Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic variation at Exon2 of TLR4 gene and its association with resistant traits in chicken

This study was conducted to analyze the polymorphisms of chicken Toll-like receptors 4(TLR4) gene and aimed to provide a theoretical foundation for a further research on correlation between chicken TLR4 gene and disease resistance. Genetic variations at exon 2 of TLR4 gene in 14 chicken breeds and the red jungle fowl were detected by PCR-SSCP method and two alleles and three genotypes were found, Tibetan chicken and red jungle fowl only had BB genotype, while the others presented three genotypes of AA, BB and AB. Sequencing results showed two mutations, G114A and G142A, located at exon 2 of TLR4 gene. The results of Chi square test showed that all populations, except Xianju chicken, were in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at this locus (P > 0.05). According to analysis of population genetic variation, all the populations were at moderate polymorphism (0.25 < PIC < 0.5) except red jungle fowl and Tibetan chicken (PIC = 0). The study demonstrated that there were differences of normal anti-disease ability in Chinese indigenous chicken breeds and appeared no significant correlation with body size, product type and geographical location. The associated analysis of results showed that the SNPs of TLR4 gene in the study were not linked with potential major loci or genes affecting some resistant traits.
Manganese requirement of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry

SUMMARY: The present experiment was undertaken to establish the dietary manganese (Mn) requirement in Atlantic salmon fry and to examine the effect of Mn intake and status on disease resistance. Salmon fry were divided into six triplicate groups and fed a casein/gelatine diet (containing 1.1 mg Mn/kg) supplemented with 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 or 24 mg Mn/kg (as MnSO4) for 12 weeks. Growth, mortality and whole body Mn were recorded every 4 weeks. Concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, zinc and iron in whole fish and total hepatic superoxide dismutase activity were measured after 12 weeks of feeding. After the feeding experiment, the fish were challenged with Vibrio anguillarum. Dietary Mn levels did not affect growth and mortality. Whole body Mn concentration responded readily to dietary Mn supplementation and reached a plateau in fish receiving diets supplemented with more than 6 mg Mn/kg. Regression analysis showed that whole body Mn concentration was maintained at dietary Mn concentrations of 7.5–10.5 mg/kg dry feed. Supplementation of only 3 mg Mn/kg diet was enough to saturate the total hepatic superoxide dismutase activity. The dietary Mn levels did not affect the mortality after bacterial bath challenge with a virulent strain of V. anguillarum. In conclusion, a minimum Mn requirement of 7.5–10.5 mg/kg dry diet was needed to maintain Mn status in Atlantic salmon during start feeding.
Patterns of sex ratio, virginity and developmental mortality in gregarious parasitoids☆

Theory considering sex ratio optima under ‘strict local mate competition with offspring groups produced by a single foundress’ makes a suite of predictions, one of which is a mean female bias. Treating individual offspring as discrete units, theory further predicts sex ratios to have low variance (precise sex ratio) and to equal the reciprocal of clutch size (one male per clutch). The maternal decision may be complicated by imperfect control of sex allocation, limited insemination capacity of sons and offspring developmental mortality: each can lead to virgin daughters (with zero fitness) and consequently select for less biased sex ratios. When clutches are small and/or developmental mortality is common, appreciable proportions of virgins are expected, even when control of sex allocation is perfect and the mating capacity of males is unlimited. This suite of predictions has been only partially tested. We provide further tests by examining sex ratios and developmental mortalities within and across species of locally mating parasitoids. We find a wide range of mean developmental mortalities (6–67%), but mortality distributions are consistendy overdispersed (have greater than binomial variance) and sexually differential mortality appears to be absent. Sex ratios are female biased and have low variance, but are not perfectly precise and variance is increased by mortality within species and (equivocally) across species. Sex ratios less biased than the reciprocal of clutch size are observed; probably due to a maternal response to developmental mortality in one species, and to limited insemination capacity in others. Cross species comparisons indicate that mean proportions of mortality and virginity are positively correlated. Virginity is more prevalent than predicted among species with higher mortalities but not among lower mortality species. Predicted relationships between virginity and clutch size are supported in species with lower mortalities but only partially supported when mortality rates are higher.
Invasive species of Heracleum in Europe: an insight into genetic relationships and invasion history

