Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The use of scent glands to improve the efficiency of mink (Mustela vison) captures in the Outer Hebrides

Abstract Introduced invasive American mink are currently posing a threat to endangered bird species on the Western Isles, an archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. As part of a 5‐year eradication campaign established in 2001, we conducted a small‐scale experiment in 2002 and 2003 on six offshore islands, ranging from 9 to 31 ha. Over 810 trap‐nights, 82 live traps were alternately baited with mink scent gland extracts or with traditional fish baits. Baiting traps with scent gland extracts was significantly more effective than baiting with fish. In 2003 a large‐scale field trial was carried out over a 900 km2 section of the Western Isles, using either commercially made scent gland lure or fish to bait complete trap‐lines of 20–35 traps. Trapping with 2154 live traps over 22 525 trap‐nights confirmed the results of the small‐scale experiment, and also showed that the scent lure was equally attractive to both male and female mink. The technique is recommended as a means of improving the efficiency of individual traps to catch mink. The implications for large‐scale invasive mustelid eradication programmes are discussed.
NEST PROVISIONING IN THE MUD-DAUBER WASP SCELIPHRON LAETUM (F. SMITH): BODY MASS AND TAXA SPECIFIC PREY SELECTION

The mud dauber wasp Sceliphron laetum (F. Smith) lays a single egg in a mud chamber that is provisioned almost exclusively with orb-weaving spiders. In Madang, Papua New Guinea, the wasps provision their chambers with between three and nine spiders that weigh between 0.01 and 0.28 g and are from at least twelve species. The number of spiders placed in each chamber is negatively correlated with the mean mass of each spider. A field experiment revealed that females cease provisioning after capturing a certain mass of spiders, rather than simply filling each chamber to its volumetric capacity. Furthermore, the wasps select different spider species according to the provisioning sequence. In general, wasps avoid provisioning the early larval instar with species of Gasteracantha, perhaps because the newly emerged wasp larvae cannot penetrate the hard integuments of these spiders.
Analysis of cytosine methylation pattern in response to water deficit in pea root tips

: The correlation between environmental stress and DNA methylation has been studied by following the methylation status of cytosine residues in the DNA of pea root tips exposed to water deficit. DNA methylation was evaluated by two complementary approaches: (i) immunolabelling by means of a monoclonal antibody against 5-methylcytosine; (ii) MSAP (Methylation-Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism) to verify if methylation and de-methylation in response to water deficit may be related to specific DNA sequences. Immunolabelling showed that water stress induces cytosine hypermethylation in the pea genome. Regarding the CCGG target sequence, an increase in methylation specifically in the second cytosine (about 40 % of total site investigated) was revealed by MSAP analyses. In addition, MSAP band profile detected in three independent repetitions was highly reproducible suggesting that, at least for the CCGG target sequence, methylation was addressed to specific DNA sequences.
CHROMOSOMES OF POGONIA AND OF ITS ALLIES IN THE RANGE OF GRAY'S MANUAL

BROADLY INTERPRETED, Pogonia Juss. consists of a number of rather sharply delimited subgenera. Many authorities would raise the subgenera to generic rank. The result is a diversity of treatments of Pogonta and of its allies for local and world floras. Ames (1922), in what he later considered to be one of his most significant papers on orchids (Donovan S. Correll, in conversation), examined the subgenera of Pogonia within the range of Gray's Manual "to make clear those characters that seem to be most important in considerations of generic segregation of the species. " Five species came within the scope of his study; for each of them he published detailed plates showing morphological characters. He concluded that for the area designated the following should be accepted: Pogonia, 1 species; Isotria Raf. , 2 species; Cleistes L. C. Rich. , 1 species; Triphora Nutt. , 1 species. Correll (1950) and Fernald (1950) assigned these species generically in the same way.
The Braincase and Skull Roof of Gryposaurus notabilis (Dinosauria, Hadrosauridae), with a Taxonomic Revision of the Genus

