Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dispersal patterns of a saproxylic beetle, 
Osmoderma eremita, in Mediterranean woodlands

Dispersal patterns of a beetle inhabiting tree hollows, Osmoderma eremita (Scopoli, 1763) (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae), were studied in a cork oak (Quercus suber) woodland in central Italy, the southernmost part of its distribution range. During 2 years, we used radio telemetry to monitor dispersal of 39 free‐ranging individuals (16 males, 23 females). Telemetered beetles spent their lifetime not only inside hollow trees but also in other habitats, such as above or under the ground surface. Beetles were more active at the beginning of the season. Eighty‐one per cent of the males and 69% of the females conducted dispersals during their lifetime. The dispersal distance over individuals' lifetime did not differ between sexes. The longest dispersal was conducted by a female that moved 1504 m. Thirty‐nine per cent of dispersing individuals reached distances farther than 250 m. Both dispersal rate and range are higher than what has been found in Northern Europe. The population size per tree is low, most of the adults leave their natal tree, and a high predation rate (at least 28%) was observed among dispersing beetles. Therefore, to balance the local extinction risk from single trees, a high density of hollow trees is probably required. It is desirable that suitable trees are concentrated at a spatial scale of a few hundred metres.
Cell-Specific Expression and Regulation of Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase α1 and β1 Subunits in the Rat Ovary1

Abstract Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) is activated by nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide, resulting in cGMP production. Recent studies indicate that NO and cGMP influence ovarian functions. However, little information is available regarding the ovarian expression of sGC. The present study examined sGC α1 and β1 subunit protein levels in the ovary during postnatal development, gonadotropin-induced follicle growth, ovulation, and luteinization as well as in cultured rat granulosa cells. In postnatal rats, sGC α1 subunit immunoreactivity was high in granulosa cells of primordial and primary follicles on Day 5 but low in granulosa cells of larger follicles on Days 10 and 19. Theca cells of developing follicles, but not stromal cells, also demonstrated moderate sGC α1 immunoreactivity. In gonadotropin- treated immature rats, intense sGC α1 subunit staining was similarly observed in granulosa cells of primordial and primary follicles, but such staining was low in granulosa cells of small antral follicles and undetectable in granulosa cells of large antral and preovulatory follicles. Following ovulation, corpora lutea expressed moderate sGC α1 immunoreactivity. Similar ovarian localization and expression patterns were seen for sGC β1, indicating regulated coexpression of sGC subunits. Immunoblot analysis revealed no change in total ovarian sGC α1 and β1 subunit protein levels during gonadotropin treatment. Similarly, no effect of FSH on sGC subunit protein levels was apparent in cultured granulosa cells. These findings indicate regulated, cell- specific patterns of sGC expression in the ovary and are consistent with roles for cGMP in modulating ovarian functions.
Management of a German cockroach population with a juvenoid bait formulation: computer simulation

A computer model was applied to simulate responses of German cockroach populations to feeding on juvenoid baits during an equilibrium, exponential, and the earliest phase of population growth. The simulations show that the renewal potential of the cockroach populations will be exhausted when about 80% or more adults become sterile. The attainment of this activity threshold will be preceded by a lag time with no apparent control effect. The time delay appears substantially shorter for both growing populations (30–60 days) than for the equilibrious one (90–120 days), but, the former ones will continue growing throughout this lag. The simulations predict that even a worse baits' performance can give sufficient control effect in the field if the baits are laid in an early phase of population growth. Thus, optimum tactics should integrate administration of juvenoid baits with an introductory reduction of cockroach population.
A subtidal transect in Jervis Bay, New South Wales

