Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Tourist Visits on the Behavior of Rousettus madagascariensis (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in the Caves of Ankarana, Northern Madagascar

Disturbance by tourists of bats in their day roosts represents a potential threat to the conservation of these mammals. We assessed the effect of experimental tourist visits on behavior of the Malagasy endemic Rousettus madagascariensis (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in the Ankarana National Park, northern Madagascar. We measured bat behavior, including time activity budgets, under two levels of experimental human visit proximity (far and near) and illumination (low and high). These visits caused an increase in bat flights and an increase in alertness in a frequently-visited colony with faint ambient daylight. The greatest response occurred for human approaches to 5–6 m that directly illuminated the bats and the least response occurred for approaches to 12–14 m that did not directly illuminate the bats. In an infrequently-visited colony with no ambient daylight, visits that remained 12–14 m away and did not illuminate the bats directly caused an increase in alert behavior and a decrease in bat grooming behavior. The difference in response between the colonies suggests that R. madagascariensis may demonstrate an attenuated response to some frequent human visits. Alternatively, colonies roosting with some ambient light may be less sensitive to disturbance from visits, and colonies with previous experience primarily with hunting visits may be more responsive to disturbance. Maintaining a minimum visit distance of 12 m and not illuminating the bats directly, as well as not opening other roost sites to tourism, is likely to help to limit disturbance of R. madagascariensis by tourists at Ankarana.
Evaluation of selected fig genotypes from South east Turkey

Turkey has great variations and distributions in wild fig forms as well as fig cultivars. This study was carried out in Mardin and anlýurfa provinces during 2004 - 2005. Nine fig genotypes were evaluated in this selection study for two years. In this study, some morphological characteristics investigated were tree growth habit, tree vigour, relative degree of branching, leaf shape and leaf margin dentation. Also, the characteristics of all the fig genotypes were identificated. 63-07-006 and 63-07-007 fig genotypes which had the highest scores in all the fig genotypes according to analysis in the weighted ranked method were evaluated to be best table fig genotypes. In pomological characteristics, fruit weight ranged between 71.77 g (47-02-003) and 43.29 g (63-07-005). Some other values were: 65.26 mm (47-02-003) and 46.99 mm (47-02-019) of width; 56.87 mm (47-02-003) and 38.23 mm (47-02-008) of length; 4.44 mm (63-07-007) and 3.58 mm (47-02-020) of ostiole width; 28.57% (47-02-012) and 16.87% (63-07-007) of total soluble solids (TSS) ratio were determined.
Roasted Full-Fat Soybeans in Starter, Grower, and Finisher Diets for Female Broiler Turkeys

Abstract A study was conducted to examine the growth performance and carcass composition of broiler turkeys fed graded levels of roasted soybeans processed by flame roasting. Roasted soybeans were incorporated as a partial replacement of soybean meal in starter (0 or 15% of the diet) and as a partial or complete replacement for soybean meal in grower and finisher diets (0:100, 33.3:66.6, 66.6:33.3, 100:0; roasted full-fat soybeans:soybean meal). At 21 d of age, the birds fed the starter diet with roasted soybeans ate more feed and were heavier than the controls, but feed conversion was similar. Feed consumption and feed conversion were not affected by ratio of roasted soybeans to soybean meal. However, birds fed the diet containing the 66.6:33.3 ratio were heavier than birds fed any other diet. At 84 d of age, carcass CP content of the birds fed roasted soybeans in the starter diet were similar to the control birds, whereas the carcass fat content was lower.
EFFECTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S REMOVAL ON SPACE USE AND BEHAVIOR IN TERRITORIAL NEIGHBORHOODS OF BROWN ANOLES (ANOLIS SAGREI)

