Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The status of host fish populations and fish species richness in European freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) streams

1. The status of host fish populations and fish species richness was investigated at 36 sites of 20 extant freshwater pearl mussel populations, including the drainages of the Elbe, Danube, Rhine, Weser, Aulne, Kemijoki and Tuuloma in Germany, the Czech Republic, France and Finland, by carrying out comparative electrofishings. 2. Brown trout (Salmo trutta f. fario) were found to be the available host fish for pearl mussels in all except one of the streams investigated with mean densities of 2861 ha−1 (range 0–8710 ha−1) and a mean biomass of 119 kg ha−1 (range 0–478 kg ha−1). Streams that had been frequently stocked with brown trout had higher trout biomass and densities of host fish than natural populations, but trout stocking had no positive effect in two of the streams investigated. 3. Fish species richness ranged from 2 to 16 species per stream and showed a negative correlation with host fish biomass and host fish densities. Undisturbed oligotrophic pearl mussel headwater streams usually only yielded a low number of fish species. Habitat degradation can reduce competitiveness of specialized trout and result in an increased abundance of ubiquitous or atypical species. 4. A link between the lack of juvenile pearl mussels and a lack of suitable host fish was only rarely observed. Functional pearl mussel populations with relatively high numbers of juveniles had significantly lower densities and biomass of host fish than pearl mussel populations without recent recruitment. 5. This study suggests that 0+ host fish are not necessarily required to sustain functional pearl mussel populations. Low densities of host fish can be compensated by the higher glochidia carrying capacity of older host fish with limited previous contact with pearl mussel glochidia, by the long reproductive period of mussels, and by low mortality rates of juvenile mussels during their post-parasitic phase. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New records of free-living nematode species from Mount Ararat, Turkey, with SEM study of three remarkable species

This paper presents a study of free-living nematodes (excepting Dorylaimida) from Mount Ararat, Turkey. A total of 25 species are recorded, which belong to the orders Enoplida (one species), Triplonchida (2), Chromadorida (1), Monhysterida (2), Plectida (4) and Rhabditida (18). Nine of them are new for the Turkish fauna: Acrobeles andalusicus , A. ciliatus , Acrolobus longigubernaculum , Cervidellus vexilliger , Chiloplacus trilineatus , C. bisexualis , Panagrolaimus rigidus , Propanagrolaimus hygrophilus , and Teratocephalus terrestris. Three species, namely A. longigubernaculum , C. vexilliger and T. auriculatus , are re-described, including morphological and morphometrical data, and SEM study. The altitudinal distribution of the species is also provided.
Long-term effects of fertilizer on the botanical composition and soil seed population of a permanent grass sward

Results are presented after 14 and 19 years of the botanical composition and seed bank of moderately fertilized or unfertilized grazed paddocks. Agrostis capillaris, Festuca rubra and broad-leaved weeds contributed a larger proportion of the cover on unfertilized than on fertilized swards. In contrast Poa spp. , Holcus lanatus, Alopecurus pratensis and Lolium perenne were relatively more abundant on the fertilized than on the unfertilized swards. A. capillaris was the most plentiful grass in the seed bank of the unfertilized swards but Poa spp. (especially P. annua) in that of the fertilized swards. Some of the relationships between the seed bank and vegetative cover are discussed and the possibility of further increasing the contribution of L. perenne highlighted.
(CHIROPTERA: PHYLLOSTOMIDAE) BASED ON CYTOCHROME B SEQUENCE VARIATION

The Neotropical bat genus Chiroderma consists of five recognized species. This study uses DNA-sequence variation of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to infer the phylogenetic relationships within Chiroderma. Phylogenetic relationships deduced from these data by parsimony analyses resulted in the discovery of a single most-parsimonious tree with C. salvini diverging basal to the other four species of Chiroderma and sister-group relationships of C. villosum with C. improvisum and C. trinitatum with C. doriae. This is a relatively young group of species with approximate times of divergence ranging from 1.6 million years before present (mya) for the divergence of C. doriae from C. trinitatum to 4.6 mya for the divergence of C. salvini from the other four species of Chiroderma.
Production of Doubled Haploid Plants Through Colchicine Treatment of Anther-derived Haploid Calli in the Asiatic Hybrid Lily 'Connecticut King'