Several species of the genus Heracleum (Umbelliferae) were introduced into Europe from south‐west Asia in the 19th century and are now widespread in many countries. At least three invasive taxa with unresolved relationships to one another are thought to occur in Europe: Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier, H. sosnowskyi Manden, and H. persicum Desf. ex Fischer. They are tall plants forming extensive stands with a high cover. To elucidate genetic relationships between the species, and gain insight into their invasion history, samples were collected from native ranges in Asia and invaded ranges of the three species in Europe and analysed using amplified fragment length polymorphism. Five other Heracleum species were also studied and in total, 189 samples from 72 populations were analysed. The results confirmed that there are three distinct tall Heracleum species invading in Europe. Within each of the three species, plants collected in the invaded range are genetically close to those from their native ranges. A close genetic relationship between the three invasive Heracleum species in Europe was also found. A high overall genetic variability detected in the invaded range suggests that the majority of invading populations were not affected by a genetic bottleneck and that rapid evolution, drift, or hybridization played a role in genetic structuring of invading populations. For H. mantegazzianum, genetic distance of populations in the native range significantly decreased with geographical distance, but not in the invaded range. It is likely that the current pattern of genetic diversity in Europe resulted from multiple introductions of all three species.
Effects of yoga on body composition and cardio: Pulmonary functions of 16-18 years healthy female volunteers

The present study was aimed to find out the effects of yoga on body composition and cardio-pulmonary functions on young healthy female volunteers. For this purpose eighty one healthy female volunteers (age 16–18 yrs) were screened randomly from Midnapore District, West Bengal, India. All the volunteers went through a medical examination performed by Physicians. Twenty one volunteers were excluded and the remaining sixty (n = 60) volunteers were randomly divided into two groups: (a) Yoga Group (n = 30) and (b) Control Group (n = 30). Yoga training 60 min/d, 06 d/wk for 12 wks was followed in yoga group with no yoga training in control group. Significant reduction (P<0.05) in body fat, body mass, BMI, SBP, RHR and RR; and increase (P<0.05) in FVC, FEV1, PEFR, MVV and BHT were noted in the yoga group after 12 weeks of yoga training when compared to baseline data. Further, the control group had significantly (P<0.05) higher body fat, total fat mass, body mass, SBP, RHR and RR; and (P<0.05) lower FVC and MVV when compared to yoga group after 12 weeks of study. It can be suggested that yoga practice may reduce body fat and the chance of cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
Growth Rates of Crocodylus Porosus (Reptilia: Crocodilia) From Arnhem Land, Northern Australia.

In C. porosus 80cm SVL has been derived separately, and the two curves intersect in the vicinity of 70 cm SVL. The size at which C. porosus cease growing seems quite variable and some data indicate a range of 3.9-6.0 m total length for males. The twocurve growth model is thought to reflect an energetic advantage in feeding on large rather than small prey.
The aging effects on phenylephrine-induced relaxation of bladder in mice

Objective: We have demonstrated that phenylephrine (PE) activates the capsaicin-sensitive nerves, and then activates capsaicin-sensitive nerves to release an unknown substance that facilitates the release of norepinephrine (NE) from adrenergic nerves. Subsequently, NE stimulates β-ARs in the detrusor muscle in mice, leading to neurogenic relaxation of the urinary bladder (UB). Materials and Methods: We examined if there existed sensory-motor dysfunction in UB of aging mice. To investigate the change of PE-induced detrusor relaxation in aging male-C57BL/6 mice (12- vs. 24-month-old mice), UB strips from mice were isolated, cut into strips, and mounted in the organ bath. Results: The UB strip contractility responding to various agents was estimated using tissue bath wire myography. Acetylcholine (ACh) and KCl-induced UB strips contraction was not significantly different between 24- and 12-month mice. NE-induced UB strips relaxation was significantly lower in 24-month than 12-month mice. Denuded bladder strips showed similar decreased relaxation response to NE. This NE-induced relaxation was inhibited by silodosin and lidocaine. PE did not induce contraction in UB strips of aging mice. In contrast, PE-induced relaxation was weaker in 24-month than 12-month mice. Conclusion: Our results suggested that the PE-induced relaxation was age related. Aging seemed to lead the sensory-motor dysfunction. More animal and human studies are required to prove this concept and its clinical usefulness in the future.
Diversidade de abelhas visitantes das flores de Citrus em pomares de laranjeira e tangerineira

