Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
THE EFFECTS OF CRUDE OIL CONTAMINATED FORAGE ON BREEDING BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE RABBITS

Oil spill is a major threat to the biodiversity and survival of land animals. In this study, the effect of oil contaminated forage on the breeding behavior and reproductive performance of female rabbits was tested in a completely randomized experimental design (CRD). Results show that oil contaminated forage result in decreased acceptance of males, no pregnancy and increased pseudo-pregnancy. Acceptability of males decreased as the level of crude oil increased in the contaminated forage. All the females (100%) in the control accepted males, 50% of the females in the 0.05% crude oil contaminated forage accepted males, 33.33% of them in the 0.1 % and 0.15% accepted males, while none of the rabbits in the 0.2% accepted males. It can therefore be concluded that oil spill can cause reproductive failure in rabbits, which could affect their sustainability.
Seasonal Development of the Biological Control Agent of Dalmatian Toadflax, Mecinus janthiniformis (Curculionidae: Coleoptera), in Utah: Phenology, Overwintering Success, and Mortality

Noxious weeds threaten biodiversity and ecosystem function in range and wild lands by outcompeting and ultimately displacing desirable vegetation. One option for the control of such weeds is biological control via insect herbivory. Insects have been introduced as natural biocontrol agents of many pervasive weeds in North America but there is limited understanding of their phenology or timing of life stages. Presented is a study based on the phenology of Mecinus janthiniformis Toševski and Caldara attack on Linaria dalmatica (L.) Mill. in Utah. Stem census and sexing data were collected for two consecutive years on the host plant in Tooele, Utah to compare general population and sex specific seasonality using simple calendar dating and degree-day modeling. The results showed consistent phenological patterns of M. janthiniformis populations at individual sites between years while there were differences in phenology between the sexes in that males appeared earlier on the host plant than females, an example of insect protandry. Although males reached peak abundance slightly earlier than females in one year and considerably earlier in the second, overall patterns of phenology of each sex were fairly consistent when assessed using degree-days. Thus degree-day modeling, as opposed to calendar dating, proved to be the more reliable method for modeling 15 phenology. An important application of this study was the development of degree-day predictions of weevil phenology that could be useful for guiding practitioners of biocontrol in determining when to visit L. dalmatica populations to assess agent establishment and to collect insects for future distribution.
Urinary Apolipoprotein C3 Is a Potential Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease

Introduction: Biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that can easily be measured in routine health checkups are desirable. Urine is a source of biomarkers that can be collected easily and noninvasively. We previously reported on the comprehensive profile of the urinary proteome of AD patients and identified proteins estimated to be significantly increased or decreased in AD patients by a label-free quantification method. The present study aimed to validate urinary levels of proteins that significantly differed between AD and control samples from our proteomics study (i.e., apolipoprotein C3 [ApoC3], insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3 [Igfbp3], and apolipoprotein D [ApoD]). Methods: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were performed using urine samples from the same patient and control groups analyzed in the previous proteomics study (18 AD and 18 controls, set 1) and urine samples from an independent group of AD patients and controls (13 AD, 5 mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and 32 controls) from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Biobank (set 2). Results: In set 1, the crude urinary levels of ApoD, Igfbp3, and creatinine-adjusted ApoD were significantly higher in the AD group relative to the control group (p = 0.003, p = 0.002, and p = 0.019, respectively), consistent with our previous proteomics results. In set 2, however, the crude urinary levels of Igfbp3 were significantly lower in the AD+MCI group than in the control group (p = 0.028), and the levels of ApoD and ApoC3 did not differ significantly compared to the control group. Combined analysis of all samples revealed creatinine-adjusted ApoC3 levels to be significantly higher in the AD+MCI group (p = 0.015) and the AD-only group (p = 0.011) relative to the control group. Conclusion: ApoC3 may be a potential biomarker for AD, as validated by ELISA. Further analysis of ApoC3 as a urinary biomarker for AD is warranted.
KUALITAS SEMEN SEGAR DAN RECOVERY RATE (RR) SAPI LIMOUSIN PADA MUSIM YANG BERBEDA