An effective method for producing doubled haploid plants of the Asiatic hybrid lily 'Connecticut King' was established with an in vitro colchicine treatment of haploid calli. With an increase in the concentration and duration of colchicine treatment for the haploid calli, both the survival rate and the shoot regeneration from the calli decreased, but the frequency of diploid cells in the callus increased. Treatments of 0.25 and 0.5 mM colchicine for 48 or 72 hrs induced doubled haploid cells and shoot differentiation from calli. Haploid and diploid plantlets were regenerated from colchicine-treated calli, and only haploid plantlets were formed in colchicine-free treatments. This result suggests that these diploid plantlets originated from doubled haploid cells. Double haploids developed bulblets with more scaly leaves with longer stomatal guard cells than did the haploid plantlets.
Changes in plant lipids during passage through the gut of Calanus

By means of capillary gas chromatography (GC) and capillary gas chromatography'mass spectrometry (GC/MS), the aliphatic hydrocarbons, fatty acids, fatty alcohols and 3ß-sterols were identified in saponified lipid extracts of the green alga, Dunaliella primolecta, the copepod, Calanus helgolandicus, and faecal pellets released by the animal when fed in the laboratory on the algal diet. Comparison of the lipid data for faecal pellets with those for the plant showed that marked changes to dietary lipids occur during passage through the gut of the copepod: (1) 17:2, 17:1, and 17:0 hydrocarbons are completely eliminated; (2) polyunsaturated fatty acids (e.g. 16:4 and 18:3) are significantly reduced relative to total fatty acids; (3) evidence of the conversion of phytol to dihydrophytol is observed; (4) C28 and C29 sterols with Δ and Δ nuclear unsaturation are selectively removed from the diet relative to Δ components. The Δ sterols are released unchanged as faecal lipids. Cholest-5-enol, absent from the original diet, is also released in the faecal pellets. These observations illuminate the fate of specific dietary lipids in Calanus and the contribution copepod faecal pellets can make to the overall lipid composition of bottom sediment in many marine environments.
The Birds of Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal

Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve lies in the southwest corner of Nepal. It has been listed as an important bird area and a number of bird studies have been conducted here. The reserve is an important refuge especially for many grassland birds, several of which are globally threatened. The high, total of 15 globally threatened and 13 near-threatened bird species occur in Sukla Phanta. Some of the bird species reach their world limit of distribution at Sukla Phanta. Of all the habitats found in Sukla Phanta, grassland is the most important. Conservation and management of grasslands that are sympathetic to bird populations are urgent at Sukla Phanta. Key words: Sarcogyps calvus, globally threatened birds, Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve, Nepal DOI: 10.3126/on.v7i1. 2554 Our Nature (2009) 7:56-81
Function of pair duets in the eastern whipbird: cooperative defense or sexual conflict?

Paired male and female eastern whipbirds, Psophodes olivaceus, sing precisely coordinated, male-led duets. Four broad explanations have been proposed for the function of duets: 1) cooperative resource defense, 2) prevention of partner usurpation, 3) defense of an individual's own position within the partnership, or 4) mate identification and localization. These 4 hypotheses make different predictions about how male and female residents should respond to simulated intrusion by other pairs or individuals. We compared the behavioral and vocal responses of 20 pairs of eastern whipbirds to simulated territorial intrusions by: 1) a solitary singing male, 2) a solitary singing female, and 3) a duetting pair. Males and females did not coordinate their approach to the playback speaker and showed sex-specific responses to playback. Males did not respond differently to duetting versus solo singing intruders. By contrast, females approached more closely during solo female song than during solo male song or duet playback. Females also produced specific vocalizations only in response to duet and solo female playback. Both sexes approached the speaker more closely and quickly during playback of same-sex solo songs than opposite-sex solo songs. Finally, females answered more of their mate's songs during simulated intrusion by a lone female than during simulated intrusion by a lone male. Our results suggest that duets in this species primarily function to allow females to defend their exclusive position in a partnership. Mate defense by females is unusual in birds but may be promoted in eastern whipbirds by a female-biased sex ratio and the need for exclusive access to male care. Thus, duets result from independent and conflicting strategies of mate and territory defense in males and females. Copyright 2007.
Screening of molecular markers for NPV resistance in Bombyx mori L. (Lep., Bombycidae)

