Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Karyotype analysis of sixteen Chinese traditional rose cultivars

Karyotype was studied via squash method in sixteen Chinese traditional rose cultivars.The results showed that there were three ploidy levels. 'Slater's Crimson China','Parsons' Pink China','Viridiflora' and 'Pu Fu Hong'were diploid(2 n=2 x=14);Eight cultivars were triploid,including 'Chun Shui Lu Bo','Jin Ou Fan Lu','Ju Nang','Qing Lian Xue Shi','Si Mian Jing','Yi Ji Fen','Yi Pin Zhu Yi' and'Yu Shi Zhuang'(2n=3x=21);'Da Fu Gui','Yu Ling Long' and 'Zi Xiang Rong' were tetraloid(2n=4x=28). 'Mu Dan Yue Ji' has mixoploid level including triploid and tetraloid.The evolution of ploidy level among cultivars indicated a positive correlation with phenotype,which was basically identical with previous research on wild rose species and modern rose cultivars.Asymmetry index ranged from 56.70% to 63.70%. The karyotypes of all cultivars were made of m and sm chromosomes,which include 1A,2A,1B and 2B.
Optimal offspring provisioning when egg size is constrained : a case study with the painted turtle Chrysemys picta

Classic egg size theory predicts that, in a given environment, there is a level of maternal investment per offspring that will maximize maternal fitness. However, positive correlations among egg size and female body size are observed within populations in diverse animal taxa. A popular explanation for this phenomenon is that, in some populations, morphological constraints on egg size, such as ovipositor size (insects) or pelvic aperture width (lizards and turtles), limit egg size. Egg size may therefore increase with female body size due to body size-specific constraints on investment per offspring, coupled with selection towards an optimal egg size. We use 17 years of data from a population of painted turtles Chrysemys picta to evaluate this hypothesis. In accordance with our predictions, we find that (1) morphological constraints on egg size are apparent only in relatively small females, similarly (2) egg mass exhibits a strong asymptotic relationship with female body size, suggesting egg mass is optimized only at large body sizes, (3) clutch size, not egg mass, varies with female condition, and (4) clutch size varies more than egg mass across years. Contrary to our predictions, we observe that (5) the egg mass-clutch size tradeoff is not less pronounced at large body sizes. Our data do not fully support the traditional hypothesis, and recent models suggest that this hypothesis is indeed overly simplistic. When the selective environment of a female's offspring is influenced by her phenotype, optimal egg size may vary among maternal phenotypes. This concept can explain correlations among egg size and body size in many taxa, as well as the patterns observed in the present study. In this paradigm, a tight coupling of aperture width (or other ‘constraints’) and egg size may occur in small females, even when such morphological features are not causally related to variation in egg size. In this spirit, we question validity of invoking morphological constraints to explain covariation among egg size and female body size.
Water Relations of Winter Wheat: the Root System, Petiolar Resistance and Development of a Root Abstraction Equation

SUMMARY The vertical distribution of water potentials within the leaf canopy, along the stem and within the soil profile of a winter wheat crop was analysed and it is concluded the failure by previous workers to recognize the significance of petiolar resistance has probably resulted in over-estimates of the resistance of the soil to water uptake by root systems of field crops. From an analysis of the water relations of several winter wheat crops an equation is developed to describe the extraction of soil water reserves by crop root systems, based upon values of soil water potential, root xylem potential and ‘effective’ resistance to water uptake which can be obtained from field experiments. The equation provides an empirical basis to specify the minimum desirable root system for efficient capture of soil water reserves, to analyse the effects of differing root distributions and thus to help identify situations where it would be profitable to modify rooting either by tillage or by plant breeding.
Metabolic rates of arctic lakes1

A technique for calculating the respiration rates of arctic lakes during winter is presented. Respiration rates range from a low of 30 g O2 mm2 yr-l at Rcsolutc, Cornwallis Island, to over 200 at Disko Fjord, Greenland, but a general range of 40-70 can bc expected at 75” N latitude. Differences in lake oroductivitv arc tentatively ascribed to variations in turbidity and plant cover in the drainage basin. The metabolic rates of entire aquatic systems are rarely measured, dcspitc the ease with which these measurements can sometimes be made, and most investigators have concentrated on more laborious measurement of the photosynthetic rates of plankton or benthos. The few measurements of entire systems have been of laboratory microcosms, streams, or well mixed marine lagoons. Welch ( 1968) d emonstrated the feasibility of using night respiration rates for estimating metabolism of fertile lentic systems. Oligotrophic lakes, however, have very low metabolic rates on a volume basis and diurnal changes in gas concentration are difficult or impossible to follow accurately. But what if “night” were longer? IIigh arctic lakes respire during the long polar night, the oxygen content of the lakes being unaffected by photosynthesis, diffusion at the water surface, or gas changes due to stream and groundwater flow. I herein report the results of a study on the metabolism of high arctic lakes conducted as part of the CCIBP Char Lake Project. The project is a cooperative effort aimed at description of the energy flow through Char Lake at Resolute, Cornwallis Island, NWT (74” 42’N, 94’53’W) (Fig. 1). Rigler ( 1972) has summarized much of the background information about the lake and the surrounding area. The data used in this paper may be obtained from mc on request.
Quaternary Murid Rodents of Timor Part I: New Material of Coryphomys buehleri Schaub, 1937, and Description of a Second Species of the Genus

