the neem treated plots for both seasons. The yield and marketability of cabbages obtained from plotssprayed with alata samina and pepper was also higher than that obtained from the control, Lambdacyhalothrinand Chlorpyrifos treated plots, with the insecticide treated plots recording the least numberof marketable heads. It offered the most promising solution. The current findings suggest that the crudeneem seed extract, and to some extent local soap, alata samina, and pepper, are effective and safe optionsfor managing aphids on cabbage.
Whole-exome sequencing identified rare variants associated with body length and girth in cattle

Body measurements can be used in determining body size to monitor the cattle growth and examine the response to selection. Despite efforts putting into the identification of common genetic variants, the mechanism understanding of the rare variation in complex traits about body size and growth remains limited. Here, we firstly performed GWAS study for body measurement traits in Simmental cattle, however there were no SNPs exceeding significant level associated with body measurements. To further investigate the mechanism of growth traits in beef cattle, we conducted whole exome analysis of 20 cattle with phenotypic differences on body girth and length, representing the first systematic exploration of rare variants on body measurements in cattle. By carrying out a three-phase process of the variant calling and filtering, a sum of 1158, 1151, 1267, and 1303 rare variants were identified in four phenotypic groups of two growth traits, higher/ lower body girth (BG_H and BG_L) and higher/lower body length (BL_H and BL_L) respectively. The subsequent functional enrichment analysis revealed that these rare variants distributed in 886 genes associated with collagen formation and organelle organization, indicating the importance of collagen formation and organelle organization for body size growth in cattle. The integrative network construction distinguished 62 and 66 genes with different co-expression patterns associated with higher and lower phenotypic groups of body measurements respectively, and the two sub-networks were distinct. Gene ontology and pathway annotation further showed that all shared genes in phenotypic differences participate in many biological processes related to the growth and development of the organism. Together, these findings provide a deep insight into rare genetic variants of growth traits in cattle and this will have a promising application in animal breeding.
Inhibitory Effects of Traditional Okinawan Vegetable Methanol Extracts and Their Primary Constituents on Histamine Release from Human Basophilic KU812 cells

To clarify the effects of traditional Okinawan vegetable methanol extracts on histamine release from KU812 cells, we prepared methanol extracts from lyophilized powders of Crepidiastrum lanceolatum Nakai (hosoba-wadan), Peucedanum japonicum Thunb. (botan-bofu) and Artemisia indica Willd. var. orientalis (Pamp.) H. Hara (nishiyomogi), and examined histamine concentrations released from cells by each extract. We also investigated the polyphenol profiles of each extract by HPLC and the impact on histamine release of the principle component. As a result, the histamine release from cells by hosoba-wadan and nishi-yomogi extracts were significantly suppressed (P < 0.05) when compared with control and botan-bofu extracts. Moreover, we found that the hosoba-wadan and nishi-yomogi extracts characteristically contained chlorogenic acid and luteolin-glycoside, respectively, and the histamine concentration released from the cells by the chlorogenic acid and luteolin were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than other polyphenols. Traditional Okinawan vegetable extracts suppressed histamine release from allergic cells, suggesting a new therapeutic approach for allergic diseases.
Mating Behavior and Sexual Receptivity of Sirex noctilio (Hymenoptera: Siricidae)

Abstract Sirex noctilio F. is a woodwasp that develops within stressed and dying pine trees, Pinus spp. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa but has spread to other continents and has become a pest of pine plantations in the Southern Hemisphere. In nature, adults live for <2 wk, during which time males form leks. We investigated environmental and biological conditions related to mating of these woodwasps. We hypothesized that temperature, light, and size ratio of the sexes (male:female) influence mating receptivity. A total of 71 12-min mating trials, with 10males and 1 female in each trial, were conducted in outdoor cages. As a precursor to mating, a male would approach a female from behind and touch her with his antennae and, if the female was receptive, mating proceeded. Sirex noctilio mated more often at higher temperatures, but the size ratio of sexes and degree of cloud cover did not influence female receptivity tomating. Females that mated oftenmated multiple times (2.6 ± 0.2, mean ± SE; range 1–7), and numbers ofmatings increased with increasing temperature and was greatest during the last 4-min of the 12-min trials.
Auxin is not asymmetrically distributed in initiating Arabidopsis leaves

