Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lethal effects of the detergent, Elephant Blue® on the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

Lethal Effects of detergent (Elephant Blue® Detergent) on Oreochromis niloticus was investigated using the continuous flow toxicant auto-delivery system. The 96h LC50 was determined as 9.77 mg.L-1. Behavioural pattern before death, peculiar ventilation rates and pectoral fin beats as well as visual examination of dead fish indicate lethal effects of detergent on the fish. Water quality examination showed increase in dissolved oxygen content, from 6.50 mg.L-1 in the control tank to 8.30 mg.L-1 in the tank containing 120 mg.L-1 detergent. There was also a drastic shift of pH from slight acidity of 6.30 to the alkaline death point of 10.75. Key words : Detergent powder, Oreochromis niloticus, toxicology Journal of Aquatic Sciences Vol.17(2) 2002: 95-98
TRANSITION TO A LAND FLORA: A CRITIQUE

use professional channels to help your colleagues whenever possible. in short, emphasize similarities between groups. Does it matter? Yes, very much. Successful lineages are those which remain diverse and vigorous, and become dominant as they bring in young and previously uncommitted researchers. My hope (and prediction) is that Hennigian phylogenetic systematics will not go extinct or fragment, but rather become the dominant systematic framework for evolutionary biology over the next decade. Sociology is of the essence. The whole situation regarding a possible split within cladistics reminds me of the old Henny Youngman joke. A man walks into the doctor’s office and tells him “DOC, it hurts everytime I do this” (while holding his arm up behind his back). The doctor says “Well then don’t do that! ” A better ending to this presentation could not be found: if it hurts, don’t do it.
The Ecological Implications of Body Size

Preface 1. A philosophical introduction 2. A mathematical primer: logarithms, power curves, and correlations 3. Metabolism 4. Physiological correlates of size 5. Temperature and metabolic rate 6. Locomotion 7. Ingestion 8. Production: growth and reproduction 9. Mass flow 10. Animal abundance 11. Other allometric relations 12. Allometric simulation models 13. Explanations 14. Prospectus Appendixes References Index.
Exploring Population Dynamics Patterns in a Rare Fish, Zingel asper, through Capture‐Mark‐Recapture Methods

Abstract: We performed a capture‐mark‐recapture study on one of the last populations of Zingel asper, an endemic percid species of the Rhône River basin in France. The distribution of Z. asper has decreased dramatically during the last century. We sampled three sites in suitable habitats in the Beaume River. No impact of individual tagging on survival was found. The demography of the population was analyzed using capture‐recapture methods that allow the estimation of survival, recruitment, and demographic growth rates. Annual survival rates were low (0.35–0.50). The level of transience was high (5% to 25%), suggesting that a significant number of individuals were highly mobile or shifted to suboptimal habitats. Seniority rates suggested random highly variable recruitment between years. The three sites had similar variation patterns in all demographic parameters, indicating broad spatial covariation in population dynamics. We found some local differences in demographic parameters, which could be linked to local habitat quality. Individual tagging allowed for the estimation of demographic parameters that improved our understanding of Z. asper population dynamics and revealed mechanisms that may affect population persistence, such as stochastic recruitment, low survival, and frequent dispersal. The fragmentation of habitat through river damming inhibits dispersal and represents a threat to the persistence of Z. asper in the Rhône basin. Our results offer evidence of the importance of dispersal in nonmigratory fishes and confirm the usefulness of individual tagging methods in rare fish demography.
Moisture Redistribution and Phase Transitions During Bread Staling