Abstract Large collections of fragmentary animal bones excavated from archaeological contexts in East Timor between 1968 and 2002 provide new material referable to the recently extinct, gigantic murine genus Coryphomys. We document the upper and lower dentition and palatal anatomy of C. buehleri Schaub, 1937, and identify and name a second species of Coryphomys, based on differences in molar size and morphology and skeletal robusticity. Alternative interpretations of the observed morphological and metric variability (sexual dimorphism, resource-based polymorphism, sample heterochroneity) are each carefully assessed and rejected, and we conclude that the genus comprised two species of approximately similar body size. Preserved cranial elements of both species of Coryphomys feature a high degree of anatomical specialization, including an unusual elaboration of the maxillary sinus complex. Though the specialized anatomy of Coryphomys invites consideration of its phylogenetic relationships, this exercise is hindered by a demonstrable high level of homoplasy (i.e., multiple, independent evolutionary losses and gains) in many of the key craniodental features traditionally surveyed within Murinae, while other features are insufficiently well surveyed for broad-scale analysis. Nevertheless, our comparisons highlight two potentially related lineages among the geographically proximate Murinae—the Philippine Phloeomyini and the Australo-Papuan Hydromyini. The remains of Coryphomys are relatively scarce in all the archaeological samples, but distributional evidence suggests that both species of Coryphomys were found primarily in upland habitats. Late Pleistocene samples document their former presence at lower elevations, possibly reflecting cooler climatic conditions at that time.
The Use of Manure on Smallholders' Farms in Semi-Arid Eastern Kenya

Summary The manure that is returned to croplands each year is an important resource in the subsistence farming systems of eastern Kenya. Measurements on several farms have shown that the manure being used is of very poor quality. Analyses of soil samples from beneath the bomas (small enclosures) where animals are kept indicate that substantial losses of nutrients occur through leaching; ammonia volatilization and denitrification may also be involved. Current practice is to apply the manure at rates that appear to make poor use of this scarce resource. The findings are discussed in terms of what changes to the system may be feasible to reduce losses of nutrients, and to improve the quality of the manure and the effectiveness of its use.
The ghost of unbalanced species distribution data in geographical model predictions

Unbalanced samples are considered a drawback in predictive modelling of species’ potential habitats, and a prevalence of 0.5 has been extensively recommended. We argue that unbalanced species distribution data are not such a problem from a statistical point of view, and that good models can be obtained provided that the right predictors and cut‐off to convert probabilities into presence/absence are chosen. The effects of unbalanced prevalence should not be confused with those of low‐quality data affected by false absences, low sample size, or unrepresentativeness of the environmental and spatial gradient. Finally, we point out the necessity of greater research effort aimed at improving both the quality of training data sets, and the processes of validating and testing of models.
Fluctuations of satellite-derived chlorophyll concentrations and optical indices at the Southern Yellow Sea

Time series of chlorophyll-a concentration (chl a), backscattering coefficient at 490 nm (b bp(490)) and spectral slope of b bp (γ) derived from satellite imagery of ocean color were used to study the aquatic ecosystem of the Southern Yellow Sea during the time period of 1997–2007. Our study indicated that chl a increased in offshore waters by 0.02 mg m−3 y −1 (p < 0.05), in contrast to a decline observed in the middle and low-latitude global waters. b bp(490), a proxy of total suspended particulate matter concentration did not have any significant trend, while γ, a proxy of the relative proportion of small-sized and larger particles in the surface ocean, decreased significantly. Annual spring phytoplankton blooms occurred in nearshore and offshore waters of the central Southern Yellow Sea; while autumn blooms only occurred in nearshore waters.
Incidence of lethal bird poisoning reduced by regurgitation of pesticide‐treated food