This research aimed to determine the quality of fresh semen and recovery rate (RR) Limousin bulls at different seasons in Indonesia. The research materials were used semen sample and recording of 10 Limousin bulls on November 2015 until September 2016. The analyze was used by descriptive, while seasonal factors were determined by rainfall, they were divided into 2 stage (summer and rainy). The result was showed that the average of individual motility (60±0.07 %) on summer and (57.7±0.09 %) on rainy, Consentration of spermatozoa (1043±208 million/ml) on summer and (1013±175 million/ml) on rainy, post thawing motility (44±0.02 %) on summer and (41±0.05 %) on rainy, RR value (65±0.05 %) on summer and (55±0.09 %) on rainy, the production of frozen semen (1979±644.2 straw) on summer and (1623±379 straw) on rainy. It was concluded that the best quality of fresh until frozen semen was generally on summer with low rainfall. The seasonal effect for quality of semen Limousin bulls were individual motility, concentration, PTM, and RR value will be impacted for frozen semen produce. It was advisable to rejected the Limousin bulls with poor semen quality. Keywords : Seasonality, Summer, Rainy, Quality of Semen
Cosmopolitan polychaetes – fact or fiction? Personal and historical perspectives

Abstract. In the biogeographical and taxonomical literature before the 1980s there was a wide perception that widespread, often referred to as ‘cosmopolitan’, species were very common among polychaetes. Here we discuss the origins of this perception, how it became challenged, and our current understanding of marine annelid distributions today. We comment on the presence of widely distributed species in the deep sea and on artificially extended ranges of invasive species that have been dispersed by anthropogenic means. We also suggest the measures needed to revolve the status of species with reported cosmopolitan distributions and stress the value of museum collections and vouchers to be associated with DNA sequences in resolving species distributions.
The effect of cobalt stress on growth and physiological traits and its association with cobalt accumulation in barley genotypes differing in cobalt tolerance

ABSTRACT Cobalt (Co) is beneficial for legume plants and not an essential element for most plants. There is no sufficient information about the effect of Co stress on barley growth. The current experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different Co levels (25, 50, 75, and 100 µM) on growth and physiological traits of three barley genotypes (B325, J36, and B340) differing in Co tolerance. The results showed that Co stress inhibited plant growth, decreased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate, and enhanced oxidative stress. However, the effects differed among genotypes, with B325 and B340 being the most and the least affected, respectively. Co stress caused decrease and increase of manganese (Mn) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in both roots and shoots, respectively; iron (Fe) concentration had little change in shoots and a significant decrease in roots. The current results showed a close association of Co tolerance and its accumulation in plant tissues.
Histopathological spectrum of lichen sclerosus Et atrophicus

Introduction: Lichen sclerosus (LS) et atrophicus is an inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology affecting skin and mucosa, especially the genital area. Clinically, its main features are whitish papules which converge to form plaques and atrophic patches. Histopathology of LS et atrophicus is characterized by the constellation of an atrophic epidermis with loss of rete ridges, some lymphocytes in the basal layer, a subepidermal band of sclerosis, and a lichenoid infiltrate of lymphocytes beneath that band is diagnostic of LS. Materials and Methods: Skin specimens from 25 patients with LS were collected from the hospital records for 5 years. The diagnosis of all cases was made on the basis of clinical morphology and histopathologic features. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff, and Elastic-Van Gieson. Criteria evaluated included hyperkeratosis, epidermal atrophy, follicular plugging, basal cell vacuolation, vascular ectasia, hyalinosis, inflammatory infiltrate, dermal edema, and deep dermal fibrosis. Results and Conclusion: Of a total of 25 patients, 18 patients had extragenital (EG) LS and 7 had genital manifestations. Mean age of patients with EG was 28 years, and genital was 38 years. To summarize, the main histopathological findings seen in LS are essentially the same as reported in literature, namely, hyperkeratosis, epidermal atrophy, follicular plugging, basal cell vacuolation, vascular ectasia, hyalinosis, inflammatory infiltrate, dermal edema, and deep dermal fibrosis. Moreover, some interesting differences between the EG and genital forms of LS were seen. However, since the figures are too small to comment on, studies comprising larger series of patients are required to bring out a statistical significance.
Genomics of fitness in periodic stress

Organisms live in dynamic environments. However, most experimental approaches study the function and selection of genes in steady environments. Therefore, natural selection acting on fluctuating environments remains poorly understood. The objective of my project was to determine if some genes are especially important for fitness (growth rate) of yeast cells in oscillating environments. A genomic screen, based on an automation of micro-cultures and on a multiplexing of sequencing libraries, allowed me to measure fitness of thousands of null mutants in periodic stress conditions. I found that predictability of fitness in periodic stress, from fitness in steady environments, varies depending on the specific genes and conditions considered. This way, some mutants have similar growth in steady conditions, and different growth in dynamic conditions. Curiously, some genes play a bivalent role: they strongly favor growth during slow fluctuations, and reduce it during fast fluctuations. I also observed many mutants with higher growth than expected at the highest frequencies of fluctuations. This effect can be partially explained by a loss of environmental sensitivity of those mutants, that continue to divide quickly despite the presence of a stress. Those results show how natural selection can act on mutations in fluctuating environments. They open the door to mechanistic studies of the predictability of fitness in periodic environments.
Abundance and frequency of ground beetles in three maize fields in Croatia

