Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple Shoot Regeneration from Nodal Explants of Ashwagandha (

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal) is an important medicinal plant known classically for its rejuvenating properties. A number of experiments were undertaken with nodal explants of Ashwagandha in an attempt to improve the process of regeneration of multiple shoots in In vitro. The optimum medium for multiple shoot formation (i.e., 38 shoots per explant) was Murashige and Skoog medium with BAP(1.5mg/l) and IAA(1.5mg/l). Gibberellic acid(0.15mg/l) was effective in enhancing the maximum shoot elongation. 72% of in vitro raised shoots responded rooting on MS medium fortified with IBA(5.0mg/l) and the rooted plants were hardened and transplanted to the soil. The plants showed 80-90% survival during transplantation. Ashwagandha, BAP, IAA, IBA, MS medium, nodal explant
The Cause of Decreased Pan Evaporation over the Past 50 Years

Changes in the global water cycle can cause major environmental and socioeconomic impacts. As the average global temperature increases, it is generally expected that the air will become drier and that evaporation from terrestrial water bodies will increase. Paradoxically, terrestrial observations over the past 50 years show the reverse. Here, we show that the decrease in evaporation is consistent with what one would expect from the observed large and widespread decreases in sunlight resulting from increasing cloud coverage and aerosol concentration.
Population dynamics of Aspergillus flavus in the air of an intensively cultivated region of south‐west Arizona

Airborne propagules of Aspergillus flavus were quantified to investigate population dynamics of A. flavus in a region of south-west Arizona prone to epidemics of aflatoxin contamination of cottonseed. Air was sampled continuously from May 1997 to March 1999 at two sites using Burkard cyclone samplers. One sampler was initially at the centre of 65 ha of cotton treated with an atoxigenic strain of A. flavus to manage aflatoxin contamination of cottonseed. The second sampler was 0·6 km from the treated field. Total fungal colony-forming units (CFU) sampled ranged from 17 to 667 and from 9 to 1277 m−3 at the untreated and treated sites, respectively. Counts of A. flavus ranged from 0 to 406 m−3 and from 0 to 416 per m−3 at the untreated and treated sites, respectively. Aspergillus flavus comprised 1–46 and 1–51% of the total cultured fungi at the treated and untreated sites, respectively. Peaks in total fungal and A. flavus CFU coincided with boll maturation and cotton harvest (days 251–321). Autoregression analysis suggested that there was no difference in total fungal CFU between treated and untreated sites, but the analysis showed that the quantity of A. flavus decreased at the treated site. This is probably caused by changes in cropping making the conditions less conducive to growth and reproduction of A. flavus in the surrounding fields. The incidence of the S strain of A. flavus was highest between May and August. The L strain accounted for up to 100% of the A. flavus sampled in the other months, and autoregression analysis showed that the L strain accounted for a greater overall proportion of the A. flavus population at the treated site compared with the untreated site. Autoregression analysis also showed the vegetative compatibility group of the applied strain was a greater proportion of L-strain A. flavus at the treated site (5–75%) than at the untreated site (0–65%), although this decreased with time. The quantity of A. flavus sampled at both treated and untreated sites was correlated with air and soil temperature. Large quantities of A. flavus occurred in the soil (up to 34 474 CFU g−1) of cotton fields and on cotton plant parts and debris (up to 272 461 CFU g−1) adjacent to the cyclone samplers. Aspergillus flavus is a major constituent of the airborne mycoflora associated with cotton fields in south-west Arizona when temperature is conducive to fungal growth. Although application of atoxigenic A. flavus altered the proportion of A. flavus strains and vegetative compatibility groups in the aerial mycoflora, the total quantity of A. flavus remained similar to that in untreated fields. Dispersal of A. flavus between fields suggests that atoxigenic fungi will be most effective in area-wide management programmes.
Biological Control of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Fabaceae) in South Africa: A Tale of Opportunism, Seed Feeders and Unanswered Questions

Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (Fabaceae) is a typical ‘conflict species’, possessing both useful and damaging attributes, that has become naturalized in several countries worldwide, following deliberate introductions for agroforestry. Considered one of the ‘World's 100 Worst Invaders’, the plant in South Africa is an incipient or ‘emerging weed’, with infestations mostly occurring in the eastern subtropical regions of the country. Deliberate biological control efforts have been confined to South Africa, although these have been opportunistic, unfunded and, given the plant's propensity for prolific seed production, have focused exclusively on the seed beetle, Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Schaeffer) (Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae). Following confirmation of host specificity, and after several low-intensity releases, the beetle has become widely established in KwaZulu-Natal, where releases were mostly made, but also in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the North West provinces. A sap-sucking psyllid, Heteropsylla cubana Crawford (Psyllidae), was inadvertently introduced into South Africa, but has not had any impact on weed infestations. The biological control programme against L. leucocephala in South Africa is reviewed, including: (i) aspects of the target plant that are pertinent to its invasiveness and management; (ii) details pertaining to the two natural enemies that have featured so far; (iii) progress that has been achieved; and (iv) the direction of future research efforts.
Sugar Composition of Pectin and Hemicellulose Extracts of Peach Fruit during Softening over Two Harvest Seasons

Changes in cell wall polysaccharides associated with peach fruit softening were characterized over two harvest seasons. Enzymically inactive cell walls were prepared from mesocarp tissues of peach fruit harvested at three stages of softening. Pectin-associated and hemicellulose-associated polysaccharides were extracted from the cell walls sequentially, and glycosyl residue compositions were determined by GLC. Pectin extracts from both years were richest in galacturonosyl, arabinosyl, and rhamnosyl residues. Hemicellulose extracted with 1 M potassium hydroxide contained a high mole percentage of xylosyl, glucosyl, and fucosyl residues. Hemicellulose extracted with 4 M potassium hydroxide contained a substantial amount of pectin-associated sugar residues in addition to hemicellulose-associated sugar residues. During softening in both years, sugar compositions for cell walls, aqueous phenol-soluble polysaccharides, and imidazole extracts reflected a decrease in galacturonosyl residues and a concomitant increase in arabinosyl residues on a mole percent basis. The degree of change for galacturonosyl residues in these fractions depended on season, with greater variation exhibited from fruit at earlier stages of softening. With the notable exception of the seasonal variation exhibited for galacturonosyl residues in cell walls, the relative stability of other glycosyl compositional changes over seasons indicates conserved changes for pectins and hemicelluloses occur during peach fruit softening.
Plasma Leptin and Performance of Purebred and Backcrossed Hereford throughout Grazing and Feedlot Fattening

In a herd of 24 spring-born steers, plasma leptin and performance of selected purebred (n=5) and backcrossed Hereford (n=5) were compared in a year-round summer grazing and winter feedlot fattening. Bimonthly blood collection and body weight measurement were accomplished. The plasma samples were analyzed for leptin, insulin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, NEFA and glucose. The experimental design utilized one-way ANOVA with breed as the treatment. The purebred obtained higher plasma NEFA (p<0.001) compared to backcross, regardless of seasonal feeding systems (SFS). The backcross showed gradual increase and non- responsiveness of plasma leptin to SFS. During summer grazing, attenuation of plasma leptin and sudden elevation when shifted to winter feedlot fattening were observed in purebred. Plasma leptin obtained linear relationship with body weight of purebred (r=0.53; p<0.001) and backcrossed Hereford (r=0.49; p<0.01). The purebred and backcrossed Hereford, when shifted to summer grazing, resulted to sustained and restricted daily gain, respectively. Therefore, cattle breeds of higher growth potential exhibit significant elevation of plasma leptin after 400 kg BW, when animal starts to deposit significant body fat. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2004. Vol 17, No. 7 : 954- 959)
Local Differential Privacy for Sampling