Regurgitation by birds feeding on pesticide‐treated seed was quantified in two experiments, and its role in reducing the risk of acute poisoning from an organophosphorus pesticide was assessed. Captive feral pigeons (Columba livia) were offered fonofos‐treated seed ad libitum on a test day after a 6‐d period in which one group was given free access to untreated seed and another group was given no food in one experiment or 15% of normal intake in the other. Avoidance of treated seed reduced intake substantially, preventing the ingestion of lethal doses for all birds fed ad libitum and some but not all of the food‐restricted birds. Some of the latter regurgitated most of the seed taken in (>60%), reducing by ∼50% the dose of pesticide assimilated and lowering the dose from above to below lethal levels. Regurgitation was the most likely explanation for the survival of at least 12 and 50% of the food‐restricted birds in these experiments. Regurgitation reduced but did not prevent mortality, because some birds died without regurgitating and others despite doing so. This study provides the first clear evidence that regurgitation can directly reduce mortality of birds exposed to pesticides in their food. Implications for the risk of poisoning wild birds and avian toxicity testing are discussed.
Reação de cultivares e eficiência do controle químico de pulgões vetores do Barley yellow dwarf virus em trigo

Four experiments were carried out in Cruz Alta, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, during the 2000 growing season, under field conditions, to evaluate the wheat cultivars reaction and efficiency of inseticides to reduce aphid vectors in the Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) incidence and damage. The majority of the aphids collected (75%) was Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus). Other three species of aphids were collected in lower numbers (25%). Only the Fundacep 31 cultivar showed positive reaction to sorological test ELISA, confirming the presence of BYDV-PAV, BYDV-MAV and BYDV-SGV viral species. Cultivars showed different responses, being classified as resistant (Fundacep 30, Fundacep 36 and Fundacep 37) and susceptible (Fundacep 31). Seed treatment with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam in the dosage of 24.5g 100kg of seed-1, were effective to control BYDV aphid vectors, and these treatments were better than conventional 3 foliar sprays with chlorpyriphos. Dosages over 8.5g 100kg of seed-1 of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam avoided reduction in grain yields in wheat caused by the complex aphids-BYDV.
Habitat features associated with predation of New England cottontails: What scale is appropriate?

We examined habitat features at several spatial scales that were associated with predation of New England cottontails (Sylvilagus transitionalis) by mammalian carnivores. The fate (killed or survived) of marked cottontails was compared with the characteristics of the habitat patch they occupied and composition of the surrounding landscape. The perimeter-to-area ratio of an occupied patch, the amount of disturbed habitat within 0.5 km of a patch, and the amount of coniferous forest within 1 km of a patch were greater for killed rabbits than for those that survived. The amount of water within 1 km and an index of landscape evenness were greater for rabbits that survived. Habitat features in the vicinity of patches occupied by cottontails apparently influenced the distribution and movements of carnivores. Characteristics of patches likely influenced rabbit exposure and predator success. We propose that predation of cottontails was a multiscaled process. Landscape composition (ca. 250 km2) influenced the rela.
Habitat-specific behavioural thermoregulation by black rat snakes (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta)

Thermoregulation is thought to be the most important factor influencing habitat selection by terrestrial ectotherms, at least in temperate climates. The cost-benefit model of thermoregulation predicts that ectotherms should invest more in thermoregulation when the costs of doing so are low (when the thermal quality of the habitat is high). However, the extent to which ectotherms vary their thermoregulatory behaviour according to the thermal quality of habitats is currently unknown. We studied the relationship between habitat use and thermoregulation in 53 black rat snakes using temperature-sensitive radio-transmitters. Among the habitats available to black rat snakes, edges had the highest thermal quality, retreat sites and forest were intermediate, and open habitats had the lowest thermal quality. Black rat snakes experienced more favourable body temperatures while in barns (retreat sites) than in edges, and in edges than in forest. During the day, the effectiveness and the extent of thermoregulation by the snakes were equal in barns and forest, but much lower in edges. In fact, black rat snakes selected thermally favourable microhabitats less than their availability while in edges. Therefore, more favourable body temperatures were not necessarily achieved in thermally superior habitats by increased thermoregulation, but simply because favourable temperatures were encountered more often in those habitats. This result is contrary to the central prediction of the cost-benefit model of thermoregulation and we suggest that this model should be modified to put more emphasis on other costs of thermoregulation, such as increased predation risk or lost foraging opportunities.
The yield and nutritive value of maize hybrids grown for silage

Abstract The effect of hybrid and plant population on yield, metabolisable energy content and nitrogen percentage of forage maize were investigated in a trial which included seven maize (Z. mays L.) hybrids established at 75 000, 100 000, and 140 000 plants/ha. Biomass yield and its distribution among morphological components were measured in all plots, while metabolisable energy content and nitrogen percentage of each component were measured in the 100 000 plants/ha plots only. There were significant hybrid differences in yield and yield distribution among components. Yields ranged from 15 800 to 20 700 kg DM/ha, the greatest contribution coming from grain, followed by stem, cob, and leaf. Plant population had no effect on dry matter partitioning, but forage yields declined significantly at the lowest population. Crop metabolisable energy content ranged from 10.3 to 11.3 MJ/kg DM with significant differences among hybrids, but was not correlated with forage yield or the relative contribution to yield of any component.
PREVALENCE OF EXTENDED-SPECTRUM BETA LACTAMASE POSITIVE AND MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE PATTERN OF ESCHERICHIA COLI AND KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIAE ISOLATES, SEMNAN, IRAN