It has been proposed that asymmetric auxin levels within initiating leaves help establish leaf polarity, based in part on observations of the DII auxin sensor. Here we show that the mDII control sensor also exhibits an asymmetry and that according to the ratio-metric auxin sensor R2D2, no obvious asymmetry in auxin exists. Together with other recent findings, our results argue against the importance of auxin asymmetry in establishing leaf polarity.
Mitochondrial DNA Evidence Reveals Genetic Difference between Perny's Long-Nosed Squirrels in Taiwan and Asian Mainland

Abstract. Taiwan Island is thought to have formed around 6.0 million years ago, but, the formation of a ‘proto-Taiwan’ began around 9.0 million years ago. During the late Miocene, the proto-Taiwan is thought to have been a part of the Asian mainland. During the Pleistocene, Taiwan Island was again occasionally connected with the Asian mainland. Several mammal species migrated from the Asian mainland to Taiwan during Pleistocene glacial periods. Despite the connections between Taiwan and the Asian mainland, Taiwan has some endemic mammal species. Recent genetic evidence suggests that arboreal squirrels (Petaurista alborufus, P. philippensis, Belomys pearsonii, and Tamiops maritimus) adapted to Taiwan's mountainous forests are endemic species. Since these squirrels may have similarly evolved from separate ancestral stock in Taiwan, we investigated the phylogenetic relationship of Perny's long-nosed squirrel (Dremomys pernyi) from Taiwan and the Asian mainland by using mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences. The Taiwanese form was distantly related to the mainland form, showing deep genetic difference (10.18–10.88%). Therefore, D. pernyi could include at least two distinct species, with the Taiwanese form being a species endemic to Taiwan.
Studies on Bacterial Pathogens in Some Marine Fishes in EL-Mansoura, Egypt

A total of 200 marine fish of two different species (100 Tilapia zillii and100 Mugil capito) were randomly collected from different markets, during different seasons. Fish subjected to clinical, postmortem and bacteriological studies. The common clinical signs were darkness of the skin, hemorrhage in the fins base, eyes and different parts of the body, abdominal distention, congestion in gills and increasing in mucous secretion. The Post Mortem findings showed white serous fluid in the abdominal cavity and sometimes tinged with blood and pale or congested liver, kidney and spleen. The bacteriological examination, revealed that the prevalence of bacterial pathogens among naturally infected marine fishes were A. hydrophila (52; 39.39%), V. alginolyticus (38; 28.79%), Ps. fluorescens (24; 18.18%), V. cholerae (10; 7.58%) and Ps. aeruginosa (8; 6.06%). The highest prevalence of bacterial infection was during summer (33.33%) followed by spring (24.42%), then autumn (21.97%), while the least prevalence was in the winter season (20.46%). A. hydrophila was highly pathogenic to T. zillii causing 100% mortality followed by V. alginolyticus causing (90%) mortality, then Ps. fluorescens (80%), Ps. aeruginosa (60%) while V. cholerae was non-pathogenic. The results of antibiogram revealed that ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid were effective against A. hydrophila, while ciprofloxacin and rifampicin were effective against Ps. fluorescens. Ciprofloxacin and amikacin were effective against Ps. aeruginosa. While V. alginolyticus was highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin. High prevalence of pathogenic and resistant bacterial strains among marine fishes in Egypt, requires strict control measures from the responsible authorities.
Genetic Diversity Analysis of Ash Gourd [Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.] Germplasm by Principal Components

A large number of cucurbitaceous species, which have not been exploited or are underexploited, have a great potential for contributing to nutritive food requirement. Among them, ash gourd (Benincasa hispida) is important (Pandey et al., 2015). Ash gourd is also known by a variety of names such as winter gourd, winter melon, white gourd, Chinese preserving melon, pith gourd, wax gourd, Chinese wax gourd, tallow gourd and Chinese water melon (Tindall, 1986; Pandey et al., 2015). International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 03 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Towards a trait‐based ecology of wetland vegetation

Functional traits mechanistically capture plant responses to environmental gradients as well as plant effects on ecosystem functioning. Yet most trait‐based theory stems from terrestrial systems and extension to other habitats can provide new insights. Wetlands differ from terrestrial systems in conditions (e.g. soil water saturation, anoxia, pH extremes), plant adaptations (e.g. aerenchyma, clonality, ubiquity of bryophytes) and important processes (e.g. denitrification, peat accumulation, methane emission). Wetland plant adaptations and trait (co‐)variation can be situated along major plant trait trade‐off axes (e.g. the resource economics spectrum), but soil saturation represents a complex stress gradient beyond a simple extension of commonly studied water availability gradients. Traits that affect ecosystem functioning overlap with patterns in terrestrial systems. But wetland‐specific traits that mediate plant effects on soil redox conditions, microbial communities and on water flow, as well as trait spectra of mosses, vary among wetland types. Synthesis. With increasing availability of quantitative plant traits a trait‐based ecology of wetlands is emerging, with the potential to advance process‐based understanding and prediction. We provide an interactive cause‐and‐effect framework that may guide research efforts to disentangle the multiple interacting processes involved in scaling from environmental conditions to ecosystem functioning via plant communities.
Environmental filtering limits functional diversity during succession in a seasonally wet tropical secondary forest