I conducted experiments using naturally established neighborhoods of Anolis sagrei to examine interactions between neighboring territorial males. I observed the behavior of groups of lizards before and after the removal of one lizard from the group. I measured space use using x and y coordinates of a 20 × 20 m grid. Focal lizards moved farther from the former resident's activity area center following his removal from the territory. Both neighbors and non-neighbors took over the newly vacated territories, suggesting that some neighbors were able to gain space. The behavioral display patterns of focal lizards did not change following the removal. These data indicate that neighboring males may pose a significant threat to territorial residents by taking space and resources. Additionally, these data provide no evidence that removal of one resident causes general social instability that harms neighbors. These findings have theoretical implications for studies of the “dear enemy” phenomenon and other relationships that are based on social contexts found in territorial neighborhoods.
A HIERARCHICAL SPATIAL MODEL OF AVIAN ABUNDANCE WITH APPLICATION TO CERULEAN WARBLERS

Surveys collecting count data are the primary means by which abundance is indexed for birds. These counts are confounded, however, by nuisance effects including observer effects and spatial correlation between counts. Current methods poorly accom- modate both observer and spatial effects because modeling these spatially autocorrelated counts within a hierarchical framework is not practical using standard statistical approaches. We propose a Bayesian approach to this problem and provide as an example of its imple- mentation a spatial model of predicted abundance for the Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) in the Prairie-Hardwood Transition of the upper midwestern United States. We used an overdispersed Poisson regression with fixed and random effects, fitted by Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. We used 21 years of North American Breeding Bird Survey counts as the response in a loglinear function of explanatory variables describing habitat, spatial relatedness, year effects, and observer effects. The model included a conditional autoregressive term representing potential correlation between adjacent route counts. Cat- egories of explanatory habitat variables in the model included land cover composition and configuration, climate, terrain heterogeneity, and human influence. The inherent hierarchy in the model was from counts occurring, in part, as a function of observers within survey routes within years. We found that the percentage of forested wetlands, an index of wetness potential, and an interaction between mean annual precipitation and deciduous forest patch size best described Cerulean Warbler abundance. Based on a map of relative abundance derived from the posterior parameter estimates, we estimated that only 15% of the species' population occurred on federal land, necessitating active engagement of public landowners and state agencies in the conservation of the breeding habitat for this species. Models of this type can be applied to any data in which the response is counts, such as animal counts, activity (e.g., nest) counts, or species richness. The most noteworthy practical application of this spatial modeling approach is the ability to map relative species abundance. The functional relationships that we elucidated for the Cerulean Warbler provide a basis for the development of management programs and may serve to focus management and monitoring on areas and habitat variables important to Cerulean Warblers.
Correlação entre o California Mastitis Test (CMT) e a Contagem de Células Somáticas (CCS) do leite de búfalas Murrah

The objective of this trial was to investigate correlations among the California Mastitis Test, somatic cells count (SCC), and milk yield. Milk samples were collected from thirty-eight Murrah buffalo cows in the years of 2002 and 2003. Milking management included cleaning teats with individual paper towel followed by attachment of the milk units in cows that were milked once daily. The CMT was done immediately after teat cleaning and collected milk samples were sent to the laboratory for determination of SCC using a Somacount 300. Correlations including variables such as SCC, CMT, milk yield, and percentages of fat, protein, and total solids were done using SAEG (1997). Somatic cells count averaged 63.380 cells/mL while average milk production and milk production adjusted for 270 days were 4.07 ± 1.3 kg and 1214.25 ± 293.54 kg, respectively. No significant correlations between milk yield and SCC and milk yield and CMT were observed in this study. However, a positive and significant correlation (0.53) between SCC and CMT was found.
Is the pH drop profile curvilinear and either monophasic or polyphasic? Consequences on the ultimate bovine meat texture

