Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bird abundance and diversity along an urban-rural gradient : A comparative study between two cities on different continents

We compared the avifauna in two cities, Quebec (Canada) and Rennes (France), in order to define general responses of wildlife in an urban ecosystem. These cities have a similar urban structure that permits investigation along an urbanization gradient from downtown to rural residential areas. However, they are in opposite temperate climate and imbedded in a forested and an agricultural landscape, respectively. Plots ranging from 10 to 20 ha were surveyed in winter and spring by recording all birds seen or heard. Most plots could be located along a gradient according to proportions of vegetated open space. Both the Shannon-Wiener and Simpson indices of diversity indicated a pattern of increasing diversity from most to least urbanized areas in spring. Winter species diversity and richness was low in Quebec compared to Rennes, reflecting the much harsher winter conditions in Quebec. Breeding densities of House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were quite similar in Quebec and Rennes, as were densities of European Blackbirds (Turdus merula) and its ecological equivalent in Quebec, the American Robin (Turdus migratorius). The type of surrounding landscape can not explain the variation of species numbers within the city. If we examine the urban environment as a new ecological system rather than a degraded environment, we can regroup birds in two major species groups: the omnivorous species adapted to the urban environment and its particular food resources such as garbage and the species that find, in the urban environment, resources which they normally exploit in their usual habitat.
Performance of Broilers Fed on High or Low Fibre Diets Supplemented with Digestive Enzymes

Abstract Swain, B.K. , Johri, T.S. , Shrivastav, A.K and Majumdar, S. 1996. Performance of broilers fed on high or low fibre diets supplemented with digestive enzymes. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 10: 95–102. A study was conducted with broilers to find out the effect of supplementation of digestive enzymes (0.0, 1.0, 1.5 kg, 1 g = amylase—7,500 units, cellulose—400 units, pectinase—200 units, protease—1000 units and lipase—300 units) to low and high fibre diets having autoclaved or unautoclaved ricebran, wheatbran and sunflower cake on their performance in a 4x3 factorial experiment. Maximum growth and best feed efficiency was observed when LF diet with autoclaved RB was supplemented with 1.5 g enzyme feed supplement. Similarly, addition of 1.0 and 1.5 g enzyme feed supplement in HF diet containing autoclaved RB, WB and SC supported significantly higher growth and better feed efficiency. Addition of enzyme feed supplement caused increase in ME contents of diets and reduction in the retention of fat (P>0.05). Supple.
Ageing in Developing Societies: Issues and Challenges

Ageing has emerged as a major challenge in several developing societies. With falling fertility rates and increasing longevity as its main drivers, it is expected that by 2050, one in five people of the developing countries will be over 60 years of age. It is argued that on account of this, such societies would further encounter an increased demand for medical treatment, long-term care, financial and emotional support. They also are likely to face an enormous psychological burden. In the context of ageing, the article highlights some of the key issues and challenges encountered by the developing societies. Urbanisation, changing family structure and drifting intergenerational relationships are seen as factors that have led to a multitude of psychological problems like social isolation, loneliness, abuse and discrimination and depression in older adults. The article argues in support of health and other social protective measures and calls for the need to recognise the strengths of older adults with a view to integrate them into the mainstream.
Field investigation of wind–rain induced pressure on a low-rise building during Typhoon Haikui