Background and Objectives: β-lactamase production is the predominant mechanism for resistance to β-lactams in Enterobacteriaceae. The producing isolates are often multidrug resistant and are major hosts for extended spectrum β-lactamases. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae and their antibiotic resistance patterns in Semnan, Iran. Materials and Methods: 275 Escherichia coli and 107 K. pneumoniae isolates from clinical specimens were investigated. Combined disk test was used as a screening test for ESBL production. Disk diffusion test was performed for antibiotic susceptibility testing. Results: The greatest resistance was observed against ampicillin (96.3%) and the least resistance was against ceftazidime (16.5%). Using combined disks as phenotypic confirmatory test, ESBL were detected among 69 (18.1%) of all isolates. Frequency of ESBL production was 17.45% and 19.6% for E. coli and K. pneumoniae respectively. Conclusion: High levels of resistance and ESBL production found in the E. coli and K. pneumoniae in this study make the choice of empirical antibiotic regimens difficult. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and ESBL production monitoring are recommended in patients
Evaluation of Formalin and Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment Regimes on Rainbow Trout Eyed Eggs

Abstract This study examined the use of antifungal chemicals at nonstandard treatment concentrations or treatment intervals during the incubation of eyed eggs of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss until hatch in vertically stacked incubation trays. Daily chemical treatments of 500, 1,000, and 1,667 mg of commercial formalin (containing 37% formaldehyde)/L for 15 min and a nonchemical, dead-egg-removal control were included in three trials. The second and third trials added a true control (no antifungal measures) and the third trial also incorporated a treatment of formalin at 1,667 mg/L for 15 min every other day. In these three trials, formalin at 1,000 or 1,667 mg/L daily or 1,667 mg/L every other day significantly improved egg survival to hatch relative to the other treatments and completely controlled fungal growth. A fourth trial evaluated treatments of formalin at 750 mg/L for 15 min daily or every other day, hydrogen peroxide at 500 mg/L for 15 min daily or every other day, and control groups for bo.
In vitro evidence for sodium-dependent pH regulation in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) red blood cells

Factors influencing the pH of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) erythrocytes were examined in vitro. The absence of extracellular Na+ caused a significant reduction in the erythrocyte pH. In addition, the protonophore 2,4-dinitrophenol was capable of reducing the erythrocyte pH when it was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide. In the presence of ouabain, a step increase in the carbon dioxide tension caused a large increase in the intracellular Na+ concentration, but the rate of increase was considerably reduced after the 1st hour. Even in the absence of ouabain, however, the intracellular Na+ concentration in erythrocytes equilibrated with 3% CO2 is much greater than that in erythrocytes equilibrated with 0.2% CO2. Together, these results suggest that Na+-dependent H+ movements, possibly Na+–H+ exchange, may have an important role in erythrocyte pH regulation in P. marinus. Moreover, the mechanism appears to be stimulated by the decrease in extracellular or erythrocyte pH associated with the increase in . Extra.
Internal wave -zooplankton interactions in the Alboran Sea (W-Mediterranean)

An upward looking 75 kHz ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) was moored at 100 m above the bottom in 912 m water depth in the central-north Alboran Sea (W-Mediterranean Sea). The ADCP sampled current and acoustic echo-amplitude at a rate of once per minute for 9 days, thereby revealing particular internal wave–zooplankton interactions that varied with depth. The ADCP's echo-amplitude, a measure of zooplankton abundance, showed a dominant diurnal periodicity due to vertical migration, and occasionally intense reflections manifesting high-frequency interfacial internal waves close to the buoyancy frequency. These waves reached excursions of up to about 90 m crest-trough, around 250 m. They were only visible in acoustic data during daytime when the zooplankton gathered near these thin interfacial layers. Around 500 m where the vertical density stratification was 10 times smaller than at 250 m, larger amplitude internal waves were observed, measuring up to about 150 m crest-trough. These waves had the lowest internal wave frequency, close to the inertial frequency. Below 600 m, the stratification was so weak that large (~100 m) vertical convection in the direction of the earth rotational vector dominated over internal gravity waves. At these depths, diurnal vertical migrations were not observed, which suggests that zooplankton either avoid or become dispersed by waters with large vertical convection. Light limitation is not expected to be a key factor in this case, as vertical migration has been observed deeper than 1000 m in other areas where stratification is greater.