Differential privacy (DP) is a leading privacy protection focused by design on individual privacy. In the local model of DP, strong privacy is achieved by privatizing each user’s individual data before sending it to an untrusted aggregator for analysis. While in recent years local DP has been adopted for practical deployments, most research in this area focuses on problems where each individual holds a single data record. In many problems of practical interest this assumption is unrealistic since nowadays most userowned devices collect large quantities of data (e.g. pictures, text messages, time series). We propose to model this scenario by assuming each individual holds a distribution over the space of data records, and develop novel local DP methods to sample privately from these distributions. Our main contribution is a boosting-based density estimation algorithm for learning samplers that generate synthetic data while protecting the underlying distribution of each user with local DP. We give approximation guarantees quantifying how well these samplers approximate the true distribution. Experimental results against DP kernel density estimation and DP GANs displays the quality of our results.
Volume density of South American camelid skeletal parts

This paper provides a set of volume density values for skeletal parts of lama (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Camelidae). The method by which these values were obtained is described and compared with published data of densitometries made on cervids, showing a high positive correlation between the bone densities of the two artiodactyls. The camelid bone density data are used to discuss the interpretation of skeletal patterning in an Andean archaeofaunal assemblage.
Effect of sulphur and magnesium application on yield, quality and nutrients uptake by mustard

A pot experiment was carried out in the green house to study the effect of sulphur and magnesium application on yield, quality and nutrients uptake by mustard. Application of sulphur (20 mg kg -1 ) reported maximum seed yield (2.50g/pot), strover yield (3.85g/pot),seed protein (21.79%), strover protein (6.27%), seed N (3.49%), strover N (1.0%), seed P (0.43%), strover P (0.21%), seed K (0.68%), strover K (1.83%), seed S (0.44%), and strover S (0.21%), seed protein (21.80%), in mustard while (20 mg kg -1 ) magnesium dose maximized seed yield (2.17g/pot), strover yield (3.30g/pot), seed protein (21.80%), strover protein (6.12%), seed N (3.49%), strover N (0.98%), seed P (0.10%), strover P (0.19%), seed Mg (0.35%) and Seed N uptake (75.73% mg/pot), strover N uptake (32.56 mg/pot), seed mustard P uptake (8.81 mg/pot), strover P uptake (6.49 mg/pot), strover K uptake (59.18 mg/pot), seed Mg uptake (7.52 mg/pot), strover Mg uptake (6.01 mg/pot), seed S uptake (8.65 mg/pot) and strover S uptake (6.07 mg/pot), by mustard crop. The interaction effect on yield was synergistic only at lower levels of Mg and thereafter, it was antagonistic. Magnesium application tended to reduce S content but increased the uptake of S by mustard.
Soil Moisture Effects on Entomopathogenic Nematodes

Abstract The effect of soil moisture on entomopathogenic nematode virulence was examined in the laboratory. Objectives were to determine the virulence of several species and isolates of entomopathogenic nematodes at various soil moisture contents and temperatures, and after fluctuations in soil moisture. Studies included up to five isolates of entomopathogenic nematodes: Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Oswego and Tuscarora strains), Steinernema glaseri (Steiner) (NC1 strain), S. feltiae (Filipjev) (Biosys 369 strain), and S. carpocapsae (Weiser) (NY001 strain). Nematodes were applied to sandy loam soils ranging in soil moisture content from below the permanent wilting point of plants to near saturation. In all experiments, a rainfall or irrigation event was simulated by adding water to rehydrate soils to high moisture levels (near saturation). Nematode virulence was evaluated periodically by measuring insect mortality in Galleria mellonella (L.) larval bioassays, before and after rehydration. Nematode virulence increased with soil moisture content for all species and isolates tested. Our studies demonstrated that the virulence of entomopathogenic nematodes in low moisture conditions could be restored by rehydrating the soil. Insect mortality was generally low in low-moisture, nematode-infested soils before rehydration, but increased to high levels posthydration. Moisture effects were evident from the onset of each experiment, whereas the effect of soil temperature on nematode-induced insect mortality was delayed and nonsignificant until 14 wk after the initiation of the third experiment.
Foraging behaviour of Apis mellifera adansonii and its impact on pollination, fruit and seed yields of Citrullus lanatus at Nkolbisson (Yaoundé, Cameroon)

