Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of artificial substrate and night-time aeration on the water quality in Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller 1862) pond culture

The effects of artificial substrate and night-time aeration on the culture of Macrobrachium amazonicum were evaluated in 12 ponds stocked with 45 prawns m � 2 . A completely randomized design in 2 9 2 factorial scheme with three replicates was used. The combination of factors resulted in four treatments: with substrate and aeration (SA), with substrate and without aeration (SWA), without substrate and with aeration (WSA) and without substrate and aeration (WSWA). The presence of substrate in SA and SWA treatments reduced suspended particles (seston) by ~17.3% and P-orthophosphate by ~50%. The use of aerator (WSA and SA treatments) significantly (P < 0.05) increased the concentration of dissolved oxygen, suspended particles and nutrients in the pond water. These results indicate that the effect of substrate on turbidity and total suspended solids (TSS) values is opposite to the effect of the aerator. The aerators in semiintensive grow-out M. amazonicum farming lower water quality because they increased the amount of detritus and nutrients in the pond water. On the other hand, the use of artificial substrate reduces turbidity values, chlorophyll a, TSS and P-orthophosphate concentrations. Therefore, the combination of substrate addition and night-time aeration is not interesting because they have opposite effects.
The influence of density and ration level on cultured Physalaemus pustulosus tadpoles, and the mitigation of a crowding effect by soil substrate

Tadpoles of Physalaemus pustulosus showed a marked crowding effect in cultures without soil substrate. Tadpoles fed ad libitum (high ration level) had slower growth and development at densities of 20 and 50 L −1 compared to 2, 5 and 10 L −1 , but there was little effect on mass at metamorphosis. The effect of extreme crowding (50 L −1 ) on a compound measure of tadpole performance was similar to that of a greatly reduced ration level (high/4), which lowered performance by about half at all rearing densities (2-50 L −1 ). Density and ration level interacted significantly in their effects on tadpole performance. A soil substrate, previously shown to promote growth and development of P. pustulosus tadpoles, largely mitigated the crowding effect, with little effect of density on performance between 2 and 50 L −1 and metamorph mass substantially greater than those reared without soil. Several measures of water quality in cultures were similar to values in field breeding pools of P. pustulosus . The exception was dissolved oxygen which was often lower than in field pools, although cultures with low values (with soil) were those showing greatest rates of growth and development and metamorph size. Factors that could be responsible for the mitigating effect of soil on crowding are discussed. The effect reduces the material and care time cost of rearing P. pustulosus to metamorphosis by 2-3 fold compared to the standard culture at 10 L −1 recommended previously.
UPTAKE OF METHYLAMINE (AN AMMONIUM ANALOGUE) BY MACROCYSTIS PYRIFERA (PHAEOPHYTA) 1

The ammonium analogue, methylamine, is taken up rapidly from dilute solution by Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. A. Agardh. 14C‐methylamine was used to characterize the transport system, with respect to dependence on external concentration, temperature, pH and substrate specificity. The results suggest that methylamine enters the algal tissue via a specific mediated transport system. Uptake of methylamine showed no consistent relation to the N content of the plant tissue, but was highly dependent on the portion of plant sampled and severely affected by cutting the tissue. The strong inhibition of methylamine uptake by ammonium and lesser inhibition by other alkylamines suggests that the uptake system functions as an “ammonium permease”. Uptake of 14C‐methylamine can be used as a highly sensitive measure of NH4+ uptake activity and should be a useful tool for studying NH4+ uptake in the laboratory and field.
Restoration of Plant and Animal Communities in a Sanitary Landfill: A 10‐year Case Study in Hong Kong