ABSTRACT Standard white breads were stored with or without crust at 25°C in hermetic pouches. During two weeks of storage, the crumb moisture content and water activity (aw) decreased significantly when stored with crust. When stored without crust, moisture content and aw remained relatively unchanged. The causes of the initial firming of both breads over zero to seven days were not conclusive. But when stored beyond seven days, bread stored with crust was significantly firmer in texture and higher in amylopectin recrystallization than bread stored without crust. Moisture redistribution from crumb to crust played a significant role. This was accompanied by a decrease in freezable water in the bread crumb stored with crust. This loss in freezable water coincided with changes in the thermomechanical profile only in the case of sample stored with crust intact (and with a significant total and freezable water loss). Bread crumb stored without crust did not change in total and freezable water and showed less c.
Optimisation of hot mix asphalt performance based on aggregate selection

Researchers over the last four decades have identified and demonstrated the effects of aggregate morphological properties (particularly shape, size distribution, angularity and texture) on the mechanical properties of hot mix asphalt (HMA). Rare studies, however, have clearly established the relationships between the aggregate properties and pavement performance. Therefore, they have not provided methods to optimise aggregate properties at the design stage to improve that performance. This study focuses on understanding the effects of aggregate gradation and type on moisture damage resistance of HMA and on pavement performance as indicated by stiffness and rutting. Results show that basalt aggregate achieves higher moisture susceptibility resistance and stiffness than limestone aggregate. Coarser gradation has the highest permanent deformation, while open gradation 2C provides the lowest moisture damage resistance. Furthermore, dense gradation 4C provides the lowest rutting and the highest stripping resistance. It is indicated that suitable selection of aggregate type and gradation can improve pavement performance and reduce the moisture damage problem of HMA.
Isolation and Characterization of Lactococcal Bacteriophages from Cultured Buttermilk Plants in the United States

From July 1993 and June 1994, 27 different lactococcal bacteriophages were isolated from 27 US cultured buttermilk plants located in 23 states. Phages were characterized by DNA homology, electron microscopy, restriction patterns, genome size, host range, and serology. Over 80% (22 of 27) of the phages were classified into the 936 species, and the remaining phages were divided almost equally between the P335 species (3 of 27) and the c2 species (2 of 27). The 936 and c2-type phages had the same basic morphological and genetic characteristics as other phages from the same species isolated in other countries. Very closely related 936 phages were isolated from widely separated areas in the US. The P335 phages had a very narrow host range and showed noticeable genetic and immunological diversity. None of the phages could propagate on the two exopolysaccharide-producing Lactococcus lactis strains tested. Novel mechanisms for phage resistance should be tested for efficiency against members of the lactococcal phage species 936, c2, and P335. To our knowledge, this study is the first thorough examination of industrial lactococcal phages isolated from buttermilk plants.
The Characterization of Coal Liquefaction Products Obtained under Inert Atmosphere and Catalytic Conditions. Part I: Insoluble Products (Chars)

In this study, two types of Turkish lignite were liquefied under inert atmosphere and catalytic conditions. Catalyst was added to the reaction medium by physically mixing or impregnation. The products obtained at coal liquefaction were separated into two groups as soluble products with THF extraction and insoluble products (chars). The effects of various process parameters on the properties of chars were examined. The ash contents of chars were decreased significantly by increasing solvent to coal ratio and reaction temperature, and changed partially by pressure, catalyst type and concentration. Carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen contents of the chars decreases, but the sulphur and oxygen contents increase with increasing solvent to coal ratio, pressure, catalyst concentration, reaction time and reaction temperature. The fuel quality of chars obtained by catalyst impregnation method was determined to be much higher with respect to the catalyst physically mixing method.
Stock Discrimination by Trace-element Analysis of Otoliths of Orange Roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus), a Deep-water Marine Teleost

Concentrations of trace elements in sagittal otoliths of orange roughy (Hoplostethus atlanticus) from three areas (off Adelaide, and off the eastern and western coasts of Tasmania) were measured by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Canonical-variate (discriminant) analyses of the concentrations of 10 elements (Ba, Cd, Cu, K, Mg, Na, Pb, S, Sr, Zn) showed that the patterns of element concentrations were specific to the areas where fish were captured. These results suggest that there is little movement of fish between the three areas. The elements that were most important in discriminating between the areas were Mg, Na and S.
Searching speed of Trichogramma minutum and its potential as a measure of parasitoid quality.