Honeybee ( Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) foraging activity was observed to evaluate its impact on pollination, fruit and seed yields of Citrullus lanatus (Thunb) Mansf (Cucurbitaceae) in the area of Yaounde (Cameroon). Two lots of 775 female flowers were marked according to the presence or the absence of a protection for insect visits. The honey bees’ activity, the fruit set, the number of seeds per fruit were recorded. A. m. adansonii primarily foraged for nectar on C. lanatus throughout the whole blooming period of each plant and pollen collection was low. The mean maximum number of workers foraging at the same time was 331 ± 173 (n= 41) per 1000 flowers. The mean foraging speed was 10.20 ± 2.75 (n = 154) flowers per minute. The fruit set and the number of seeds per fruit of unprotected female flowers were significantly higher than those of female flowers protected from insects. A. m. adansonii pollination contributed 70.14% to the fruit set and seed yields. The conservation of A. m. adansonii colonies near C. lanatus population must be encouraged. Key words: Citrullus lanatus, Apis mellifera adansonii , pollination, yields, Cameroon. L’activite de butinage d’ Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille (Hymenoptera : Apidae) a ete etudiee afin d’evaluer son impact sur la pollinisation, les rendements fruitiers et grainiers de Citrullus lanatus (Thunb) Mansf (Cucurbitaceae) a Yaounde (Cameroun). Deux lots ont ete determines par le marquage de 775 fleurs femelles differant selon la presence ou l’absence de protection vis-a-vis des visites d’insectes. Le rythme saisonnier d’activite des abeilles domestiques, le taux de fructification des fleurs femelles et le nombre de graines par fruit ont ete evalues. A. m. adansonii butinait les fleurs de C. lanatus tout au long de la periode de floraison de chaque plante. Les butineuses prelevaient intensement le nectar pendant que la collecte du pollen etait reduite. Le plus grand nombre d’ouvrieres butinant simultanement etait de 331 ± 173 (n = 41) par 1000 fleurs. La vitesse moyenne de butinage etait de 10.20 ± 2.75 (n = 154) fleurs par minute. Le taux de fructification et le nombre moyen de graines matures par fruit des fleurs non protegees de l’activite des insectes etaient significativement eleves que ceux des fleurs femelles protegees. La contribution d’A. m. adansonii sur les rendements fruitiers et grainiers de C. lanatus etait de 70.14% grâce a l’action pollinisatrice des ouvrieres. La conservation des colonies d’A. m. adansonii a cote des populations de C. lanatus en fleurs doit etre encouragee. Mots cles: Citrullus lanatus, Apis mellifera adansonii, pollinisation, rendements, Cameroun
Selection of the Most Discriminating Morphological Qualitative Variables for Characterization of Fig Germplasm

Most descriptor lists for the characterization of genetic resources in plants include a large number of traits whose evaluation is a lengthy and expensive process making the characterization of large germplasm collections difficult. Consequently, to facilitate the study and the conservation of germplasm, it is important to select carefully the most informative variables for each species. In this work, we applied sequential statistical procedures to select the most discriminant variables in fig (Ficus carica L.) from the initial 134 qualitative variables studied. A total of 34 variables was finally selected and broken down in 97 characters that were grouped by principal component analysis in 11 principal components that explain 93.34% of the total variability. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean dendrogram derived from a similarity matrix generated using the Pearson's correlation coefficient among the 11 principal components selected classifies the cultivars in four main groups mainly based in the production type. These results show that redundant information can be obtained in morphological studies with a large number of variables resulting from correlation between variables. Consequently, a carefully selected and reduced number of highly discriminating variables can allow efficient fig germplasm characterization and discrimination resulting in significant savings of time and resources.
Seasonal changes on two different spatial scales: response of aquatic invertebrates to water body and microhabitat