ABSTRACT The facial and neurocranial anatomy of AMNH 5350, containing the most complete braincase available for Gryposaurus, is described in detail. The specimen, collected from Late Campanian outcrops of the Dinosaur Park Formation of southern Canada, is referred to G. notabilis because of the combination of a preorbital nasal protuberance positioned above the level of the frontals, narrow U-shaped posterior margin of the narial fenestra, dorsal margin of the infratemporal fenestra being wider than that of the orbit, and posterodorsal margin of the squamosal located dorsal to the skull roof. The flat nasal protuberance of AMNH 5350 differs from the arcuate lateral profile displayed in other specimens of G. notabilis, indicating that substantial intraspecific variation existed in this feature. The taxonomy of Gryposaurus is revised in light of the newly garnered anatomical data. Thus, G. incurvimanus is regarded as a junior synonym of G. notabilis, composed of subadult specimens of the latter. Characters thought to be diagnostic of G. incurvimanus are either present in G. notabilis (e.g., slightly excavated ventral surface of the nasal protuberance) or probably indicative of sub-adulthood (e.g., less developed and more anteriorly positioned nasal protuberance correlated with smaller skull size). A number of characters previously used to distinguish among Gryposaurus sepecies are shown to be intraspecifically variable (e.g., curvature of the lateroventral margin of the maxilla or ventral deflection of the dentary symphyseal process).
VAM Fungi Spore Populations in Different Farming Situations and Their Effect on Productivity and Nutrient Dynamics in Maize and Soybean in Himalayan Acid Alfisol

To assess the effect of five vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) isolates of Glomus mosseae screened out from different farming situations, two pot experiments were conducted on maize and soybean in a phosphorus (P)–deficient Himalayan acid Alfisol. There was variation in VAM spore populations of Glomus mosseae isolates screened out from maize harvested fields, soybean fields, vegetable fields, tea orchard, and citrus orchard. Glomus mosseae isolate from vegetable-based cropping system exhibited maximum root colonization at flowering in maize (32%) and soybean (28%), followed by Glomus mosseae isolate from soybean fields, and exhibited the lowest in Glomus mosseae isolate from tea farm. Glomus mosseae isolate from vegetable-dominated fields was at par with Glomus mosseae isolate from soybean-based cropping system, again resulting in significantly high root biomass, nitrogen (N)–P–potassium (K) uptake, and grain and straw productivity both in maize and soybean crops besides the greatest Rhizobium root nodule biomass in soybean. There was a considerable reduction in soil fertility with respect to NPK status over initial status in pot soils inoculated with Glomus mosseae isolate from vegetable-dominated ecosystem, thereby indicating greater nutrient dynamics by this efficient VAM strain in the plant–soil system and greater productivity in a P-deficient acidic Alfisol. Overall, VAM isolates from different cropping systems and farming situations with variable size and composition of VAM mycoflora resulted in differential effects on growth, productivity, and nutrient dynamics in field crops. Overall, Glomus mosseae isolates from vegetable and soybean fields proved to be superiormost in terms of root colonization, growth, and crop productivity as well as nutrient dynamics in above study. Thus, isolation, identification, and selection of efficient VAM strains may prove as a boon in low-input intensive agriculture in P-deficient Himalayan acidic Alfisol.
Estimating Occupancy Dynamics in an Anuran Assemblage from Louisiana, USA

ABSTRACT Effective monitoring programs are designed to track changes in the distribution, occurrence, and abundance of species. We developed an extension of Royle and Kéry's (2007) single species model to estimate simultaneously temporal changes in probabilities of detection, occupancy, colonization, extinction, and species turnover using data on calling anuran amphibians, collected from 2002 to 2006 in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley of Louisiana, USA. During our 5-year study, estimates of occurrence probabilities declined for all 12 species detected. These declines occurred primarily in conjunction with variation in estimates of local extinction probabilities (cajun chorus frog [Pseudacris fouquettei], spring peeper [P. crucifer], northern cricket frog [Acris crepitans], Cope's gray treefrog [Hyla chrysoscelis], green treefrog [H. cinerea], squirrel treefrog [H. squirella], southern leopard frog [Lithobates sphenocephalus], bronze frog [L. clamitans], American bullfrog [L. catesbeianus], and Fowler's toad [Anaxyrus fowleri]). For 2 species (eastern narrow-mouthed toad [Gastrophryne carolinensis] and Gulf Coast toad [Incilius nebulifer]), declines in occupancy appeared to be a consequence of both increased local extinction and decreased colonization events. The eastern narrow-mouthed toad experienced a 2.5-fold increase in estimates of occupancy in 2004, possibly because of the high amount of rainfall received during that year, along with a decrease in extinction and increase in colonization of new sites between 2003 and 2004. Our model can be incorporated into monitoring programs to estimate simultaneously the occupancy dynamics for multiple species that show similar responses to ecological conditions. It will likely be an important asset for those monitoring programs that employ the same methods to sample assemblages of ecologically similar species, including those that are rare. By combining information from multiple species to decrease the variance on estimates of individual species, our results are advantageous compared to single-species models. This feature enables managers and researchers to use an entire community, rather than just one species, as an ecological indicator in monitoring programs.
Zytologische Untersuchungen über Aster, Gymnaster, Kalimeris und Heteropappus aus Japan