A presenca de abelhas em culturas de valor comercial, no periodo de florescimento, e importante nao apenas para garantir a polinizacao cruzada, quando indispensavel, mas tambem para incrementar a producao de frutos e sementes. Nessa perspectiva, o presente trabalho teve a finalidade de identificar as abelhas visitantes das flores em pomar de laranjeira (Citrus sinensis) e tangerineira (Citrus reticulata) em Salinas - MG. O trabalho foi conduzido na fazenda experimental Santa Isabel, da Escola Agrotecnica Federal de Salinas - MG, em pomares de laranjeira com as variedades, pera, baia e baianinha, e de tangerineira, variedade ponca. As coletas das abelhas visitantes das culturas da laranjeira e tangerineira foram feitas nas floradas principais, entre os meses de agosto e outubro. Foram coletadas as abelhas que visitaram as flores nos horarios entre 06 h e 18 h, totalizando 52 horas na laranjeira e 50 horas na tangerineira. No pomar de laranjeira, foram coletados 5.045 especimes com riqueza de 12 especies, e na tangerineira, 1.428 especimes com 20 especies. As especies de abelhas de maior predominância e dominância em todos os horarios amostrados foram Apis mellifera e Trigona spinipes na cultura da laranjeira e A. mellifera, T. spinipes e Tetragonisca angustula na cultura da tangerineira.
Phylogenetic relationships of the lizard families : essays commemorating Charles L. Camp

Let's read! We will often find out this sentence everywhere. When still being a kid, mom used to order us to always read, so did the teacher. Some books are fully read in a week and we need the obligation to support reading. What about now? Do you still love reading? Is reading only for you who have obligation? Absolutely not! We here offer you a new book enPDFd phylogenetic relationships of the lizard families essays commemorating charles l camp hardcover to read.
Comparative studies of thermoregulatory and osmoregulatory behaviour and physiology of five species of sandgrouse (Aves: Pterocliidae) in Morocco

In Morocco, Pterocles alchata and orientalis prefer steppe habitats, while coronatus, senegallus and lichtensteini prefer deserts, so that these species groups are largely allopatric under normal climatic conditions. Both habitats impose extreme thermal conditions (air temperatures up to 55°C) on these diurnally active birds which characteristically nest in the open. Sandgrouse minimize environmental and metabolic heat loads by concentrating vigorous activity into the cooler parts of the day, by remaining inactive when the sun is high, and (exceptionally among the bird species studied) by increasing thermal insulation when ambient temperatures exceed body temperatures. Water conservation is achieved by delaying evaporative heat dispersal mechanisms (gular fluttering and gaping, but not panting) until air temperatures reach 50°C, and probably also by a renal-colonic system adapted to oliguria and salt retention. Desert and steppe study sites had permanent and comparatively fresh water supplies, but appeared to be salt deficient. Morning drinking flights in alchata and orientalis showed evidence of a “feed forward” response enabling increasing numbers of birds to drink earlier in the day in anticipation of hotter conditions later. P. coronatus, senegallus and lichtensteini breast feathers are adapted for water transport (we have no data for alchata and orientalis), and show specializations in keratin-water interactions (not seen in Melopsittacus undulatus or C. coturnix) enabling more rapid feather water uptake.
Adverse effects and temporomandibular joint disorder associated with Khat chewing: a prospective study