Abstract Knowledge about the spatial and temporal scales of both habitat use and the functional significance of different adaptations is essential for an understanding of the population dynamics of invertebrate assemblages. This fundamental knowledge is not only interesting from an academic point of view, but is sorely lacking and needed in the field of restoration ecology. Many species are threatened due to degradation. Knowing what environmental conditions are needed during the life cycle of these species is important in the design of restoration measures which aim to lift existing bottlenecks for threatened species. To assess the relative importance of water type and microhabitat in structuring the invertebrate assemblage during different seasons, invertebrates were sampled in three water bodies differing in trophic level and acidity. Different parts within a water body (microhabitats) were sampled separately and each water body was sampled in all four seasons. Results show that water body is an important factor structuring the invertebrate assemblage early in the season, whereas microhabitat became more important later in the season. Structural complexity of microhabitats was related to the type of locomotion employed by invertebrates. Seasonal differences could be related to population dynamics (reproduction, mortality). Moreover, fluctuations in resource availability were expected to differ between the water bodies, with highest fluctuations in the eutrophic water body and with fluctuations becoming less predictable later in the season. This was confirmed by the data: species synchronization to pulses in food availability was strongest in the eutrophic water body. Moreover, synchronization was strongest in summer, while in autumn waters were invaded by dispersive species. Based on these results a synthesis is presented on the functioning of the different waters during the different seasons.
Wolf Predation Among Reintroduced Przewalski Horses in Hustai National Park, Mongolia

Abstract Depredation by wolves (Canis lupus) could threaten survival of reintroduced wild Przewalski horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) in Hustai National Park (HNP), Mongolia. We conducted scat analysis, spatial analyses of kills, and interviews to study prey species selection and temporal and spatial factors that characterize prey choices of wolves. Diet of wolves in HNP was comprised of >50% of livestock. Diet composition varied during the year, with more livestock taken in winter. Wildlife species were selected over livestock species. From available livestock species domestic horses were predated most, whereas red deer (Cervus elaphus) and marmot (Marmota sibirica) were the preferred wildlife species. Our spatial analyses showed an unexpected significant positive relation between number of domestic horses killed and distance to the park, as well as a significant negative relation with number of gers (tents) in the area. Compared to randomly selected comparison sites (n = 36), we found Przewalski foal kills (n = 36) at sites that were closer to the forest, at higher altitudes, with lower shrub cover, higher forest cover, and higher red deer density. If the negative trend of deer numbers continues and if herdsmen protect their livestock more vigorously, depredation of wild Przewalski horses by wolves will rise. Therefore, a large red deer population could be pivotal in improving the conservation status of Przewalski horses.
Traits of brown trout prey in relation to habitat characteristics and benthic invertebrate communities

A trait database based on habitat, behavioural and morphological characteristics of invertebrates enabled invertebrates known to have differential vulnerability to salmonid predation to be discriminated. Among all of these traits the most important were associated with invertebrate spatial proximity to salmonids (macrohabitat preference), potential conspicuousness and accessibility (e.g. flow exposure, mobility, tendency to drift, trajectory and agility) and handling efficiency (body flexibility and size). Data on benthos assemblages and brown trout salmo trutta diets collected over two consecutive summers in different macrohabitat types (e.g. pools, runs and riffles) of two Pyrenean streams demonstrated that: (i) decrease in torrential flow characteristics of habitats was associated with changes in invertebrate body shape and movement, and a decrease in body flexibility and tendency to drift; (ii) brown trout tended to feed on the most vulnerable invertebrates (e.g. those living in exposed microhabitats and with a high tendency to drift, agility and aggregation), except in faster flowing habitats. The results suggest that the potential vulnerability of benthic invertebrates increased with increases in flow (torrential) characteristics. Also, the database compiled on traits explained differences among brown trout diets, especially in slow flowing areas.