In meat science, pH has always been considered as an important determinant of meat quality including juiciness and tenderness. Muscle acidification is generally believed to be a linear continuous and monophasic process. From examples provided in the literature, we showed that this was not the case and concluded that the pH profile is either exponential or sigmoidal but never linear. In addition these examples demonstrate that the profile is polyphasic. On this basis the pH drop profile was analysed in bovine Longissimus muscle from 100 animals of different age, gender and breed, a choice aiming at increasing the variability of the ultimate tenderness. The results clearly indicate that most if not all animals present one or two transient decreases in the rate of pH fall leading to the appearance of plateau-like discontinuities. These transient stability of the pH are always observed soon after death (<8-9h) and within a pH range of 6.2 to 6.8. In beef, ultimate toughness of Longissimus muscle from animals showing one pH stability step is significantly lower than that observed for animals showing two steps. Animals with one step further showed a lower initial rate of pH drop and a lower extent of pH fall. Animal age and sex affect tenderness which is higher for females and decreases with animal age. This relationship between the number of pH stability steps and the ultimate toughness of meat was confirmed using these other sources of variation in the ultimate quality of meat. Regarding the different groups of age, a significant and linear relationship was found between the ultimate meat toughness and the percentage of animals showing either one step or two steps (r = 0.92). Similarly, a significantly greater number of animals present one pH stability step in females than in males. Taken together, these results demonstrated that muscle from animals showing only one stability step will provide more tender meat irrespective of their breed, sex and age. The potential origins of the pH stability steps and their relationship with meat toughness were then discussed. Key words: pH, muscle, pH stability steps, meat toughness, cell death.
Molecular identification of 16SrI-A, 16SrI-B, 16SrI-C, and 16SrI-L subgroups of phytoplasmas in gramineous plants in Lithuania

Diseased plants of family Poaceae (Gramineae) were observed in cereal crop and forage feed plant fields in the Vilnius, K�° dainiai and Raseiniai regions of Lithuania. Disease symptoms included yellowing of leaves and spikes, general stunting, sterility and deformation of spikes, dwarfed spikes, and twisted awns, indicating possible phytoplasmal infections. A phytoplasmacharacteristic fragment of 16S rDNA was amplified from all the symptomatic plants that were tested in nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using phytoplasma-specific primers. RFLP analysis of the amplified 16S rDNA indicated that detected phytoplasmas infecting gramineous plants in Lithuania belong to several different subgroups in group 16SrI (aster yellows phytoplasma group): 16SrI-A (in Avena sativa); 16SrI-B (in A. sativa, Hordeum vulgare, Triticosecale and Bromopsis inermis); 16SrI- L (in A. sativa and Lolium multiflorum) and 16SrI-C (in Poa pratensis and Festuca arundinaceae).
Forecasting Taxes: New Evidence from Analysts

ABSTRACT: We provide new evidence about how analysts incorporate and improve on management ETR forecasts. Quarterly ETR reporting under the integral method provides mandatory point-estimate forecasts by management, but firms must record certain “discrete” tax items fully in the quarter in which they occur, polluting these forecasts. We investigate management ETR accuracy, analysts' decisions to mimic management's estimate, analysts' accuracy relative to each other or to management, and dispersion. Our comprehensive analysis reveals that analysts deviate from management more and are more accurate relative to management as complexity increases, with real effects on EPS accuracy and dispersion. In contrast to prior research that analysts ignore or are confused by taxes, we provide evidence that analysts pay attention to taxes and improve on management estimates. Based on our evidence that management's quarterly ETRs have less predictive value in the presence of discrete items, we suggest standard-setters ree.
Sources and Disseminations of Salmonella spp. in an Integrated Broiler Meat Production