Abstract Long‐term variations in the intertidal algal flora of the entire rock platform at Plantation Point, Jervis Bay, are described by May (1981). The study now reported presents similar long‐term changes in the flora of a subtidal region of the same headland, observed within the same period of time. This first detailed report of subtidal macroalgal communities in New South Wales describes a several‐year study of the benthic communities along a transect in the upper sublittoral region of a rocky headland at Plantation Point, Jervis Bay. Eighty‐nine species of algae were recorded, five of which were previously unrecorded for New South Wales. The area studied is dominated by the large brown algae Ecklonia radiata and Phyllospora comosa, large areas of which were cleared periodically by storms. Turf, shade and crustose coralline algal communities also were present. Storms, seasonal variation and longer term changes all affected the abundance and distribution of the algal species growing along the transect and hence the floristic composition of the area.
Development of a tree-specific stem profile model for white spruce: a nonlinear mixed model approach with a generalized covariance structure

Summary A variable-exponent stem profi le model was developed for white spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) trees in Alberta using a nonlinear mixed model approach. Between-tree variation in stem diameter was best captured by incorporating three random parameters into the model. Heterogeneous residual variances were modelled as a power function of tree breast height diameter. Within-tree residual autocorrelation was modelled through a covariance structure. Based on model fi tting statistics, the four-banded toeplitz (TOEP(4)) and the spatial power structures were both selected for further evaluation. An independent validation dataset was used for evaluating the calibration accuracy of the fi nal model in stem diameter and volume predictions. To make treespecifi c calibrations, one or more prior diameter measures should be available from each tree. For this study, four scenarios were evaluated, in which one, two, three and four prior diameters were randomly selected for predicting random parameters by an approximate Bayesian estimator. Treespecifi c calibrations were subsequently derived. Population-level predictions were also produced for comparison. The TOEP(4) structure was better in general than the spatial power structure for predicting stem diameter and total tree and section volumes.
Contributions

GERALD AKSEN ARTHUR R. ALBRECHT HUSSAM ALMESHAL FRANK A. BAUMAN MRS. RICHARD R. BAXTER ANTHONY D'AMATO ARTHUR H. DEAN (deceased) EDWARD DUMBAULD RICHARD W. EDWARDS, JR. ALONA E. EVANS (deceased) ALWYN V. FREEMAN (deceased) JOHN LAWRENCE HARGROVE RITA E. HAUSER JOHN N. HAZARD KEITH HIGHET HOWARD M. HOLTZMANN W. ROBERT MORGAN HERMAN PHLEGER (deceased) WILLIAM D. ROGERS SEYMOUR J. RUBIN ARTHUR W. ROVINE OSCAR SCHACHTER STEPHEN M. SCHWEBEL J O H N R . STEVENSON DR. ENRIQUE SYQUIA BASIL S. YANAKAKIS
Aeolid nudibranchs (Gastropoda: Opisthobranchia) of the families Flabellinidae and Eubranchidae from New Zealand waters

Four aeolid species, all newly recorded for New Zealand waters, are described. Three are known species; they are Tularia bractea (Burn) and Eubranchus rubeolus Burn from Australia and Eubranchus agrius Marcus from Chile; the New Zealand specimens show slight variation. The fourth species, Coryphella albomarginata sp. nov., is distinguished from close relatives by the opaque white band along the margin of the foot, two centrally placed (in relation to the main reproductive ducts) bursae copulatrices and several small, blunt denticles on the outer edge of the lateral teeth of the radula. The families to which these species belong, the Flabellinidae (Coryphella albomarginata, Tularia bractea) and Eubranchidae (Eubranchus agrius, E. rubeolus), are recognized and defined and the constituent genera examined and reduced in number. A new genus, Paracoryphella, and family, the Paracoryphellidae, are created for Coryphella islandica Odhner. The classification of the aeolids is reviewed:Odhner's order Aeolidacea is considered a very satisfactory major category, but his grouping of the families into tribes is discarded on the grounds that the diagnostic character, the position of the anus in relation to the cerata, is too variable within individual families.
Remote sensing analysis reveals habitat, dispersal corridors and expanded distribution for the Critically Endangered Cross River gorilla Gorilla gorilla diehli