This study was conducted in the South East New Territories landfill in Hong Kong, with the objectives to (i) investigate the plant and animal communities' establishment and performance within 10 years after restoration and (ii) provide important information on pioneer plants species selection recommendations for restoring sanitary landfills. The studying sites were re‐vegetated in 2003, with 14 pioneer plant species, including Acacia auriculiformis, A. confusa and Schefflera heptaphylla, planted. In total, four permanent quadrats (10 m × 10 m) were used for monitoring at three restored sites (sites E, N and S) and the control site C. The soil properties and plant and animal communities inside plots were investigated annually in summer and winter between 2003 and 2014. The similarity of plant and animal communities between the restored and control sites was compared using Jaccard's index. Ten years after restoration, animal and plant communities were gradually established at all sites. No animal was introduced into the restored sites in 2003; however, there were 29, 31 and 44 animal species recorded at sites E, N and S, respectively, between 2003 and 2012. Within the studying period, 38 plant species (trees: 52·63%, shrub: 21·05%, herbs: 23·68% and climber: 2·63%) were recorded in all sites and 17 (36·84%) of them were self‐seeding. Exotic species, such as those from the family Acacia and Mimosaceae, were dominant at all restored sites, which implies that exotic species are more competitive and suitable to be used as pioneer species in sanitary landfill restoration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Growth, partial energy balance, mantle and digestive gland lipid composition of Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797) fed with two artificial diets.

Effects of two binders (gelatine and alginate) were tested on growth, survival, partial energy balance and lipid composition of mantle and digestive gland (DG) of Octopus vulgaris. The three diets tested were given as follows: CON, (Loligo gahi) as control, GEL, composed of squid paste (L. gahi) (300 g kg⁻¹), fish hydrolyse CPSP® (100 g kg⁻¹) and fish meal (500 g kg⁻¹), agglutinated with 100 g kg⁻¹ of gelatine and ALG, composed of squid paste (L. gahi) (300 g kg⁻¹), fish hydrolyse CPSP® (100 g kg⁻¹) and fish meal (500 g kg⁻¹), all agglutinated with 100 g kg⁻¹ of alginate. Growth rates were 13.7 ± 2.1, 2.1 ± 2.8 and −2.4 ± 2.9 g kg⁻¹ bw day⁻¹, for octopuses fed CON, GEL and ALG diets, respectively. DGs of octopuses had higher concentrations of fatty acids (FA) than the mantle. DG of animals fed CON had higher concentrations of FAs than those fed the artificial diets. Energetic balance demonstrated that physiologically useful energy for maintenance E(B) was affected by type of diet, with negative values of E(B) in animals fed ALG and positive (85 and 154 kJ kg⁻¹ day⁻¹) in octopuses fed GEL and CON, respectively. The ALG diet did not cope with the physiological requirements for octopus growth.
Physicochemical Properties of Black Doraji (Platycodon grandiflorum)

The physicochemical properties of raw and black doraji were examined with the goal of increasing the utilization of doraji. Raw and Black doraji contained similar amounts of crude ash, crude fat, and crude protein, but raw doraji had higher level of fiber. Arginine was the major free amino acid in both types of doraji. Free sugar and organic acid contents of doraji increased after steaming heat treatment. Potassium was a prominent mineral in both raw and black doraji, constituting 85% of total minerals. Black doraji contained almost twice as much crude saponin as did raw doraji. Black doraji showed lower values of L (lightness), a (redness), and b (yellowness). The hardness and chewiness of raw doraji were higher than those of black doraji. Black dorai showed a higher amount and extraction rate of saponin, even though nutrient value of doraji slightly decreased after steaming heat treatment. Therefore, black doraji can be a valuable ingredient in functional foods.
Acetolactate Synthase–Inhibitor–Resistant Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus): I—Phenotypic Differences