(1) Es warden die Arten der Gattungen, Aster, Gymnaster, Kalimeris, und Heteropappus unter Subtribus Asterinae aus Japan zytologisch untersucht. (2) Es wurden die Chromosomenzahlen gefunden: 2n=18, 19, 36, 54, 63, 63-66, 68, 72, 144. Die Chromosomenzahlen 19, 63, 63-66 und 68 kommen nur bei den Pflanzen, die als keine Art, sondern als Varietaten angenommen worden sind, vor. Die anderen Chromosomenzahlen sind Vielfache von 9, der Grundzahl bei den Gattungen. (3) Die Chromosomen in den Wurzelspitzen wurden mit Chloralhydratlosung behandelt. Auf diesem Wege wurde die Morphologie der Chromosomen der Arten mit der Chromosomenzahl 18 (2n) und auch die der anderen Arten genauer erkannt. (4) Bei den meisten Arten mit 18 (2n) Chromosomen gibt es innerhalb eines Chromosomensatzes, der aus 9 Chromosomen besteht, ein Chromosom mit zwei Einschnurungen. (5) Die Beobachtungen uber die Morphologie der Chromosomen haben ergeben, das die tetraploiden Arten, die untersucht wurden, keine zwei Chromosomensatze von derselben Morphologie haben. Also mussen sie allotetraploid sein. (6) Kalimeris incisa var. yomena, in westlichen Gegenden Japans weit verbreitet, hat 63 Chromosomen in zygotischer Phase und ist als ein in der Natur entstandener Bastard zwischen Kalimeris indica und K. incisa aufzufassen. K. pinnatifida var. dentata hat 63-66 (2n) Chromosomen, ist auch als ein Bastard anzunehmen.Zum Schlus mochten die Verfasser der Japanischen Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Zytologie fur ihre finanzielle Unterstutzung dieser Arbeit ihren besten Dank aussprechen.
CORRELATIONS BETWEEN HOT CALCIUM CHLORIDE-EXTRACTED BORON AND CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF SOME BRAZILIAN SOILS

Relationship between soluble boron extracted with a hot CaCl2 0.01 mol L-1 solution and pH; organic carbon; exchangeable cations; cation exchange capacity (CEC); base saturation; total, free and amorphous iron and aluminum oxide contents; clay content; and specific surface area were performed for surface and subsurface samples of five soils. The soils were a Rhodic Hapludox, an Arenic Paleudalf and three Typic Hapludox, all representative soils of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. To quantify the relations between soluble boron and the different soil characteristics, simple linear correlations and multiple regressions, using a stepwise regression program, were performed. Hot-CaCl2 extractable boron (HCB) was significantly correlated with clay content (r = 0.69*), specific surface area (r = 0.68*), CEC (r = 0.63*) and total aluminum oxides (r = 0.70*) in all five soils. In addition, there was a correlation between HCB and organic carbon (r = 0.75*) in the four Oxisols. The correlation coefficient between the product (carbon x clay) and soluble boron contents was also highly significant (r = 0.78**). Multiple regression analysis showed that total aluminum oxide, as well as exchangeable calcium and aluminum, were correlated with HCB, explaining 85% of the variation. The product (carbon x clay) took into account the effect of textural gradient and showed high positive correlation with hot-CaCl2 0.01 mol L-1extractable boron.
Impact of institutions on social network formation: communist party membership and social network investment in China