Due to the strike of wind-blown raindrops, the pressure caused by wind and rain on building facades is different from the action of wind-only. The wind–rain induced pressure during Typhoon Haikui (2012) was collected at three taps on the windward side of Tongji University experimental building which was located near the coast of East China Sea. The observed data during the storm was compared with both the data of normal wind events without rains and wind tunnel test. The results show that the presence of driving rains intensifies the wind effects acting on the windward side of the building. More specifically, the mean wind–rain induced pressure coefficients at the three locations of the experimental building are larger than those collected from the strong wind-only events and the wind tunnel test when the wind direction ranges from 110° to 130°. It was also found that the mean wind–rain induced pressure coefficients at each tap increase in magnitude with rainfall intensity and the distance between the pressure tap and the wall corner. Similarly, the fluctuating wind–rain induced pressure coefficients are larger in comparison to the wind-only pressure coefficients from the full-scale measurement and wind tunnel test. However, the coefficients decrease with the distance from the wall corner in the case of 80°–140° wind directions. In addition, it was found that Gamma distribution is a robust model to represent the probability distribution of the wind–rain induced pressure coefficients. High quality of pressure correlation was observed among three taps, regardless of the rainfall intensity. By contrast, the presence of driving rains slightly reduces the correlation of wind–rain induced pressure.
Light at the museum – A near impossible result

The monitoring and quantification of the illegal harvest of protected animal products is very vital for the conservation and protection of endangered species. Most of the methods and techniques used in the trade of these products are recognised to be incredibly time consuming and labour intensive requiring significant analyst expertise. In this study, we have demonstrated the potential of near-infrared spectroscopy combined with either principal component analysis or partial least square discriminant analysis regression as a rapid and non-invasive tool to classify horn and ivory samples stored in the Australian Museum, Sydney. This study has also demonstrated the attractiveness of the near-infrared technique as a screening tool that could revolutionise the tracking and identification of contraband materials produced from horn and ivory biomaterials.
Assessment of Lifestyle Experiences across Lifespan and Cognitive Ageing in the Indian Context

With rising numbers of elderly and dementia in developing societies, there is a need to understand factors protective against dementia. Evidence suggests that lifetime cognitive activities including education, occupation, and complex leisure activities contribute to cognitive reserve. However, these factors are understudied in India. This paper describes the validation of the Lifetime of Experiences Questionnaire (LEQ), a comprehensive measure of complex lifetime activities, to the Indian cultural context. It also examines the relationship between lifetime experiences and cognition among 52 healthy elderly and 30 dementia patients. High inter-rater (κ=0.923, p < 0.001), test-retest (ρ: 0.905 to 0.986) reliability, and internal consistency were found for LEQ-total (0.992) and sub-scores. Literate dementia patients (25) scored significantly lower mid-life (27.5 vs. 23.3), late-life (28.5 vs. 22.5) and total LEQ (83.5 vs. 20.9) scores than literate healthy group (37). LEQ scores positively correlated with global cognition, and domains of attention and memory on the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination, in healthy and dementia groups. Moreover, LEQ scores correlated positively with age at onset of dementia and negatively with clinical dementia rating (CDR) scores. Our study demonstrates that lifetime activities, especially mid-life experiences, play a protective role in development of late-life dementia, and need to be advocated to preserve late-life cognition.
Population Ecology of the Lizard Japalura swinhonis formosensis (Sauria: Agamidae) in Taiwan

The population ecology ofJapalura swinhonisformosensis in Taiwan was studied by capture-recapture method from February 1979 to April 1980. The characteristic growth rate of the male lizards is 0.005 mm per day. Male hatchlings of early clutches require 142 days to reach their mature snout-vent length (SVL), those of late clutches 262 days. The characteristic growth rate of the female lizards is 0.004 mm per day. Female hatchlings require 347 days to reach adult size. Growth rates after the third year for both sexes practically cease. Mean home range size of males is 33.47 m2 and is not significantly different between the breeding and non-breeding season. Few home ranges of males overlap. Only large adult males over 73 mm SVL establish territories. Male lizards appear to carry out rout defense concurrently with normal feeding as well as specific site defense. Mean home range size of females is 11.46 m2. Most of the home ranges of females are entirely or partially within those of males. The mating system appears to be polygynous. Monthly population size and survivorship of adult lizards are fairly stable. Mean population sizes of adult males and females are 210.3 and 224.7 lizards per hectare, respectively. Survivorship of males and females is 82.3% and 82.5%, respectively. On the average, second year adult males make up 48.4% of the total male individuals, the third year adult males, 39.0%, and fourth year adult males, 4.1%. Second year adult females make up 28.8% of the total female individuals, third year adult females, 47.1%, and fourth year adult females, 13.4%. Sex ratios indicate that males predominate over females in the first two years, and the opposite is true for third and fourth year individuals. Males and females utilize the habitat horizontally but at different heights; the same is true of the different SVL classes of males. This habitat partitioning results not so much from specialization for food resources, as from the social interactions among males. Perch diameter does not appear to play any significant ecological role.
Hematological Values in Sheep Fed a Diet Containing Black Cumin (Nigella sativa) Seed Oil