Abstract Habitat loss and fragmentation are among the major threats to wildlife populations in tropical forests. Loss of habitat reduces the carrying capacity of the landscape and fragmentation disrupts biological processes and exposes wildlife populations to the effects of small population size, such as reduction of genetic diversity and increased impact of demographic stochasticity. The Critically Endangered Cross River gorilla Gorilla gorilla diehli is threatened in particular by habitat disturbance because its population is small and it lives in an area where high human population density results in intense exploitation of natural resources. We used remotely-sensed data to assess the extent and distribution of gorilla habitat in the Cross River region and delineated potential dispersal corridors. Our analysis revealed > 8,000 km2 of tropical forest in the study region, 2,500 km2 of which is in or adjacent to areas occupied by gorillas. We surveyed 12 areas of forest identified as potential gorilla habitat, 10 of which yielded new records of gorillas. The new records expand the known range of the Cross River gorilla by > 50%, and support genetic analyses that suggest greater connectivity of the population than previously assumed. These findings demonstrate that considerable connected forest habitat remains and that the area could potentially support a much larger gorilla population if anthropogenic pressures such as hunting could be reduced.
Seasonal analysis of zoobenthos associated with a Zostera marina L. bed in Gulbahce Bay (Aegean Sea, Turkey)

seasonal sampling of three stations in Gulbahce Bay (Aegean Sea) for the zoobenthic organisms associated with a Zostera marina bed was carried out during 1993-94. Temperature, salinity and oxygen were recorded each sampling period. A total of 7 taxonomic groups were determined: Polychaeta was the dominant group comprising 77 YO of the total taxa and individuals, followed by Crustacea, Bivalvia and other groups such as Nemertea. Sipuncula, Turbellaria and Phoronida. Of the 108 taxa encountered, the polychaetes Notomastus latericeus and Caulleriella alata accounted for 49 YO of the total populations. The species abundance did not show major changes among seasons, with in fall (982 indiv:m-') and lowest in spring (754 indiv. am-*). Diversity and evenness were relatively high and fairly constant, and were affected by the dominance levels of the species.
Temperature dependence of fish performance in the wild: links with species biogeography and physiological thermal tolerance

Summary Temperature strongly regulates the distribution and fitness of ectotherms, and many studies have measured the temperature dependence of physiological performance in controlled laboratory settings. In contrast, little is known about how temperature influences ectotherm performance in the wild, so the ecological significance of physiological performance as measured in the laboratory is unclear. Our aim was to measure the temperature dependence of performance in the wild for several species of fishes and to explore how temperatures that maximize performance in the wild (ToptE) are related to species biogeographies. We gathered body activity and growth data from the wild for nine tropical and temperate fish species, and by fitting thermal performance curves to these data, compared ToptE to species-specific warm range boundary temperatures (the average temperature of the warmest month at equatorward range limits). To explore the degree to which trends in the wild reflect trends in physiological performance measured in the laboratory, we also compiled published data on the temperature dependence of aerobic metabolic scope in fishes and compared these to our wild fish data. We found ToptE in the wild was strongly correlated with warm range boundary temperatures, and that the difference between these two temperatures (the ‘environmental heating tolerance’) was smaller for more-tropical species. Comparison with laboratory data revealed that ToptE approaches warm boundary temperatures in the wild at the same rate that the optimal temperature for aerobic scope (ToptAS) approaches upper critical temperatures (upper Tcrit) for aerobic scope in the laboratory, meaning that environmental heating tolerances in wild fishes closely mirror physiological heating tolerance (i.e. upper Tcrit − ToptAS) in captive fishes. Our comparison of field- and laboratory-derived data highlights the ecological significance of aerobic metabolic scope in fishes and suggests wild fish species tend to perform best near the highest temperatures encountered in their range while maintaining a safety margin from the deleterious effects of upper critical temperatures.
ERIC-PCR Fingerprinting of Some S. Typhimurium Isolates from Chicken and Humans with Reference to the Microbiological Quality of Retail Chicken Meat in Dakahlia, Egypt