Abstract Searching speed has been proposed as a quality criterion for the prediction of field efficacy of mass-reared Trichogramma spp. The searching speed, walking speed, and activity of female T. minutum Riley were measured using an automated video tracking system. Two- and 3-day-old thelytokous females searched twice as fast as 1-day-old females, whereas the searching speed of a strain of arrhenotokous females was similar at all ages. When reared on Actebia fennica Tauscher, the resulting wide variation in wasp size was not related to searching speed or walking speed. Both strains of T. minutum searched faster later in the day. In a second laboratory experiment, the proportion of hosts parasitized, the proportion of hosts accepted, and searching speeds of parasitoids were measured simultaneously for groups of females of both strains. Percentage parasitism was related to host acceptance but not searching speed. Searching speed was unrelated to the estimated number of host contacts. These results suggest that searching speed is not a useful measure of parasitoid efficacy for T. minutum.
Mundane metrolingualism

ABSTRACT Drawing on data from a Bangladeshi-run mixed-goods store in Tokyo – a site of diversity in terms of customers, the products and interactions – we argue in this paper that in order to understand translinguistic ordinariness, or what we call mundane metrolingualism, we have to explore both the ideas of ordinariness and of diversity in greater depth. Ordinariness, or the cluster of other terms that have been similarly used (everyday, unremarkable, mundane, from below) has been employed to address four principal concerns: Difference – social, cultural, sexual, economic, racial – rather than commonality is the core experience of human life; diversity is not exotic or something that others have, but key to all experience; diversity has temporal dimensions as part of repeated everyday practice; and difference as everyday practice is part of the non-elite world of struggle for recognition. Focusing on two particular spatiotemporal themes, everydayness and simultaneity, we examine the ways in which different activities, conversations and artefacts may be brought together through mobile technologies. These mundane metrolingual assemblages are both central to the activities of the shop but also part of simultaneous worlds of engagement and activity.
Efeito da inoculação de soluções nutritivas in ovo sobre a eclodibilidade e o desempenho de frangos de corte

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of in ovo inoculation of nutritious solutions on the hatchability and the performance of broilers at 21 days of age. It was incubated 2,400 eggs from Cobb broiler breeders at 40 weeks of age on four different dates. On the 17.5 day of incubation, the eggs were inoculated with 0.5 mL with one of the following saline solutions: 0.5%; solutioin of 2.0% glucose + 2.0% sucrose solution; 2.5% glucose + 3.0% sucrose solution, vitamin solution or chelate minerals solution. All solutions were evaluated by comparing them to a control treatment, composed of not inoculated eggs. To determine hatchability, chicks were selected according to sex and distributed in a random block design, in a 2 × 6 factorial arrangement (2 sexes × 6 solutions), with 8 replicates of 12 to 16 birds per experimental unit. At 7 and 21 days of age, it was determined weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion. Yields of chest, chest filet and leg were estimated at the end of the period. The inoculation of in ovo solutions reduced the egg hatchability, increasing the number of pecked and not hatched eggs. Weight gain and feed conversion of the birds at 7 days of age were not affected by in ovo inoculation. At 21 days of age, solutions of 2.0% of glucose + 2.0% of sucrose, of vitamins and minerals did not affect performance. However, inoculation of 2.5% of glucose + 3.0% of sucrose provided better feed conversion and increase of 4.07% in weight gain, 5.07% in the weight of chest with bones and 5.47% in the chest filet weight. Inoculation of nutritious solution containing 2.5% of glucose + 3.0% of sucrose provides greater weight gain, better feed conversion, greater yields of chest with bones and of chest filet of birds at 21 days of age.
A Procedure for Ecological Tiered Assessment of Risks (PETAR)