Abstract: Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) is one of the important economic insects. Silkworm rearing and silk industry plays an important role in China, India and other developing countries. In the long history of sericultural practice, introduction of silkworm strains with high resistance to diseases has greatly improved cocoon and silk quality and productivity. However, current silkworm breeding is mainly based on traditional method that involves high input of time and labour. In order to increase the selection efficiency and accuracy for future silkworm breeding, it is necessary to establish a molecular marker‐assisted selection system. In our study, three silkworm near isogenic lines that had different resistance to nuclear polyhedrosis virus (NPV) were established by means of different hybridization methods. A total of 150 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) random primers were used to screen molecular markers. Among them, two molecular markers OPA‐18700 and OPY‐11400 were found linked to major genes resistant and susceptible to NPV, respectively. Validity of the molecular markers was proved in F2 populations.
Loss of fucoid algae along a gradient of urbanisation, and structure of benthic assemblages

Canopy-forming macroalgae of the genus Cystoseira are being lost in several areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta and C. compressa are common species in the Ligurian Sea; they are distributed in patches, but their abundance and distribution is locally vari- able. We investigated changes in relative cover, biomass and morphology of Cystoseira amentacea var. stricta and C. compressa with increasing urbanisation, and effects of the presence or absence of Cystoseira species on the composition and structure of understorey assemblages. C. amentacea var. stricta habitats were lost close to urban areas, while C. compressa slightly increased. The morpholog- ical characteristics of these 2 species were very variable in space and time, and did not vary with urbanisation. Assemblages lacking canopy differed markedly from Cystoseira-dominated assem- blages, particularly assemblages dominated by Corallina elongata, the species most responsive to changes in habitat structure and urbanisation, which forms dense turfs in urban habitats lacking canopies. Marked species-specific differences between the assemblages dominated by the 2 Cysto- seira species were detected. C. amentacea var. stricta is a key species maintaining habitat complex- ity and species diversity in Mediterranean rocky shores and we recommend additional conservation actions, such as habitat restoration by transplantation of this endangered species.
Evaluating the Genetic Diversity of Triticale with Wheat and Rye SSR Markers

Triticale (×Mticosecale Wittmack) is becoming increasingly important in agriculture and understanding its genetic diversity is essential for its continued improvement. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are highly polymorphic and widely used for genetic diversity studies. Previous genetic diversity studies using SSRs have focused on the European winter triticale gene pool. Our objective was to investigate the genetic diversity and relationships of 80 hexaploid triticale accessions representing a more global gene pool using 43 wheat (Triticum spp.) and 14 rye (Secale cereale L.) SSR markers. Two hundred forty-one alleles from 57 markers were detected with an average of 4.2 alleles per locus (ranged from 2 to 11 alleles per locus). The average gene diversity was 0.54 with a range of 0.07 to 0.86. Cluster analysis grouped the 80 accessions into five clusters that were generally consistent with the available pedigree information, country of origin, growth habit, and release year. Every larger cluster, however, included lines with unrelated pedigrees, different countries of origin, growth habit, and release year, which most likely is due to germplasm exchange among breeding programs. Genetic diversity estimates of the accessions evaluated with markers from different sources were similar (0.55 and 0.53 for wheat and rye, respectively), indicating that the wheat and rye markers detected similar genetic variability in the wheat and rye genomes of triticale.
Biology of Lutzomyia lenti (Mangabeira) (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Foi iniciada uma colonia de Lutzomyia lenti (Mangabeira) com femeas capturadas em galinheiro, em Betim, MG, utilizando-se armadilha luminosa. A colonia apresentou um ciclo medio de 40,2 dias de ovo a adulto a 26° - 28°C e a UR 80 ± 5%. As femeas alimentaram-se avidamente em hamster [Mesocriscetus auratus (Waterhouse)], com uma postura media de 36,1 ovos / femea, sendo relativamente facil de manter em laboratorio. Estudos preliminares de susceptibilidade sugerem que esta especie e refrataria a infeccao por Leishmania.
cdk5 modulates β‐ and δ‐catenin/Pin1 interactions in neuronal cells