Using the 2003 wave of China General Social Survey (2003CGSS), we study the influence of the communist party on individual’s social networks in urban China and, thereby, present a case of socio-political institutions being an important ingredient in social network formation. We adopt a counterfactual framework and estimate the effect of communist party membership on social network investment as an average treatment effect. We find the treatment to be significant.
Storage behaviour of two contrasting upland rice genotypes

This study investigated complaints by upland rice farmers in Ghana that their local rice cultivar "Kawomo" ( Oryza glaberrima ) stored better than an improved upland rice cultivar, IDSA 85 ( Oryza sativa subsp. japonica ), tested and selected in a Participatory Varietal Selection programme. One seed lot of "Kawomo" and two seed lots of IDSA 85, differing in initial quality, were stored hermetically at 50 oC with five (18, 15, 12, 10 and 8%) moisture contents. In the second investigation, seed of "Kawomo" was stored hermetically at the above moisture contents, but at 30 oC. Both investigations were carried out at the Seed Science Laboratory, Department of Agriculture, The University of Reading, UK. In the third investigation, 122 samples of farmer-saved seed were stored hermetically at moisture contents between 12 and 16 per cent under ambient temperature in Ghana for 6 months. Seed moisture content had a significant (P 0.10) among the two species, glaberrima rice showed marginally greater longevity than japonica rice. The viability equation also accurately predicted germination of farmer-saved seed stored under ambient (fluctuating) temperature in Ghana.
Desenvolvimento e qualidade nutricional de mudas de mangabeiras cultivadas em substratos contendo fibra de coco e adubação fosfatada

In order to produce good quality seedlings it is necessary to use a mixture that presents appropriate physical, chemical and biological properties, which supplies the necessary conditions for the germination and the seedling's establishment. This experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Sciences Center, Paraiba Federal University (Brazil), whose objective was to evaluate the growth and the mineral composition of Hancornia speciosa seedlings in substrata composed by concentrations of coconut fiber from 0% to 40%, manure bovine from 0% to 25%, soil from 25% to 70%, sand 15% and triple superphosphate between 0 and 11 g dm-3. The soil and coconut fiber had beneficial effects on the H. speciosa seedlings with the increase of its concentrations in the mixture. The addition of the manure and the doses of triple superphosphate provoked a decrease in the matter and in the foliate area in the H. speciosa seedlings. There was an increase of the nutrients content in the seedlings in which there was an increase of the manure concentration in the mixture. It is recommended to use the concentrations of 14% of manure, 56% of soil, 15% of coconut fiber, 15% of sand and 4 g dm-3 of triple superphosphate, for the maximum estimated values of growth and nutritional composition.
MR-93A, a New Oxazole from Trichoderma harzianum KCTC 0114BP

The ethylacetate extract of Trichoderma harzianum KCTC 0114BP cultures afforded a novel oxazole, MR-93A [1]. The structure of was elucidated as 4-(3,4-dihydroxy-(E)-1-pentenyl)-oxazole by spectroscopic methods.
Prediction of weight and yield of main lean cuts related to carcass weight in heavy pigs intended for Spanish high quality dry-cured ham

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of predicting the weight and yield (as % of carcass) of the main lean cuts related to carcass weight (CW) in pigs intended for Spanish dry-cured ham. A total of 98 Duroc × (Large White × Landrace) pigs were used. Simple regression equations were carried out to find the relations between CW (independent variable) and ham (H), foreleg (F), loin (L) and H+F+L weights and yields (dependent variables). Also, multiple regression equations were carried out to estimate the relations between these dependent variables and other size carcass characteristics (backfat thickness, carcass length, and ham length and perimeter). The best simple relationship between independent and dependent variables was obtained by means of linear functions. The CW explained 84%, 75%, 60% and 89% of the variability of H, F, L and H+F+L weights, respectively, whereas 10%, 10%, 0.15% and 14% of the variability of H, F, L and H+F+L percentages, respectively. The addition of the size carcass characteristics, as independent variables, to the prediction equations of H, F, L and H+F+L weights and yields improved the predictions. The simple and multiple regression equations calculated underestimated the dependent variables, but the mean prediction error and relative prediction error values were low, suggesting that the independent variables considered are good predictors of the dependent variables. It is concluded that CW is an easy and available measurement for industry to predict carcass lean cuts weights in pigs from genetic lines intended for Spanish dry-cured ham.
An artificial neural network approach to identify fungal diseases of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants using digital image processing