ABSTRACT Several procedures for Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) have been suggested. The use of these existing procedures often relies on availability of existing data and/or on large resources for acquisition of new ones. This paper presents a three-tiered procedure for retrospective evaluation of risks adapted to limited resources and scarce background information of relevance for risk assessments, such as in developing countries. The tiers require successively more detailed investigations. The approach assures that resources available for site-specific investigations are directed towards well-formulated questions raised during previous stages of the assessment. The first tier, the preliminary assessment, is a qualitative evaluation of existing information on anthropogenic stressors, sources of stressors and expected ecological effects. The second tier is a regional risk assessment; a semi-quantitative evaluation of ecological risks, over large geographical areas, which results in a ranking of sources and stressors having the greatest potential for ecological impact and ranking of subareas inside the study area more likely to be impacted. The final tier is a site-specific and quantitative risk assessment, at a smaller scale and requiring more resources, that incorporates methodologies for establishing causality between exposure to multiple stressors and effects on specific endpoints of ecological and societal relevance.
Shrub patch configuration at the landscape scale is related to diversity of adjacent herbaceous vegetation

Background: Patterns of shrub patches reflect the long-term effects of several environmental drivers; the same drivers may also affect adjacent herbaceous vegetation. The identity of such drivers may be indicated by associating patterns of shrubs and adjacent vegetation. However, such associations have rarely been examined. Aim: Assess the hypothesis that configuration of shrub patches is related to the diversity of adjacent herbaceous vegetation, through the impact of variation in herbivory and/or growing conditions. Methods: Multivariate analyses of the relationship between patch configuration of tall shrubs and diversity of adjacent herbaceous vegetation, across two tundra river catchments in Norway. Results: Configuration of shrub patches was clearly related to α and β diversity of adjacent herbaceous vegetation, independent of concurrent herbivore abundance (estimated from faeces during the study), or growing conditions. Highly-shredded shrub patches (i.e. fragmented patches with high edge density) were associated with grazing-tolerant species and low species richness. Conversely, little-shredded tall shrub patches were associated with grazing-sensitive shrub saplings. This indicates change in herbivory on a timescale longer than that covered by our faeces data. Conclusions: Consistent co-variation of shrub and herbaceous patches in tall shrub tundra supports the hypothesis of impacts of a shared driver. Interpretation of this co-variation points to long-term influence of herbivory as the shared driver.
Production of peach grafts under hydroponic conditions

The objective of the present work was to study the feasibility of producing Okinawa rootstocks and peach grafts using a hydroponic system. The study was conducted in two phases. The growth and development of Okinawa rootstocks under hydroponic conditions were determined in the first phase, and in the second phase, the viability of grafting production of peach cultivars Aurora and Diamante associated with different types of rootstocks. The parameters analysed were the time required for 60 to 75% plants to reach the stages of transplanting (15 cm height) and grafting (4 to 6 cm stem diameter), the percentage of sprouting grafts determined 20 days after grafting, and the height of the shoots measured every 7 days until grafts were 40 cm high measured from the crown. Although 13% of the Okinawa rootstocks grown under hydroponic conditions presented undesirable genetic segregation characteristics, transplanting was reached at 30 days after transference (DAT) to hydroponic conditions and grafting at 61 DAT. Proximal pruning at 5 cm gave rise to grafts of 47.53 cm in height at 116 DAT, and both cultivar showed 100% graft sprouting with the cultivar Aurora presenting higher growth.
Natural resistance to urinary tract infection determined by endotoxin-induced inflammation

Uninary tract infections (UTI) are common, with frequencies ranging from about 1 to 10% in different age groups, Gram-negative bacteria dominate as causative agents. Defects in host resistance to bacteriuria have not been defined at the molecular level. The results of the present study demonstrate that endotoxin-induced inflammation mediates bacterial clearance from the kidneys. Genetic or pharmacologically induced defects in this function drastically impaired the natural resistance to infection.
Fight or flight: antipredator strategies of baleen whales