The aim of this study was to investigate changes in hematological values after feeding diet mixed with oil pressed from seeds of Nigella sativa in sheep. The results indicated that there was no effect on the total Red Blood Cells (RBCs) count due to treatment when compared to the control group, but the treated group showed significant (P≤0.05) increase in the total RBCs count after six weeks compared to the transient decrease at week two. Hemoglobin concentration showed similar pattern to what was observed in the RBC count in both the treated and control groups. Packed Cells Volume (PCV), Mean Carpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Carpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) and Mean Carpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) weren’t affected by feeding N. sativa oil to sheep throughout the experiment. However, there were significantly (p≤ 0.05) lower values in total mean of White Blood Cells (WBCs), lymphocytes and granulocytes of the treated group compared to the control. The levels of White Blood Cells in the treated group were not time dependent. The Monocytes total mean was similar in both groups but the cells were significantly (P≤0.05) lower in the N. sativa oil treated group compared to the control at week four. The hematological changes could be due to N. sativa volatile oils incorporated Original Research Article International Journal of Biochemistry Research & Review, 4(2): 128-140, 2014 129 to in the sheep diet. Conclusion: The results revealed that RBCs, Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH and MCHC for treated group are similar to control group but there are significantly increasing in RBCs and HB in 6 week. While WBCs, lymphocytes and granulocytes for treated group are significantly lower than the control group.
Pathogenicity of Fungal Isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metchnikoff) and Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) against Aphids Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus) and Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker)

The pathogenicity of six isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. and 14 isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorok were tested against Metopolophium dirhodum (Wlk.) and Rhopalosiphum padi (Linn,) in the laboratory. The most virulent isolates against both species were M. anisopliae isolates icipe 84, icipe 23 and icipe 51 which caused mortalities ranging from 84 -90%, within 4.6 – 5.3 days (LT50) and 90% mortality within 6.3 – 6.9 days (LT90). Beauveria bassiana isolates NKOM and icipe 273 and M. anisopliae isolates ICIPE 62 and ICIPE 69 were least pathogenic and had an LT50 value of between 6.3 - 6.9 and took up to 9.3 days to reach LT90. In R. padi, isolate icipe 51 caused 50 and 90 percent mortality at the lowest concentration of 2.42 x 105 and 5.00 x 106 spores ml-1 respectively. There was no significant difference in the LC50 values for M. dirhodum and they ranged from 2.48 – 2.67 x 105 spores ml-1. Isolate icipe 51 registered the least LC90 of 5.33 x 106 spores ml-1 which compared significantly with the highest LC90 of 2.16 x 107 spores ml-1 of isolate icipe 84. Screening results and dose-mortality responses suggest that M. anisopliae isolate icipe 51 could be a good candidate for a fungus-based biopesticide for Rhopalosiphum padi and Metopolophium dirhodum management on wheat. Key words: Entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana , Metarhizium anisopliae, Metopolophium dirhodum and Rhopalosiphum padi
Effects of lactate on force production by mouse EDL muscle: implications for the development of fatigue