Nowadays, artificial intelligence solutions such as digital image processing and artificial neural networks (ANN) have become important applicable techniques in phytomonitoring and plant health detection systems. In this research, an autonomous device was designed and developed for detecting two types of fungi (Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Sphaerotheca fuliginea) that infect the cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plant leaves. This device was able to recognise the fungal diseases of plants by detecting their symptoms on plant leaves (downy mildew and powdery mildew). For leaves of cucumber inoculated with different spores of the fungi, it was possible to estimate the amount of hour post inoculation (HPI) by extracting leaves’ image parameters. Device included a dark chamber, a CCD digital camera, a thermal camera, a light dependent resistor lightening module and a personal computer. The proposed programme for precise disease detection was based on an image processing algorithm and ANN. Three textural features and two thermal parameters from the obtained images were measured and normalised. Performance of ANN model was tested successfully for disease recognition and detecting HPI in images using back-propagation supervised learning method and inspection data. Such this machine vision system can be used in robotic intelligent systems to achieve a modern farmer’s assistant in agricultural crop fields.
Development and validation of new SSR markers from expressed regions in the garlic genome

Only a limited number of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers is available for the genome of garlic (Allium sativum L.) despite the fact that SSR markers have become one of the most preferred DNA marker systems. To develop new SSR markers for the garlic genome, garlic expressed sequence tags (ESTs) at the publicly available GarlicEST database were screened for SSR motifs and a total of 132 SSR motifs were identified. Primer pairs were designed for 50 SSR motifs and 24 of these primer pairs were selected as SSR markers based on their consistent amplification patterns and polymorphisms. In addition, two SSR markers were developed from the sequences of garlic cDNA-AFLP fragments. The use of 26 EST-SSR markers for the assessment of genetic relationship was tested using 31 garlic genotypes. Twenty six EST-SSR markers amplified 130 polymorphic DNA fragments and the number of polymorphic alleles per SSR marker ranged from 2 to 13 with an average of 5 alleles. Observed heterozygosity and polymorphism information content (PIC) of the SSR markers were between 0.23 and 0.88, and 0.20 and 0.87, respectively. Twenty one out of the 31 garlic genotypes were analyzed in a previous study using AFLP markers and the garlic genotypes clustered together with AFLP markers were also grouped together with EST-SSR markers demonstrating high concordance between AFLP and EST-SSR marker systems and possible immediate application of EST-SSR markers for fingerprinting of garlic clones. EST-SSR markers could be used in genetic studies such as genetic mapping, association mapping, genetic diversity and comparison of the genomes of Allium species.
Spatial and temporal segregation of spawning habitat by catostomids in the Savannah River, Georgia and South Carolina, U.S.A.

Spawning aggregations of five species of catostomids were observed on the two mid-channel gravel bars of the Savannah River, Georgia and South Carolina, in 2004 and 2005 to assess the degree of spatial and temporal overlap in the use of this habitat and determine the habitat preferences leading to segregation. Spawning catostomids showed a considerable amount of temporal overlap in their use of these mid-channel gravel bars. The observed temporal overlap was consistent between 2004 and 2005 and corresponded to temperatures at which species were present. The distribution of catostomids was not uniform at the upstream gravel bar. Carpsuckers Carpiodes sp. , spotted sucker Minytrema melanops and robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum both demonstrated some spatial overlap with notchlip redhorse Moxostoma collapsum; however, their overall distributions were different from one another. Northern hogsucker Hypentelium nigricans was present across the gravel bars, apparently as an egg predator. Spawning catostomids segregated based on flow, depth, slope and substratum size. Whether due to limited habitat availability or changes in the timing of reproduction due to altered cues, temporal and spatial overlap occurs between spawning catostomids despite the apparent partitioning of available spawning habitat. It is unclear, however, if this overlap results in excessive mortality in the early life-history stages of these species. Results suggest spatial overlap among catostomid species was minimized due to species spawning in areas within a narrow range of conditions. Intraspecific interactions such as nest site superimposition or disturbance may be a concern.