The significance of killer whale Orcinus orca predation on baleen whales (Mysticeti) has been a topic of considerable discussion and debate in recent years. Discourse has been constrained by poor understanding of predator-prey dynamics, including the relative vulner- ability of different mysticete species and age classes to killer whales and how these prey animals avoid predation. Here we provide an overview and analysis of predatory interactions between killer whales and mysticetes, with an emphasis on patterns of antipredator responses. 2. Responses of baleen whales to predatory advances and attacks by killer whales appear to fall into two distinct categories, which we term the fight and flight strategies. The fight strategy consists of active physical defence, including self-defence by single individuals, defence of calves by their mothers and coordinated defence by groups of whales. It is documented for five mysticetes: southern right whale Eubalaena australis, North Atlantic right whale Eubal- aena glacialis, bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus, humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae and grey whale Eschrichtius robustus. The flight strategy consists of rapid (20-40 km/h) directional swimming away from killer whales and, if overtaken and attacked, individuals do little to defend themselves. This strategy is documented for six species in the genus Balaenoptera. 3. Many aspects of the life history, behaviour and morphology of mysticetes are consistent with their antipredator strategy, and we propose that evolution of these traits has been shaped by selection for reduced predation. Fight species tend to have robust body shapes and are slow but relatively manoeuvrable swimmers. They often calve or migrate in coastal areas where proximity to shallow water provides refuge and an advantage in defence. Most fight species have either callosities (rough and hardened patches of skin) or encrustations of barnacles on their bodies, which may serve (either primarily or secondarily) as weapons or armour for defence. Flight species have streamlined body shapes for high-speed swimming and they can sustain speeds necessary to outrun pursuing killer whales (>15-20 km/h). These species tend to favour pelagic habitats and calving grounds where prolonged escape sprints from killer whales are possible. 4. The rarity of observed successful attacks by killer whales on baleen whales, especially adults, may be an indication of the effectiveness of these antipredator strategies. Baleen whales likely offer low profitability to killer whales, relative to some other marine mammal prey. High-speed pursuit of flight species has a high energetic cost and a low probability of success while attacks on fight species can involve prolonged handling times and a risk of serious injury.
Maternal Effects on the Expression of Individual Aliphatic Glucosinolates in Seeds and Seedlings of Brassica napus

An investigation into the glucosinolate profile of seed and leaf tissue of F1 hybrids from reciprocal crosses between B. napus‘Cobra’ and a synthetic B. napus line was undertaken to test hypotheses concerning the site of biosynthesis of seed glucosilates. The profile of the seed aliphatic glucosinolates was dentical to the maternal parent suggesting the absence of glucosinolate biosynthesis and glucosinolate interconversion within the embryo and the transfer of fully formed glucosinolates from maternal tissue into the developing seed. In cotyledons, while there was no evidence for de novo glucosinolate biosynthesis, there was evidence for side chain modication and the interconversion of existing glucosinolates. in true leaves, the glucosinolate profile of the reciprocal F1 hybrids were identical, and in accordance with that expected from the F1 genotype.
Concreteness and Language Effects in the Quality of Written Definitions in L1, L2 and L3

Several researchers have suggested that definitional skill explains academic success/failure (Gagné, 2004; Snow, 1987). The words used to investigate definitional skill have all been concrete words given in the first language (L1) and/or the second language (L2) of the participants. This paper reports a study investigating the quality of the definitions of concrete nouns and of abstract nouns in three languages: Arabic (L1), French (L2) and English (L3). Two hundred and thirty students (mean age: 17.1) wrote definitions for five concrete nouns and five abstract nouns in each of their three languages. We examined the concreteness and language effects in the length and quality of definitions. Results showed that while in L1 there was no difference between the length of definitions of concrete nouns and those of abstract nouns, there was a difference in L2 and in L3. As for the definitional quality, there were significant differences between the definitional quality of concrete nouns and of abstract nouns in the three languages.