Abstract Acetolactate synthase (ALS) –inhibitor resistance has been recently documented in a yellow nutsedge biotype in Arkansas rice production, with a target-site mutation resulting in an amino acid substitution from Trp574 to Leu. Preliminary observations have indicated that the resistant biotype showed distinct phenotypic characteristics. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted on the resistant biotype in comparison with three susceptible standards (1) to understand differential growth habit and spatial distribution, and (2) to characterize shoot emergence pattern and seedling vigor. The resistant biotype exhibited a drastically different growth habit with secondary and tertiary basal bulbs emerging away from the parent shoot, resulting in a wider spatial distribution and ground coverage compared to the very compact growth habit of susceptible biotypes. Unlike the susceptible biotypes, the rhizomes developing into tubers were not often connected to the primary basal bulb, but were originating randomly from daughter shoots. The resistant biotype produced an extensive subterranean network of rhizomes and basal bulbs, with wider root spread and distribution compared to the susceptible biotypes. The growth habit of the resistant biotype appeared to be intermediate between yellow and purple nutsedges. Further, the resistant biotype showed a considerably delayed emergence pattern with relatively high levels of tuber dormancy. Although the resistant plants exhibited low early-growth seedling vigor and biomass production compared to the susceptible biotypes (perhaps because of smaller tubers), final aboveground biomass production was greater than that of susceptible biotypes. The overall growth habit and phenotype of the resistant biotype may provide a competitive advantage over adjacent species through the ability to occupy niches and gain improved access to critical resources. The distinct growth pattern may also mean that tillage should not be relied upon for control because it can assist further spread by disconnecting and displacing the chains of rhizomes. Nomenclature: Yellow nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus L. ; purple nutsedge, Cyperus rotundus L. ; rice, Oryza sativa L.
Gregarious setting in the American oyster Crassostrea virginica Gmelin: I. Properties of a partially purified “Setting factor”

A substance which stimulates the gregarious setting of oyster larvae has been partially purified. This material, which is present in the oyster shell liquor, is a protein of molecular weight in excess of 100,000 Daltons. Thyroxine, and possibly 3,5-diiodotyrosine and 3-iodotyrosine are freed by enzymatic or alkaline hydrolysis of the protein. These same substances are associated with the biological activity as they too will stimulate setting of larvae, although much higher concentrations are necessary for activity comparable to that of the conjugate protein.
Streamlining policies for enhancing rice production in Africa: Past experiences, lessons learnt and the way forward

There is a consensus that African development confronts several challenges, which include alleviating widespread poverty and unemployment, providing basic foods for the people, containing the HIV/AIDS pandemic, eliminating gender disparities and ensuring sustainable management of natural resources. In order to overcome the problem of food supply, investment policies have focused on certain commodities. Rice (Oryza sativa) has been at the centre of particular policy attention in West Africa since the 1970s, following the formation of West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA). Even though substantial investments and policy actions have been undertaken, the results belied the efforts made and expectations nursed. Africa today still depends on rice imports at a scale never imagined and domestic rice production programmes have been largely unsuccessful. The question is: What went wrong? Why has Africa been unable to produce enough rice to stem imports? Why did the initial investments in irrigation schemes and programmes fail? Now that attention is on expanding rice cultivation to other parts of Africa, what policy imperatives are essential to ensure sustainable rice production? This paper examines these issues by drawing experiences from several countries across West Africa. The overall objective is to provide appropriate policy framework for the expansion and sustainable production of rice to new areas in Africa. Specifically, the paper examines some of the policies pursued in the past in a number of countries and the reasons for their ineffectiveness. Drawing on the benefits of past experiences, the paper makes proposals for improved policy environment to support the new initiatives to increase rice output in the continent.
Functional ecological genomics to demonstrate general and specific responses to abiotic stress

1. Stress is a major component of natural selection in soil ecosystems. The most prominent abiotic stress factors in the field are temperature extremes (heat, cold), dehydration (drought), high salinity and specific toxic compounds such as heavy metals. Organisms are able to deal with these stresses to a certain extent, which determines the limits of their ecological amplitudes. Functional genomic tools are now becoming available to study stress in ecologically relevant soil organisms. 2. Here we give an overview of transcriptomic studies aiming to elucidate how plants and soil invertebrates respond and adapt to a stressful environment. The picture emerging from signalling pathways and transcription factors identified in transcription profiling studies suggests that there is a large overlap of genomic responses to drought, salinity and cold; however, heat and heavy metals trigger different stress response pathways. 3. The heat shock response and the oxidative stress response seem to represent universal components of the environmental stress response (ESR). Furthermore, the commonality across plants and animals seems to be higher in effector genes than in transcriptional regulators. 4. Finally, adaptation to stress factors in soil seems to evolve through enhanced constitutive transcription of otherwise stress responsive genes both in plants and animals
Flora arbustivo-arbórea de um fragmento de mata ciliar no alto rio Grande, Itutinga, Minas Gerais