The study conducted from 2005 till 2006 on three maize field located in different regions of Croatia aimed to: a) determine Ground beetle fauna in three fields (located in three regions of Croatia), b) to establish differences in total number of identified species and c) to find possible differences in total number, abundance and frequency of the most abundant and frequent species among fields. The Ground beetle fauna was collected by using Pitfall traps through the whole growing season. The analyses of populations were done. The total number of identified species and/or genus was 18. The species Pterostichus (Morphnosoma) melanarius Illiger 1798 and Pseudoophonus (Pseudoophonus) rufipes De Geer 1774 were designated as the most abundant and frequent at all three localities. Additionally, the following species have been found: Poecilus (Poecilus) versicolor Sturm 1824, Poecilus (Poecilus) cupreus Linnaeus 1758 and Carabus (Eucarabus) ullrichii Germar 1824. Significantly higher number of species was recorded at locality Bankovci than at localities Zagreb and Tovarnik. Average number of P. rufipes collected at locality Zagreb, where herbicides were used more frequently, was significantly lower than at localities Bankovci and Tovarnik. The differences in abundances and frequencies of P. rufipes and P. melanarius among localities were not established.
Absence of an acid phosphatase isozyme locus as a marker candidate for true to typeness in woodland grape (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sylvestris Gmelin)

The quest and conservation of existing populations of woodland grape (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sylvestris Gmelin), the supposed progenitor of the European grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sativa) and a significant actor in the evolution of grapevine, has great importance in preserving biodiversity. The proof of true-to-typeness is highly important in ex-situ conservation, because the contamination risk of the woodland grape populations is very high. Some characteristic “sylvestris” simple sequence repeats (SSR) alleles were identified, but they are only characteristic in a specific population. In our recent study, the SSR profiles of 32 woodland grapes were compared to those of 16 European grapevine varieties and 20 rootstocks. Morphology and SSR analyses suggested that the analysed Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris Gmelin accessions were true-to-type. In this report, the results of the acid phosphatase isoenzyme analyses of the same woodland grape accessions are presented and a new marker for true-to-typeness is suggested.
Ecological studies of mayflies (Insecta, Ephemeroptera): Can sampling effort be reduced without losing essential taxonomic and ecological information?

The present study evaluated the potential for the reduction of sampling effort in studies of ephemeropteran nymphs in Brazilian Amazon streams, Pará State, Brazil, without the loss of ecological information (species composition, abundance, and richness), and the congruence of different levels of taxonomic resolution (morphospecies, genus, family and functional group). Test groups of 15, 10 and five subsamples were selected from the 20 subsamples collected per stream (40 streams sampled), and were compared in terms of their species richness and abundance (ANOVA), and composition (Procrustes). Taxonomic resolution was also analyzed in Procrustes. Species abundance (F(3, 156) = 25.426; p < 0.001) and richness (F(3, 156) = 13.866, p < 0.001) varied significantly among sample groups, while the results of the 15-S group were statistically similar, in both cases, to those of the 20-S group. A similar pattern was found for species composition. The genus-level taxonomic resolution produced results 99% similar to those found for the species-level data. The results indicate that the reduction in sampling effort from 20 to 15 subsamples per site and a genus-level taxonomic resolution would not affect the reliability of analyses significantly. A reduction of five samples per site would result in a decrease of effort in the field and the amount of material to be processed, reducing laboratory time. In addition to a reduction in the time and resources needed to identify specimens, the adoption of a genus-level taxonomic resolution could help minimize errors of underor over-estimation in the processing of the results.
Prevalence of scars of anthropogenic origin in coastal bottlenose dolphin in Ecuador