The current study describes the isolation of Salmonella species from 100 cloacal swabs and 100 retail chicken meat samples in local pluck-shops at Dakahlia, Egypt. Human workers at the shops were also examined for Salmonella species by collecting 50 hand and stool swabs, each. The results showed that Salmonella species were identified in 12%, 26%, 4% and 6% of cloacal swabs, meat, hand swabs and stool samples, respectively. Serological and molecular identification showed that Salmonella typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) was the only serotype identified from all the examined sources and it accounted for 16 isolates. enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus- polymerase chain reactions (ERIC-PCR) fingerprinting of S. Typhimurium isolates produced five clusters indicating the possibility of the serotype transmission between chicken and humans. The discrimination power of ERIC-PCR was high (D=0.966) dividing S. Typhimurium isolates to 12 profiles. The microbiological quality of the examined chicken meat samples was also investigated using aerobic plate, coliform and Enterobacteriaceae counts. The results showed the need for improving the hygienic measures during slaughtering, processing and handling of chicken meat.
Does body size predict foraging effort? Patterns of material investment in spider orb webs

Body size affects almost all aspects of animals’ resource use, and its scaling syntheses are well established in most biological fields. In contrast, how behavioral variation scales with body size is understudied. Understanding how body size influences behavior is important as behavior responds more readily to natural selection than many other traits, and foraging effort is a critical behavioral trait. Web spiders are good models for studying foraging effort because webs are physical records of behaviors. Variability in web architectures is well documented, but how spider size scales with foraging effort and web performance is virtually unknown. Here, we investigate behavioral allometry at three phylogenetic scales – broadly across orb-weaving spiders, among a recent radiation of species, and among individuals within species. Conducting a metaanalysis across a wide range of orb weavers, we investigate how foraging effort scales with body size by measuring effort as the volumes of the three silk gland secretions used for building orb webs. We show that volumes of web material scale negatively allometrically with body size, and suggest silk investment is an important limiting factor in evolution of web performance and body size. To assess whether such broad evolutionary trends exist at finer phylogenetic scales, we investigated how foraging effort scales with body size in a group of five closely related Zygiella s.l. species (Araneidae). We find that the general scaling pattern across orb weavers is only partially confirmed. Finally, we examine patterns among individuals within each of the Zygiella species. We find different patterns of silk use in relation to body size, and show that both web architecture and silk investment need to be quantified to estimate total foraging effort. In conclusion, we find support for the prediction that behavioral traits scale differently to body size at different phylogenetic scales and at the individual level.
On the Apparently Striking Disconnect between Motivation and Satisfaction in Recreational Fishing: The Case of Catch Orientation of German Anglers

Abstract In this study, three distinct segments of German anglers differing with respect to degree of catch orientation as the main fishing motive were identified in a nationwide telephone survey (N = 474). Noncatch aspects of the fishing experience played a major role in the motivations of anglers: about 80% of the sample was classified as anglers with a low, or minimal, catch orientation. Angler satisfaction and its determinants were examined across degrees of catch orientation to improve understanding of the link between angler motivation and satisfaction. Highly catch-oriented anglers were significantly less satisfied with the previous angling season than were minimally catch-oriented anglers. An exclusivity of activity-specific, mainly catch-related, satisfaction components as predictors of overall angling year satisfaction was found in all angler segments, irrespective of catch orientation. Satisfaction was unrelated to actual catch or harvest rates, and no significant differences in catch and harve.
Field Metabolic Rate, Water Flux and Food Consumption by Free-Living Silky Anteaters (Cyclopes didactylus) in Panama