The cdk5/p35 complex has been implicated in a variety of functions related to brain development, including axonal outgrown and neuronal migration. In this study, by co‐immunoprecipitation and pull‐down experiments, we have shown that the cdk5/p35 complex associates with and phosphorylates the neuronal δ‐catenin. Immunocytochemical studies of δ‐catenin and the cdk5‐activator p35 in primary cortical neurons indicated that these proteins co‐localize in the cell body of neuronal cells. In addition, cdk5 co‐localized with β‐catenin in the cell–cell contacts and plasma membrane of undifferentiated and differentiated N2A cells. In this context, we identified Ser191 and Ser246 on β‐catenin structure as specific phosphorylation sites for cdk5/p35 complex. Moreover, Pin1, a peptidyl–prolyl isomerase (PPIase) directly bound to both, β‐ and δ‐catenin, once they have been phosphorylated by the cdk5/p35 complex. Studies indicate that the cdk5/p35 protein kinase system is directly involved in the regulatory mechanisms of neuronal β‐ and δ‐catenin. J. Cell. Biochem. 100: 738–749, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aggressiveness of Phytophthora infestans on detached potato leaflets in four Nordic countries

Potato fields in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden were sampled for single-lesion isolates of Phytophthora infestans. The aggressiveness of the isolates was determined on detached leaflets of potato cvs Bintje (susceptible) and Matilda (moderately resistant). The aggressiveness tests were carried out in the respective home countries of the isolates, with the exception of the Danish isolates. Fifteen Danish isolates were studied in each of the other three countries, including five isolates tested in all three laboratories. Results obtained from the Danish isolates revealed substantial differences between the test laboratories for infection efficiency, lesion growth rate and sporulation capacity on detached leaflets. When the laboratory effect was taken into account, the differences in aggressiveness between the countries were generally small or inconsistent between the test cultivars and epidemiologically insignificant. By contrast, variation among isolates within countries was substantial. The magnitude of the variation depended on country and cultivar. Maximal variation for the means of the isolates was between 89 and 185 h for latent period, between 100 and 1297 sporangia mm−2 for sporulation capacity and between nearly zero and 6 mm day−1 for lesion growth rate. Typically less than 1% of sporangia were able to cause infections, except in Norway. These extraordinarily low values may be an artefact of the testing method. High variation in results between the test laboratories emphasizes the need for caution when comparing results obtained by different research groups.
Mixed-Stock Analysis of Yukon River Chum Salmon: Application and Validation in a Complex Fishery

Abstract Yukon River chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta are managed under the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST), which requires conservation and equitable sharing of this fishery resource by the USA and Canada. Fall chum salmon are of special concern because they spawn in both the United States and Canada, and the focus of the PST is on Canadian-origin salmon. Yukon River chum salmon were assayed for genetic variation at 22 microsatellite loci to establish a baseline for mixed-stock analysis (MSA) applications to assist in addressing conservation and allocation issues. The baseline has been applied yearly to estimate the stock composition of Yukon River fall chum salmon from samples collected in the Pilot Station test fishery. Accuracies in MSA simulations for 12 of 14 management regions exceeded 90%, with a range of 80–98%, for the 12 most informative loci. Stock composition estimates were within 10% of the actual proportions in a known-origin mixture analysis. Stock-specific abundance estimates, which were derived.
Cloning of Mouse 20α-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase cDNA and Its mRNA Localization during Pregnancy