1School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA 2German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany 3Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research UFZ, Halle (Saale), Germany 4Smithsonian Institution Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Ancon, Panama 5Yale-NUS College, Singapore City, Singapore
Vertical structure of microbial community in eutrophic meromictic saline lake

Vertical variations of autotrophic picoplankton (cyanobacteria), heterotrophic bacteria, pigmented and non-pigmented nanoflagellates, bacterial activity, and their relationships with the vertical gradients of temperature, salinity and oxygen were studied in a small, intensely eutrophicated sea-lake Rogoznica (eastern Adriatic Sea) in April and May 2004. It was noted that vertical patterns of the microbial components of the lake food web were strongly influenced by the gradients of physical and chemical factors. The pattern of cyanobacterial vertical distribution tightly followed the distribution pattern of oxygen concentration. The variations of heterotrophic filamentous cells exhibited similar patterns to that of HNAN distribution, pointing to the ecological importance of the elongated cells. High values of heterotrophic bacteria numbers, as well as high numbers of flagellates were always found in the picnocline zone. Numbers of high DNA-content cells and the bacterial production coincided with the chemocline layer, where high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon were present. Bacterial community in the chemocline layer was represented by higher proportions of high DNA-content cells, but with a rather low bacterial production per cell. In the surface layers, bacteria were less abundant but had a very high production per cell.
Effects of curcumin and nanocurcumin on growth performance, blood gas indices and ascites mortalities of broiler chickens reared under normal and cold stress conditions

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of curcumin/nanocurcumin on performance, blood gases and ascites mortality in broiler chickens reared under normal and cold stress conditions. This experimental design was a split plot with 500 Ross 308 male chicks. Plots were two identical houses; each consisted of five diets (as sub-plots) with 5 replicates of 10 birds each. The diets were: (1) control; (2) control+ 200 mg/kg curcumin; (3) control+ 400 mg/kg curcumin; (4) control+ 200 mg/kg nanocurcumin; (5) control+ 400 mg/kg nanocurcumin. Birds in both houses reared under recommended temperatures until 14 d, when the temperature was dropped in one house from 28.5 to 13–15 °C and maintained at this level to induce ascites until 42 d. Whereas, in the second house the temperature was maintained according to the hybrid production guidelines. Weight gain was reduced and FCR was increased in birds reared under cold temperature compared to those in normal temperature condition. Cold stress increased blood pCO2, HTC and decreased pO2 and O2 saturation (p < .05) in birds at 42 d of age. Birds fed diets containing 200 mg/kg curcumin/nanocurcumin had higher weight gain compared to those fed control diet (p < .05). Moreover, supplementation of diets with curcumin/nanocurcumin alleviated the adverse effect of cold stress as reflected by a reduction in HTC and an increased O2 saturation at 42 d of age. It is concluded that the addition of curcumin/nanocurcumin to diet might be an effective feed additive to alleviate the adverse effect of cold stress on performance and ascites syndrome.
Functional analysis of polyketide synthases in the biocontrol fungus Clonosthachys rosea