In this study, important sources and disseminations of Salmonella in integrated broiler meat production was conducted in the north-eastern part of Thailand during 2010-2012. Both environmental samples and chicken-related samples from three broiler meat production cycles, starting from breeder farm, hatchery, broiler farm, and slaughterhouse were collected. The chicken-related samples were tested to monitor Salmonella status of the chickens, eggs, or whole carcasses, whereas the environmental samples were tested to investigate the possible sources of Salmonella contamination. A total of 1,449 chicken-related samples and 802 environmental samples were analyzed. Results of this study showed that Salmonella was found in all production units. Horizontal transmission was considered as the main route of Salmonella contamination in this integrated broiler production. No Salmonella contamination was found in any of the egg samples. Important sources of Salmonella during the broiler production were contaminated environment and equipment in hatchery, contaminated day-old chicks, feed, and pests especially house lizards. In addition, the main factors for Salmonella dissemination to the chicken carcasses were contaminated transport cages, transportation of broilers to slaughterhouse, and cross-contamination during the slaughter process. Therefore, effective top-to-down Salmonella controlling approach should be implemented; especially for sanitary programs, feed quality control, water treatment, pest management and HACCP plan in the slaughterhouse.
Checklist of the Crustacea (Cladocera, Ostracoda, Copepoda) fauna in the active floodplain area of the Danube (1843-1806, 1669 and 1437-1489 rkm)

A checklist of Crustacea containing 90 taxa from the main arm and the active floodplain of the River Danube is given. Nine Cladocera species (Anchistropus emarginatus, Daphnia ambigua, Holopedium gibberum, Monospilus dispar, Pleu- roxus uncinatus var. balatonicus, Pseudochydorus globosus, Scapholeberis rammneri, Wlassicsia pannonica) and two Copepoda species (Cyclops insignis, Cyclops scutifer) are new and rare species of the sampling area. The Ostracoda fauna of this region was nearly entirely undiscovered, 15 species were recorded. Among them Bradleycypris obliqua, Bradleystrandesia reticulata, Paracandona euplectella and Prionocypris zenkeri are rare species in Hungary.
Minimal Approximately Balancing Weights: Asymptotic Properties and Practical Considerations

In observational studies and sample surveys, and regression settings, weighting methods are widely used to adjust for or balance observed covariates. Recently, a few weighting methods have been proposed that focus on directly balancing the covariates while minimizing the dispersion of the weights. In this paper, we call this class of weights minimal approximately balancing weights (MABW); we study their asymptotic properties and address two practicalities. We show that, under standard technical conditions, MABW are consistent estimates of the true inverse probability weights; the resulting weighting estimator is consistent, asymptotically normal, and semiparametrically efficient. For applications, we present a finite sample oracle inequality showing that the loss incurred by balancing too many functions of the covariates is limited in MABW. We also provide an algorithm for choosing the degree of approximate balancing in MABW. Finally, we conclude with numerical results that suggest approximate balancing is preferable to exact balancing, especially when there is limited overlap in covariate distributions: the root mean squared error of the weighting estimator can be reduced by nearly a half.
Lessepsian fishes spreading along the coasts of the Mediterranean and the southern Aegean Sea of Turkey.

The taxonomy and biological characters of 22 Lessepsian fishes living on the coasts of the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean Sea were examined and 8 species were determined to have commercial importance. Of these, Upeneus moluccensis and Saurida undosquamis have become economic fishes of the Eastern Mediterranean trawl fisheries, having significant stocks. The species previously misidentified as Upeneus asymmetricus was determined to be Upeneus pori. It has been pointed out that new species can be added to the recorded ones by the consequent influx of Red Sea biota into the Levant.
Are age‐related variations in breeding performance greatest when food availability is limited?

Age-related improvements in reproductive performance in seabirds have been well documented, and may be explained by improvements in foraging efficiency or increased experience and reproductive effort with age. The interactive effects of parental age and food supply on reproductive performance, however, remain poorly understood. A widespread mass mortality of pilchards Sardinops sagax in southern Australian waters in 1998 provided a unique opportunity to investigate the effects of a sudden reduction in the availability of amajor prey species on Australasian gannets Morus serrator, an important local marine predator. Age-related differences in the breeding performance of gannets were evident in 1 year of reduced pilchard availability; when food was not limited, both young and experienced parents were equally capable of rearing chicks and had similar levels of breeding success. These data clearly demonstrate the interactive effects of parental age and food supply on breeding performance and suggest that such differences only become apparent when conditions become more stressful.
Mitochondrial DNA Evidence for a Distinct New World Group of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera:Aleyrodidae) Indigenous to Argentina and Bolivia, and Presence of the Old World B Biotype in Argentina