A floristic survey was carried out in an 9.450m2 fragment of riparian forest on the margin of the hydroelectric reservoir of Camargos, Itutinga, state of Minas Gerais, SE Brazil. All individuals with minimum diameter at the base of stem 5cm were surveyed in the sampled area forest. A list is provided with 253 species of trees and shrubs belonging to 66 botanic families. Floristic similarity indices were calculated in comparisons with other floristic surveys of forest in the states of Sao Paulo and Minas Gerais.
ECTOPARASITISMO EM UMA ASSEMBLÉIA DE MORCEGOS EM UM FRAGMENTO FLORESTAL NO ESTADO DO ACRE, BRASIL

A abundância de ectoparasitos em morcegos pode ser influenciada atraves de caracteristicas associadas ao hospedeiro, tal como abrigo, tamanho do corpo, sexo, idade, ou sistema social. Estudos sobre o tema na Amazonia, especialmente a brasileira, sao escassos. A area de estudo foi o Parque Zoobotânico (PZ), com tamanho aproximado de 150 ha, localizado na cidade de Rio Branco-Ac. Os morcegos foram capturados com o auxilio de redes de neblina, as quais ficavam abertas das 18h00min as 22h00min, durante tres dias/mes, ao longo de um ano. Os animais capturados foram colocados em sacos de pano e levados ao laboratorio para coleta e identificacao de ectoparasitos. Foram capturados 61 individuos de 11 especies de morcegos. Dos morcegos capturados, 33 apresentaram pelo menos uma especie de diptero ectoparasita. O morcego com o maior numero de ectoparasitas coletados foi um individuo macho da especie Phyllostomus elongatus, com 13 moscas ectoparasitas da especie Trichobius costalimai. O grau de parasitismo parece estar sendo influenciado pelo microclima e pelos habitos de cada especie, tais como o tipo de abrigo utilizado e a formacao de colonias.
Latitudinal Gradient of Biting Midges in the Genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Argentina and Bolivia

Abstract We provide the first records of 8 species of biting midges in the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in a wide latitudinal gradient of the Yungas Ecoregion in Argentina and the Chaco Ecoregion in Bolivia, including a map of their distribution, and an updated checklist of species in the study area. Additional locality records were obtained from published articles and from specimens collected in these and other ecoregions in both countries. Included are the first Argentinean records of Culicoides crescentis Wirth & Blanton and C. pampaensis Spinelli & Wirth from Salta Province; C. caridei Brèthes, C. crescentis, C. guttatus Coquillett, C. insignis Lutz, C. pampaensis, and C. venezuelensis Ortiz & Mirsa from Jujuy Province, and C. saltaensis Spinelli & Wirth and C. pampaensis from Tucumán Province. In addition, the first records of C. brasilianum Forattini, C. crescentis, and C. guttatus are provided from Bolivia.
Pollination biology in the Snowy Mountains of Australia: Comparisons with montane Colorado, USA

Various aspects of the pollination biology of the alpine flora of Kosciusko National Park, NSW, were examined from late December 1983 until the end of March 1984, including flowering phenology, corolla tube lengths, flower colour, ultraviolet reflectance patterns, visitation rates to the flowers and proboscis lengths of the flower-visiting insects. An average of 5.3 species flowered in each of 13, 2 m×2 m montane plots and 5.6 species in the 13 alpine plots. The maximum number in flower simultaneously averaged 4.1 species in the montane and 3.3 in the alpine plots; flowering peaked in mid-January, Corolla tube lengths of the flora averaged 1.73 mm. The most common floral colour was white or predominantly white (40 species), followed by yellow (14 species). Only six of the 38 species (16%) examined had some type of reflectance pattern; the remaining species all absobed ultraviolet. Flies appeared to be the major pollinators. The insects collected in the study area comprised 60 species of Diptera, 33 species of Hymenoptera, and several species each of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. On average, 14.4% of flowers watched during 379 observation periods (10 min each) were visited. On average, each plant species was visited by 6.4 species of flies, 2.4 species of bees, wasps or sawflies, one species of butterfly or moth and 0.3 species of beetles. Visitation rates increased over the growing season, and were significantly affected by ambient temperature (positively), light levels (positively) and wind speed (negatively). The maximum proboscis length for the 25 most common species of bees was 2.76 mm, but 18 of 51 species of flies had proboscis lengths longer than this. The mean proboscis length for all 25 species of bees was 1.68 mm, and for 51 species of flies was 2.31 mm. Proboscis lengths for flies were positively correlated with the average corolla length for the plant species they visited. For bees, however, the range in proboscis lengths was relatively small and did not show this pattern. There appear to be significant differences between the plant-pollinator community of alpine Australia and other alpine areas where bumblebees are common pollinators. These differences include shorter proboscis and corolla tube lengths, and perhaps an increased diversity and significance of flies as pollinators.
Organization and dynamics of a cortical fibrous network of Paramecium: The outer lattice