Clonostachys rosea, a filamentous ascomycete, is a well-known biological control agent (BCA) against a wide range of plant pathogenic fungi. Genome sequencing revealed that C. rosea strain IK726 possess 32 genes encoding for polyketide synthases (PKS), which is significantly higher than the more studied biocontrol fungi Trichoderma. During our previous study, we showed a culture medium dependent antagonistic effect of C. rosea against plant pathogenic fungi Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium graminearum, and Rhizoctonia solani. Furthermore, we showed a positive correlation between pks gene expression and antagonism in C. rosea. The aim of the present study was to i) analyse the expression of pks genes in C. rosea under developmental stages and during C. rosea interaction with prey fungi; and ii) to characterize the biological function of one or few polyketide synthases in C. rosea by generating gene deletion mutants. The expression pattern of pks in C. rosea during pigmentation and during antagonistic interaction with plant pathogenic fungi B. cinerea and F. graminearum was investigated using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Our results showed that 19 pks in C. rosea were significantly induced during pigmentation compared to the non-pigmented control. Our result also showed induced expression of 18 pks during C. rosea and B. cinerea interaction (Cr-Bc) compared to C. rosea self-interaction (Cr-Cr) or C. rosea and F. graminearum interaction (Cr-Fg), and 7 pks during Cr-Fg compared to Cr-Cr or Cr-Bc. Phenotypic analyses of C. rosea wild-type (WT), pks22 and pks29 gene deletion mutants (Δpks22 and Δpks29) demonstrate that Δpks22 had a significant reduction (P ≤ 0.004) in mycelial growth rate in comparison to WT. However, no significant difference in antagonism against B. cinerea or F. graminearum between WT and Δpks22 was found. On the other hand, deletion of pks29 resulted in no significant difference in growth rate but reduction (P ≤ 0.011) in antagonistic ability against B. cinerea or F. graminearum in C. rosea. These data show that the PKS is important for normal growth and development, and antagonism in C. rosea.
Estimation of Vital Rates for the Hawaiian Gallinule, a Cryptic, Endangered Waterbird

Abstract Vital rates describe the demographic traits of organisms and are an essential resource for wildlife managers to assess local resource conditions and to set objectives for and evaluate management actions. Endangered waterbirds on the Hawaiian Islands have been managed intensively at state and federal refuges since the 1970s, but with little quantitative research on their life history. Information on the vital rates of these taxa is needed to assess the efficacy of different management strategies and to target parts of the life cycle that may be limiting their recovery. Here, we present the most comprehensive data to date on the vital rates (reproduction and survival) of the Hawaiian gallinule Gallinula galeata sandvicensis, a behaviorally cryptic, endangered subspecies of wetland bird endemic to the Hawaiian Islands that is now found only on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. We review unpublished reproduction data for 252 nests observed between 1979 and 2014 and assess a database of 1,620 sightings of 423 individ.
Multispecies assessment of core areas and connectivity of desert carnivores in central Iran

Central Iran is a priority area for biodiversity conservation, which is threatened by encroachment on core habitats and fragmentation by roads. The goal of this study was to identify core areas and connectivity corridors for a set of desert carnivores by predicting habitat suitability and calculating resistant kernel, factorial least‐cost path modelling and graph network indices.
Optimum age at first semen freezing in relation to fertility of Sahiwal breeding bulls

Early selection of bulls having optimum age at first semen freezing play an important role in improving reproductive performance in a dairy herd. Twenty seven years data (1987-2013) on age at first semen freezing (AAFSF), conception rate based on first A.I. (CRFAI) , overall conception rate (OCR) and birth weight (B.WT) of 41 Sahiwal bulls belonging to 8 sets of Sahiwal improvement programme at ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India; were adjusted against environmental effects and subsequently analysed. Simple and multiple regression models were used for prediction of CRFAI and OCR of Sahiwal bulls. Among the three developed models (I to III), it was observed that Model III having age at first semen freezing and birth weight fulfil the accuracy of model i.e.; having high coefficient of determination (R2) value (CRFAI = 67% and OCR= 69%), low mean error sum of square (MSSe), low conceptual predictive value (CP value) and low Bayesian information criterion (BIC). The results revealed that optimum age at first semen freezing of Sahiwal bulls should be 2.5 - 3.0 years for 3.10% higher conception rate based on first A.I. (48.86%) and 4.39% higher overall conception rate (48.78%) in comparison to Sahiwal bulls with more than 3.5 years of age (CRFAI :- 45.76% and OCR :- 44.39%).
Warming and elevated ozone differently modify needle anatomy of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)

Acclimation of conifer needle anatomy to climate change is poorly understood. We studied needle anatomy, shoot gas exchange, current-year shoot length, and stem diameter growth in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst. ) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings exposed to elevated ozone (1.35× to 1.5× ambient concentration) and elevated temperature (0.9–1.3 °C + ambient temperature) alone and in combination for two exposure seasons in two separate open-field experiments in central Finland. Pines grew also at two soil nitrogen levels. In spruce, warming increased mesophyll intercellular space and reduced gas exchange and shoot growth and made needles narrower and the epidermis and hypodermis thinner. In pine, warming made needles bigger, increased shoot and stem growth, stomatal row number, and proportions of vascular cylinder, phloem, and xylem and reduced the proportion of mesophyll. These responses indicate that pine benefited and spruce suffered from moderate warming. Ozone caused a thickening of .