Numerous studies suggest that the accumulation of lactate during exercise contributes to the fatigue process. This notion is based on close negative correlations between force and intracellular muscle lactate concentrations during fatigue and recovery. In this investigation, we attempted to determine if lactate directly affects muscle force output. This was accomplished by incubating mouse extensor digitorum longus muscles in extracellular concentrations of 10, 20, 30 and 50 mM L-(+)-lactate at 21 and 37°C and monitoring force output. At 21°C, 30 and 50 mM, extracellular lactate significantly reduced tetanic force (Po, 250 ms, 100 Hz) to 95 and 93% of initial, respectively. In addition, the rate of force development (+dP/dt) was reduced to 93 and 89% of initial. At 37°C, the effects of extracellular lactate were augmented as Po was reduced to 73 and 62% of initial and +dP/dt was reduced to 55 and 44% of initial at 30 and 50 mM, respectively. We next sought to determine if the reduction in Po was due to al.
Predicting Agrilus anxius Gory (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Adult Emergence by Heat Unit Accumulation

Adult emergence of bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius Gory, was monitored from 1981 through 1983 in Columbus and Wooster, Ohio. In both locations, emergence began in late May or early June and ended by early July. The best linear regression models for predicting 10% adult emergence were a base temperature of 8°C and a 1 May starting date for Columbus, and a base temperature of 10°C and 1 April starting date for Wooster. A mean degree-day summation model was an even more precise predictor of beetle emergence. Both prediction methods should be more reliable for targeting dates to apply sprays than calendar dates.
Interference competition at low competitor densities in blackbirds Turdus merula

1. Interference competition in a wild population of European blackbirds was examined by comparing the feeding rates of individual birds feeding alone and with the addition of a competitor within small, experimental feeding patches. 2. Blackbirds showed type II functional responses. There was a highly significant decrease in feeding rate on addition of a competing individual to a patch: average declines in feeding rates of an individual on addition of a competitor, where nearest neighbour distance was always less than about 5m, were between 16% and 43% of the feeding rate of a lone individual. 3. The decline in feeding rate was similar whether the individuals interacted aggressively or apparently ignored each other during feeding. When patch size was doubled, the effects on feeding rate of adding a single competitor remained similar. The high levels of interference recorded may therefore have been mainly a consequence of active rather than passive interference competition. 4. The results suggest that the costs to an individual blackbird of monitoring other individuals within a group in order to avoid interactions may be sufficiently high to counter any benefits of group feeding, such as vigilance benefits.
Ecological Distribution in Anoline Lizards of Puerto Rico

The eight species of lizards of the genus Anolis in Puerto Rico can be divided into four morphological similarities. One, Anolis curvieri, is very different from the rest and has not been discussed here. The other seven species fall into three groups. Each of these groups occupies a different structural habitat which can be defined in terms of perch height and perch diameter. Within each of these three groups the species have very similar but not indential structural habitats but differ very widely in climatic habitat defined in terms of shade. Shade preferences seem to result from the temperature preferences of the species involved. In each group there is one species with high shade preference which is essentially restricted to the mountains. Each group also has a species with a lower shade preference which occurs in the lowlands and extends up into the mountains in exposed or sunny situations. One of the three groups has an additional species which is restricted to the hot and southwest corner of Puerto Rico. When one compares the temperature preferences or eccritic temperatures of the various species, one finds in each group that the highland species has a lower eccritic temperature than does the lowland species. There is little temperature difference between the lowland species and arid southwest species in the group where this additional third species is present. The species within each structural habitat show many morphological similarities which may be the result of their being closely related or may be the result of adaptation to similar environments. The differences in microhabitat between the Puerto Rican anoles separate them spatially though not completely. In species occupying different structural habitats in the same area the overlap may involve part of the home range of most of the individuals in the area. In species occupying the same structural but different climatic habitats the overlap may involve all of the home range of some individuals but of only a small fraction of the individuals in the total population. The spatial separation among Puerto Rican Anolis can be suggested to be of ecological significance because it reduces interspecific competition and because it allows the various species to adapt more precisely to different parts of the available habitat. Thus members of a genus may exploit the habitat more efficiently.
Structural analysis of social behavior (SASB): Circumplex analyses and structural relations with the interpersonal circle and the five-factor model of personality.