Background: Khat (Catha edulis) is a plant with its leaves containing alkaloids similar to caffeine that provides pleasurable and mildly stimulating effects. Prolonged use of Khat is associated with mental health disturbances and may cause severe damage to the temporomandibular joint. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the effects of Khat on oral health among Khat chewers in the city of Aden, Yemen. Methodology: A prospective study was carried out among Khat chewers in Aden, Yemen, between October 2013-October 2015. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed among Khat users to explore various aspects related to oral health. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 22.0. P-values of less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: 240 Khat users participated in the survey. Khat chewing was associated with many side effects. The most common side effects were pain, a clicking sound during opening and closing of mouth, tonicity, loss of teeth, and occlusion. The occurrence of temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD) disorders was higher with those chewing Khat alone (34.2%) than those chewing Khat and other items such as betel nuts (14.6%) and tombol (13.4%). The incidence of TMJD was more in the age range of 15-25 y compared to those in other age groups (P=0.036) and in those chewing Khat>5 days a week (P=0.029). Conclusion: A significant number of Khat users are affected by TMJD. This public health hazard poses an additional danger to an already substantial list of severe health concerns related to Khat chewing.
Response of African savanna ants to long‐term fire regimes

Summary 1 Despite the fact that fire is considered an important disturbance in savannas across the world and is used widely as a management tool in conservation areas, little is known about the effects of burning on their insect communities. 2 This study made use of a 50-year fire experiment to investigate the responses of ant assemblages to long-term burning regimes. The effects of fire frequency, season and time since fire (fuel age) were tested on epigaeic ants across three savanna vegetation types (Mopane woodland, Acacia savanna and Terminalia woodland) in Kruger National Park, South Africa. 3 There was no significant effect of burning on mean ant species richness and abundance between treatments, although there were significant differences in ant assemblage composition between burned (treatment) and unburned (control) plots. The effects of season, frequency of burn and plot age on assemblage structure were weak and often not significant. 4 Epigaeic ant assemblages in this savanna system appeared to be highly resistant and resilient to burning. The response of ants to fire was linked to changes in habitat cover and structure: the effect of fire on vegetation and ants was less pronounced in lower rainfall areas, where differences in vegetation structure between burnt and unburnt plots were less pronounced than in higher rainfall areas. 5 Synthesis and applications. The effect of fire on ant assemblages in the mid- to northern Kruger National Park depends on whether a patch burns or not, rather than the specifics of the burning treatment. Thus, conservation managers can focus concerns regarding the subtleties of fire regimes on other taxa or areas of particular concern.
Effect of diets containing sesame oil on growth and fatty acid composition of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Summary The aim of this study was to investigate effects of fish oil replacement by sesame oil in combination with other vegetable oils in diets with regard to growth performance, feed utilization, desaturation and elongation, whole fish and liver fatty acid profiles of juvenile rainbow trout. Sesame oil (SO) used in the feeds was a mixture of linseed (LO), sunflower (SFO) and fish oil (FO), whereas the control diet contained only FO. Duplicate groups of 60 rainbow trout (~7 g) held under similar culture conditions were fed 2% of their body weight per day for 75 days. At the end of feeding trials, there was no difference in feed utilization efficiency or growth performance between the control group and the groups with added sesame oil (P > 0.05). However, viscerosomatic and hepatosomatic index values were significantly higher (P 0.05). Diets with sesame oil increased desaturation and elongation of 18 : 3n-3 towards n-3 HUFA. The conclusion was that the diet addition of sesame oil in combination with other vegetable oils increased the nutritional quality of the whole fish and liver of juvenile rainbow trout, in particular the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) level. Therefore, sesame oil may be of interest for use in aquaculture.
Gizzard shad population dynamics in eutrophic Missouri reservoirs with emphasis on environmental influences on their growth

Gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) is an ecologically important species in many waters of the USA. Their versatile feeding and nutrient-recycling capabilities and importance as prey, combined with their commonly high biomasses, result in widespread ecosystem effects. Despite their importance, few studies have focused on variables that influence their population dynamics, especially in mid-latitude waters. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe population dynamics including size and age structure, growth, and mortality and (2) determine potential environmental influences on annual variations in growth increments of gizzard shad. Gizzard shad populations were sampled annually in three eutrophic reservoirs in Missouri, over a successive 5-year period. Size and age structure were temporally variable owing to variable year-class strength and differing growth rates. Strong year-classes arose from age-0 cohorts that experienced relatively high overwinter survival. Annual variations in growth increments across all cohorts and reservoirs appeared to be affected by the initial length of fish at the beginning of the growing season and by food availability. Annual mortality estimates ranged from 0.38 to 0.70 for ages 3–7 among the reservoirs. Due to their dynamic nature, effects of these populations on their ecosystems also must be temporally variable and complex. Future studies should focus on the importance of these temporal effects on ecosystem dynamics.
Allozyme differentiation among populations of Pinus sylvestris (L.) from Sweden and China

Allozyme differentiation at 14 loci was studied among 7 populations of Pinus sylvestris rapresenting one geographic vaniety lapponica from Sweden and two vaneties. mongolica and sylvestriformis from China. The expected and observed heterozygosities were high and ranged between 0.165 and 0.282. and between 0.164 and 0.278 respectively, With the exception of the var sylvestriformis, the patterns of genetic variation among populations were in accordance with the patterns of their geographic distribution. Nei's genetic diversity statistics showed that 7.5 % of the total diversity was due to differences among varieties. Pronounced differences were found between the var sylvestriformis population and the populations representing the other two varieties. On the other hand, less differentiation was found between the geographically very distant var. lapponica and var. mongolica. It appears that as a result of past events the patterns of differentiation among populations ofP. sylveslris are more complex than previously thought, It is possible that the individual geographic vanietes of this species have a different evolutionary history.
A review on utilizing Bosmina size structure archived in lake sediments to infer historic shifts in predation regimes

Zooplankton are considered excellent indicators of aquatic food web structure, due to their role as grazers on primary producers and their sensitivity to predation by both planktivorous fish and invertebrates. Several key zooplankton taxa also leave identifiable remains that are often well-preserved in lake sediments, providing an opportunity to track changes in predation pressure over timescales of decades to thousands of years. For example, the small-bodied cladoceran zooplankter Bosmina (Branchiopoda, Crustacea) is often highly abundant in lake sediments, and because Bosmina often undergoes cyclomorphosis in response to fish and invertebrate predation, measurements of subfossil Bosmina features can be indicative of predation regime shifts. This review focuses on Bosmina cyclomorphic responses to varying predation regimes and the application of these principles to Bosmina subfossil remains to better understand long-term ecological changes occurring in lakes. We conclude that subfossil Bosmina size structure is a promising indicator of historic changes in predation pressure in response to fish introductions/extirpations/population
ROS Scavenging Effect and Cell Viability of Opuntia humifusa Extract on Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells

In this study, the effect of the Opuntiahumifusa extracts on proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, collagen synthesis and ROS level of a cell was investigated using an osteoblast. Opuntiahumifusawas separated intoOpuntiahumifusapeel (OH-P), seed (OH-Se) and stem (OH-St). These were subjected to extraction by using hot water and ethanol. The proliferation of the MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells that were treated with OH-Se water extract were increased by approximately 120%. Regarding the effects of OH-Se on ALP activity, the 50 μg/ml ethanol extract group showed the highest activity. The synthesis of collagen increased significantly in response to treatment with OH-Se water extract. The ROS scavenging effects of Opuntiahumifusawere investigated for involvement of oxidativedamage, cell culture and staining. Also, when OH-Se water extract 100 μg/ml was added, the ROS level decreased by 54%. These results indicate that Opuntiahumifusa extracts have an anabolic effect on bone through the promotion of osteoblastic differentiation, suggesting that it could be used for the treatment of common metabolic bone diseases.