The prevalence of scars and wounds of anthropogenic origin was assessed in seven different coastal bottlenose dolphin communities (Tursiops truncatus) on the south-western coast of Ecuador. Between 2011 and 2017 a total of 117 trips were conducted representing a total sampled distance of 6281 km. Twenty-five of the 189 (13.2%) free-ranging photo-identified dolphins were recorded with dorsal fin damage, V-shaped wounds, sawed edges and deformities in the caudal region. The scarring prevalence ranged from 0 to 44.4% and was associated with either fishing interactions or vessel strikes. Dolphin scarring increased five times in the last 25 years from 2.2 to 11.1% and was correlated with a decrease in population in the inner estuary of the Gulf of Guayaquil. Damaged dorsal fins are associated mainly with fishing gear. V-shaped wounds were recorded in three different communities, Posorja, Estero Salado and Salinas, and given their severity associated with either fishing gear or vessel strikes. During the study period three dolphins were found entangled in fishing gears, two in gillnets and one in a long-line, emphasizing the threats posed by current fishing practice to the species. More effective management measures are urgently needed to reverse the observed population decline. This may include reduction of fishing effort, implementation of area-based approaches to coastal planning (including Marine Protected Area designations) and support for further research to understand the problem. Given the difficulty in taking direct observations, scarring prevalence is proposed as a proxy for estimating boat traffic and fishing gear impacts upon cetaceans.
Relative fitness of avermectin-resistant strain of Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Abstract The predacious mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) is an effective natural enemy of pest insects and mites. To identify the relative fitness of the avermectin-resistant strain of N. cucumeris, the life history parameters of avermectin resistant (R) and susceptible (S) strains of N. cucumeris were observed under experimental conditions (25 ± 1°C, 90 ± 5% RH and L: D = 14:10 h) feeding upon Tetranychus truncatus (Ehara). Fertility, net reproductive rates (R0 /female), intrinsic rates of increase (r/day) and development durations of the two strains were compared. The abamectin resistant strain of N. cucumeris had significantly shorter developmental duration and longevity than the sensitive stain. However, the mean fecundity of the resistant strain was significantly higher than that of the susceptible strain. The net reproductive rate (R0=30.3833 offspring), the intrinsic rate of increase (r=0.2231 d-1) and the finite rate of increase (λ=1.2499 d-1) of the resistant strain were only slightly higher than those of the susceptible strain (R0=29.5333 offspring, r=0.2130 d-1, λ=1.2373 d-1); the differences were not significant. However, the mean generation time (T=15.1768 d) of the resistant strain was significantly shorter than that of the susceptible strain (T=16.0314 d).
Effects of Apis mellifera adansonii, L. 1758 (Apidae: Hymenoptera) pollination on yields of Cucumeropsis mannii (Naudin) in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo

The honeybees play an important role in the pollinations of many field crops. Here, we assessed the effect of the presence of honeybee colonies, A. mellifera adansonii , L. 1758 (Apidae: Hymenoptera) in the production of African melon crop, C. mannii (Naudin) (Cucurbitaceae) in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo. The influences of distance to the apiary and flight orientation were also investigated. Generally, four fields of one hectare were cultivated in two study sites. At each site, both fields of one hectare were separated by more than 3 kilometers to avoid interference between treatments. Two honeybee colonies were installed in the middle of the first experimental field at each site (T1) during flowering (when there were 10% of flowering plants). A second experimental field, without honeybee colonies, was the control (T0). Each experimental field (with or without colonies) was divided into three concentric subplots around the apiary (P1: 0-10 meters to the apiary, P2: 10-30 meters, and P3: 30-50 meters to the apiary). The impact of pollination of honeybees on the yield of C. mannii was assessed on five components of yield (average number of seeds per fruit, average number of fruits per plant, average weight of seeds extracted per fruit, average length and average width of the seeds). The results of this study have shown that the pollination of introduced honeybees significantly improved the number of seeds per fruit by 83.78%, while the number of fruits per plant and the weight of seeds per fruit were improved by 422.89% and 185.61%, respectively. Indeed, the seed size was positively influenced by the presence of the apiary in the field. According to the findings in this study, the spatial distribution of plants (distance to apiary and orientation) did not influence the yield and the size of seeds in the field of C. mannii. The association "apiary - culture of C. mannii " could be integrated in the arsenal of strategies to enhance symbiotic interactions Apis mellifera with C. mannii in DRC. Keywords : Apis mellifera adansonnii, L. , pollination, Cucumeropsis mannii (Naudin), yield, Kisangani, RDC.
Alternative interpretation and scale-based context for "no evidence of recent (1995-2013) decrease of yellow-cedar in Alaska" (Barrett and Pattison 2017).

In their analysis of resampled and remeasured plot data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, Barrett and Pattison (2017, Can. J. For. Res. 47(1): 97–105, doi:10.1139/cjfr-2016-0335) suggest that there is neither evidence of a recent regional decrease in yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis (D. Don) Oerst. ex D.P. Little) live tree basal area nor a decrease in the species’ extent in southeastern Alaska. Here, we identify substantial, broad-scale agreement between their estimated extent of concentrated yellow-cedar mortality and that resulting from a complementary, existing body of research into yellow-cedar decline spanning 35 years. However, we also discuss concerns that the FIA remeasurement data used did not match the spatial distribution of the decline (e.g., excluding areas of known active decline in wilderness areas) and that the temporal coverage of FIA data (1990s to 2000s) was inappropriately compared with a cumulative decline map that spans several decades,.