20α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20α-HSD) converts progesterone to a biologically inactive steroid, 20α-dihydroprogesterone. To examine a potential role of 20α-HSD in tissues other than corpus luteum (CL) during pregnancy, mouse 20α-HSD cDNA was cloned and was used for the examination of its mRNA localization in the conceptus and uterus at different stages of gestation. Using probes based on the rat sequence, mouse 20α-HSD cDNA clone was isolated from a cDNA library prepared from ovaries of day 12 pseudopregnant mice. The mouse 20α-HSD cDNA was 1193 bp in length and encoded 323 amino acids with an estimated molecular weight of 37 kD. The mouse 20α-HSD was homologous to the rat 20α-HSD in nucleotide and amino acid sequences (both in 93% homology), and to other members of aldo-keto reductase superfamily at the cofactor (NADP(H)) binding site. By in situ hybridization, 20α-HSD mRNA was localized in endometrial epithelial cells on days 10, 15 and 18 of pregnancy, maternal placental endothelial cells on day 10, and fetal epidermal cells on day 15. During pseudopregnancy as well as early pregnancy, however, 20α-HSD mRNA was not detected in endometrial cells. Together, 20α-HSD mRNA was localized in cells that surround fetuses during the mid and late stages of gestation.
Mid-Sagittal Plain Detection and Correction Based Wavelet Transfrom and Principle Component Analysis

— The Mid-Sagittal Plain (MSP) of Brain is an important initial step in brain image analysis because of providing an initial estimation for the brain, pathology assessment and tumor detection. The human brain is divided into two hemispheres and these hemispheres are approximately bilateral symmetry around the MSP, that’s mean that most of structures in one side of the brain have a counterpart on the other side with similar shape and location. This paper presents a technique for detecting and correcting the MSP of brain from magnetic resonance images (MRI) by using Principle component analysis (PCA) method that computes the distinctive principle axes that are orthogonal to each other, and determine the orientation of the patient’s head instead of depending on measuring symmetry to identify the MSP of brain.
Investigating the Flow Hydrodynamics in a Compound Channel with Layered Vegetated Floodplains

In natural rivers, vegetation grows on floodplains, generating complex velocity field within the compound channel. The efficient modelling of the flow hydraulics in a compound channel with vegetated floodplains is necessary to understand and determine the natural processes in rivers and streams. As the three dimensional (3D) flow features are difficult to capture through experimental investigation; therefore, the present numerical study was carried out to investigate the complex 3D flow structures with the vertically layered vegetation placed over the floodplains in a symmetric trapezoidal compound channel. The simulations were conducted using a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code FLUENT, whereas a Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) technique based on Reynolds stress model (RSM) was implemented for turbulence closure. The numerical model successfully replicated the flow behavior and showed a good agreement with the experimental data. The present study concluded the presence of quite-S shaped velocity profile in the layered vegetated floodplains when the short vegetation was submerged during high flows or floods, whereas the velocity profile was uniform or almost logarithmic during low floods or when both short and tall vegetation remained emergent. The lateral exchange of mass and momentum was promoted due to the flow separation and instability along the junction of the floodplains and main channel. The flow velocities were significantly reduced in the floodplains due to resistance offered by the vegetation, which consequently resulted in an increased percentage i.e. 67-73%, of passing discharge through the main channel. In general, the spatial distribution of mean flow and turbulence characteristics was considerably affected near the floodplain and main channel interfaces. Moreover, this study indicated a positive flow response for the sediment deposition as well as for the nourishment of the aquatic organisms in the riparian environment.