Abstract Wild silky anteaters (Cyclopes didactylus) were studied in Panama during the dry season using doubly-labeled water (DLW) to measure field metabolic rates (FMR) and water intake rates (WIR), and to estimate feeding rates. Their daily requirements for energy, food and water were low: only one- to two-thirds of those of typical eutherian mammals with the same body size. Anteaters' body-size-adjusted requirements were similar to, but higher than, those of sympatric three-toed sloths, another xenarthran species. Xenarthrans in general may have unusually low metabolic intensities and nutritional needs. Silky anteaters were strictly nocturnal, arboreal and myrmecophagous, and had relatively low body temperatures (31.5 °C). Resumen Se estudiaron serafines del platanar (Cyclopes didactylus) en Panamá durante la estación seca con agua doblemente marcada (DLW) para medir las tasas metabólicas de campo (FMR), la tasa de ingesta de agua (WIR) y para estimar las tasas de alimentatión. Sus requerimientos diarios de energía, alimento y agua fueron bajos: correspondían a uno a dos tercios de los valores típicos para mamíferos euterios de tamaño corporal similar. Los requerimientos de los serafines, ajustados por el tamaño corporal, fueron similares pero más altos que los registrados en otra especie de Xenarthra simpátrica, el perezoso de tres dedos. Los xenartros en general pueden tener intensidades metabólicas y necesidades nutricionales inusualmente bajas. Los serafines del platanar fueron estrictamente nocturnos, arbóreos y mirmecófagos, y tenían una temperature corporal relativamente baja (31,5 °C).
The World of Organic Agriculture – Statistics and Emerging Trends 2008. Edited by H. Willer, M. Yussefi-Menzler and N. Sorensen. London: Earthscan (2008), pp. 267, £35.00. ISBN: 978-84407-592-8.

packaging, and international trade, are well documented, together with the various means by which farmers and their organizations have adapted to the new demands. The effects of the new marketing systems on nutritional health are briefly covered, especially the rising incidence of obesity in the midst of poverty. The book is well referenced and is an important source of case material, and more general issues associated with this fast-moving sector.
Genetics and animal domestication: new windows on an elusive process

Domesticated animals are universally familiar. How, when, where and why they became domesticated is less well understood. The genetic revolution of the past few decades has facilitated novel insights into a field that previously was principally the domain of archaeozoologists. Although some of the conclusions drawn from genetic data have proved to be contentious, many studies have significantly altered or refined our understanding of past human animal relationships. This review seeks not only to discuss the wider concerns and ramifications of genetic approaches to the study of animal domestication but also to provide a broader theoretical framework for understanding the process itself. More specifically, we discuss issues related to the terminology associated with domestication, the possibility of domestication genes, and the promise and problems of genetics to answer the fundamental questions associated with domestication.
Evaluation and Comparison of Different Phenotypic Tests to Detect Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus and their Biofilm Production

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates because of the development of multidrug antibiotic resistance. Rapid and accurate detection of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus is an important role of clinical microbiology laboratories to avoid treatment failure. Hence the study was aimed out to evaluate different conventional phenotypic methods in detecting MRSA and to determine the prevalence of biofilm producers among MRSA. A total of 198 clinical samples were collected from a tertiary care hospital in Bangalore from July 2010 to January 2011 and subjected to MRSA screening by phenotypic methods using E- test MIC as standard. Subsequently biotyping and biofilm production was performed for confirmed MRSA isolates. Antibiotic susceptibility test by disc diffusion was also performed for all S. aureus isolates. Out of 153 S. aureus isolates, 42 (57.7%) were found to be methicillin resistant. The sensitivity and specificity for cefoxitin disk diffusion method were 100% and 99.10% respectively. The drug resistance patterns of MRSA isolates were found to be highly variable with high resistance to penicillin (100%), fusidic acid and cotrimoxazole (66.66%), pristinomycin (57.14%), rifampicin (50%) and mupirocin (47.61 %). Biotyping of MRSA isolates gave a typeability of 73.80 % and 61.90% of MRSA isolates have shown the potential to make biofilm. All phenotypic methods had high sensitivity and specificity for detection of MRSA. However, cefoxitin disk diffusion method in comparison to other methods had higher specificity. The present study reveals also reveals the emergence of vancomycin resistant isolates from this part of country and indicates the magnitude of antibiotic