A monoclonal antibody, CC212, raised against ciliated cortices of quail oviduct cells and characterized as an antimyosin of smooth muscle and nonmuscle cells, was shown to specifically label a regular cortical network in Paramecium and to recognize two Triton X-100–insoluble polypeptides at 130 and 50 kDa. However, no evidence was obtained that these polypeptides are related to myosin. An immunofluorescence study and ultrastructural immunogold localization allowed us to identify the CC212-decorated material as a component of the outer lattice, a submembrane cytoskeletal network which runs along the top of the ridges visible by scanning electron microscopy and delineates the periphery of each cortical unit. The dynamics of the outer lattice during the cell cycle was studied by immunofluorescence and it was found that the outer lattice growth is achieved without disruption of the preexisting meshes by longitudinal elongation and additon of new transverse partitions. A striking disorganization of the outer lattice was observed in a thermosensitive mutant primarily altered in basal body duplication. These observations suggest possible functions of the outer lattice and demonstrate the interdependence of basal body duplication, surface growth, and outer lattice remodelling.
Cercospora species on cucurbitaceous hosts in South India. I. Identification of species.

Several cucurbitaceous plants are cultivated in South India as vegetables. Of late Cercospora leafspots of some of these hosts have been found to occur in severe forms, sometimes causing leaf blights. Investigations were undertaken to study the diseases in detail, and several cucurbitaceous plants were examined. Recently we (1960) reported a new species of Cercospora, C. annamalaiensis Rang. & Chandr. on Luffa acutangula Roxb. In this paper the systematic position of the fungi on seven hosts is reported.
Germinação e vigor de sementes de melancia tratadas com zinco

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the application of concentrations of zinc on the germination and vigor of watermelon seeds. The treatments consisted of the application of seven concentrations of zinc (0; 0.19; 0.38; 0.76; 0.95; 1.14 and 1.52 g of Zn kg-1 of seeds), using ZnSO4.7H2O as source. The effects of applying Zn to seeds and seedling were evaluated by standard methods of seed germination (percentage of regular and abnormal seedlings), with four replications, and by vigor tests (length, seedling fresh and dry weights), with five replications in a completely randomized design. The treatment of watermelon seeds, cv. Crimson Sweet with Zn increased germination to the maximum dose of technical efficiency, which was 0.95 g Zn kg-1 seed. The watermelon seed treated with different doses of Zn reduced seed germination when evaluated by the length and fresh and dry weights of seedlings.
Wound reaction of the parenchyma in Betula.

Reactions in the xylem parenchyma of Betula pendula Roth following wounding in late spring have been investigated by light and electron microscopy. Structural changes in contact parenchyma cells are described in relation to the formation of plugs in vessels and fibres. Swelling of the Protective Layer (PL) with a simultaneous loss in electron density appears first. Fibrillar material is then synthesised, which accumulates outside the cytoplasm between the plasmalemma and the modified PL. The PL now consists of loosely packed fibrils with a structure similar to the accumulating fibrillar material. After extrusion of fibrils through the pit membrane into the lumina of adjacent vessels a membranous layer on the scalariform perforation plates as well as plugs are formed; the latter are also built up in fibres. These reactions spread axially less extensively in cells near the cambium than in the more centrally located ones.