The circumplexity of Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASB) and the interpersonal circle (IPC) were evaluated in a large adult sample. SASB exhibits elliptical structure, whereas multiple measures of the IPC exhibit circumplex structure. SASB results were replicated in a sample of psychiatric inpatients. Structural relations between the IPC and SASB indicate one common dimension (affiliation). Structural relations between SASB and the five-factor model (FFM) of personality indicate SASB has both convergent relations with all FFM dimensions and unique aspects of personality description captured by the autonomy dimension. SASB introject is related to Neuroticism and Conscientiousness. Autonomy-taki ng is related to Openness. Autonomy-granting was unrelated to the IPC or FFM. Integration of SASB, IPC, and FFM models identifies new dimensions of personality description and articulates the interpersonal influence of "noninterpers onal" traits.
Seasonal patterns of starch and sugar accumulation in herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.)

Summary Peonies are popular garden plants and have been grown for their attractive flowers for many years. Peonies grown for cut flower production are generally derived from the herbaceous species Paeonia lactiflora Pall. As this plant is deciduous and Winter dormant, the carbon required for the initial flush of growth in Spring can only be supplied from reserves stored in the roots. We are interested in the dynamics of carbon supply and demand in peony plants. Consequently, the aim of this paper was to identify and quantify the non-structural carbohydrates found in peony plants, and to describe their seasonal dynamics in relation to overall plant growth and development. The major sugars detected in peony plants, in order of decreasing concentration, were: fructose, glucose, sucrose and myo-inositol. The main storage carbohydrate was starch. Starch accumulated in flower buds throughout their development, to a maximum concentration immediately before flower opening (approx. 54 d after shoot emergence) and declined during flower opening. Starch concentrations in the roots declined with the resumption of growth in Spring, but began increasing again within 45 d of shoot emergence, and continued to increase throughout flowering until mid-Summer, when they again declined with the onset of cooler temperatures. The ability to grow quickly and to flower, while simultaneously accumulating starch reserves in the roots, may provide a significant adaptive advantage for peonies, allowing them to survive the vagaries of climate and herbivory, particularly in environments with short growing seasons. This may explain, in part, why the genus Paeonia is geographically so widespread.
Edaphic factors affecting the toxicity and accumulation of arsenate in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris

The toxicity and accumulation of arsenate was determined in the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris in soil from different layers of a forest profile. Toxicity increased fourfold between 2 and 10 d. Edaphic factors (pH, soil organic matter, and depth in soil profile) also affected toxicity with a three fold decrease in the concentration that causes 50% mortality with increasing depth in soil (from 0–70 mm to 500–700 mm). In a 4‐d exposure study, there was no evidence of arsenic bioconcentration in earthworm tissue, although bioaccumulation was occurring. There was a considerable difference in tissue residues between living and dead earthworms, with dead worms having higher concentrations. This difference was dependent on both soil arsenate concentration and on soil type. Over a wide range of soil arsenate concentrations, earthworm arsenic residues are homeostatically maintained in living worms, but this homeostasis breaks down during death. Alternatively, equilibration with soil residues may occur via accumulation after death. In long‐term accumulation studies in soils dosed with a sublethal arsenate concentration (40 μg/g dry weight), bioconcentration of arsenate did not occur until day 12, after which earthworm concentrations rose steadily above the soil concentration, with residues in worms three fold higher than soil concentrations by the termination of the study (23 d). This bioconcentration only occurred in depurated worms over the time period of the study. Initially, depurated worms had lower arsenic concentrations than undepurated until tissue concentrations were equivalent to the soil concentration. Once tissue concentration was greater than soil concentration, depurated worms had higher arsenic residues than undepurated.