Abstract A study was undertaken to establish the diversity within the Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) species complex in Argentina using the mitochondria cytochrome oxidase I gene (mt COI) as a molecular marker. For one haplotype, common to cotton in the Santiago Province, biotic characters were evaluated, and included host range and life history traits: fecundity, generation time, intrinsic rate of increase, longevity, and rate of reproduction. To investigate genetic diversity, B. tabaci were collected from representative geographical locations and host plants in six provinces of Argentina. Also, B. tabaci found colonizing tomato plants in nearby Bolivia, which exhibited viruslike symptoms, were included in the study. We report, for the first time, the presence of the introduced ‘B’ biotype in Argentina, and present evidence for indigenous or ‘local’ B. tabaci haplotypes in both Argentina (ARG) and Bolivia (BOL), which collectively formed a distinctive, South American phylogeographic grouping of New World B. tabaci. Two closely related ARG haplotypes, ARG2/3 from Salta and Tucamán, and ARG1 from Santiago, shared 98.7% identity, whereas the Bolivian haplotype (BOL), their closet relative, shared 99.4% and 99.9% identity with ARG1 and ARG2/3, respectively. Mt COI sequences for collections identified as the ‘B’ biotype from Argentina (ARG4/5) shared 99.5–100% nt identity with the five ‘B’ biotype reference sequences and colonies established for ARG4 and ARG5 were capable of inducing silvering in Cucurbita spp. , confirming their identity as the B bioytpe. The closest relatives to the ARG/BOL haplotypes were members of the North/Central American clade of B. tabaci with which they shared 4.6 to 8.6% identity, indicating that the ARG and BOL B. tabaci are of New World origin. The latter range of divergence is similar to that estimated for the Old World B biotype and its closest relatives from the Mediterranean region, at 5.4 to 6.4%. Divergence estimates for Old World X Old World and New World X Old World phylogeographical clades were 14.6 to 16.2% and 14.4 to 17.4%, respectively, indicating that haplotypes in both eastern and western hemispheres exhibit substantial diversity from one another. Despite the somewhat more moderate interclade divergence for New World compared with Old World clades, the South American B. tabaci formed a distinctive New World clade, suggesting a common ancestry with other previously studied New World taxa, from which they are separated by geographical barriers. Life history traits for the cotton-associated B. tabaci haplotype (ARG1) were most similar to those previously reported for the polyphagous A biotype, AZA, from Arizona, and differed substantially with respect to the B biotype.
Effect of three different treatment levels of deltamethrin on the numbers of dung beetles in dung pats

The effect of 3 different treatment levels of the pyrethroid deltamethrin on the numbers of dung beetles (Families, Hydrophilidae, Scarabidae and Staphilinidae) were investigated. A known quantity of cow dung was thoroughly mixed with a premeasured quantity of deltamethrin that would give the required concentration. Dung was exposed in the field for 1 week, collected and washed out to determine the number of beetles. The three levels tested against the control were 0.01mg, 0.1 and 1mg of deltamethrin per litre of dung. The Hydrophilidae and Staphilinidae showed a significant difference from the control at the concentration level of 0.1 mg per litre of dung. The Scarabidae were the most sensitive to deltamethrin showing a significant difference to the control at the lowest dose of 0.01mg per litre. The research recommends that any treatment of livestock especially cattle with deltamethrin that results in dung contamination of 0.1 mg for Hydrophilidae and Staphilinidae, and 0.01 mg for Scarabidae should be reviewed where possible, particularly in those countries where pyrethroids are widely used.