Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resource Use and Nesting Behavior of Megachile prosopidis and M. chilopsidis with Notes on M. discorhina (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Abstract The nesting behavior of Megachile prosopidis Cockerell, Megachile chilopsidis Cockerell, and Megachile discorhina Cockerell was studied in trap nests placed near Tucson, Arizona. Quantitative differences among the five distinct nest plugs made by M. prosopidis are described. The nest plugs fall into three structural types. The first layer of capping material deposited in the first structural type is sand and an unidentified oral secretion mixed to form a hard layer. In the second structural type, the first layer is made of soft resin mixed with sand or organic matter. A third, less common, structural type includes those nests capped with pure resin. The dominant pollen host plant species was identified as Cercidium microphyllum (Torr.) Rose and Johnston (Fabaceae). Two other legumes, Prosopis velutina Wooton and Olneya tesota A. Gray, became important pollen sources late in the nesting season. Resin samples taken from the nest caps were indistinguishable, by gas chromatography, from resin of Encelia farinosa A. Gray (Asteraceae). The following parasites and predators were reared from the nests: Tricrania stansburyi Haldeman (Coleoptera: Meloidae), Lecontella gnara Wolcott (Coleoptera: Cleridae), Anthrax cintalpa Cole (Diptera: Bombyliidae), Stelis (Dolichostelis) perpulchra Crawford (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), and Sapyga sp. Latreille (Hymenoptera: Sapygidae). New host records are reported for T. stansburyi, L. gnara, and A. cintalpa.
Studies in the Physiology of Commensalism. IV. the Polynoid Genera Polynoë, Lepidasthenia and Harmothoe

The host-response of the polynoid Polynoë scolopendrina Savigny, commensal with the terebellid Polymnia nebulosa (Montagu), is relatively specific within the family Terebellidae. Evidence is presented that an unstable or closely bound attractant is present on the outside of the host and perhaps in tube material, but apparently absent in the mucus secreted by the host. Efforts to demonstrate its presence in ground-up whole host resulted in failure. The polynoid Lepidasthenia argus Hodgson demonstrates a similar specificity of response to its host Amphitrite edwardsi Quatrefages. The polynoid Harmothoë spinifera Ehlers, commensal with Amphitrite gracilis Grube, responds to the alternate host Polycirrus caliendrum Claparede as strongly as to its own host, and more strongly than to other species of Amphitrite. Likewise, Polynoë scolopendrina, commensal with Polymnia, responds with greater intensity to the alternate host, the eunicid Lysidice ninetta Audouin and Milne-Edwards, than to any non-host terebellid. This behaviour may be i terpreted as evidence that the specificity of at least some single commensal species for hosts which are not closely related to each other may depend upon the production of similar attractants by these hosts. The responses of three commensal populations of Harmothoe lunulata (Delle Chiaje), commensal respectively with the ophiuroid Acrocnida brachiata (Montagu), the holothurian Leptosynapta inhaerens (O. F. Miiller), and the terebellid Amphitrite johnstoni Malmgren were tested against seven alternate hosts. Each gave maximum response to its own host. However, the population from Acrocnida responded as strongly to Leptosynapta as to its own host, while giving no responses at all to any of the other five.
Distribution and population structure of Thysanoessa inspinata and its dominance among euphausiids off northeastern Japan

Distribution and population structure of Thysanoessa inspinata were investigated off northeastern Japan and compared with those of Euphausia pacifica and other Thysanoessa species. Thysanoessa inspinata were distributed as widely as E. pacifica, but their abundance in the transitional water mass area (TWA) was conspicuously lower than in the cooler Oyashio water mass area (OWA). Another three Subarctic species of Thysanoessa occurred restrictively in the OWA, but rarely occurred during summer―autumn when sea surface temperature increased up to nearly 20°C. Thysanoessa inspinata was distributed in surface waters at night in the OWA in spring, but in the middle layers during summer―autumn; in contrast, E. pacifica occurred near the surface throughout the year. Euphausia pacifica was > 7 times more abundant than T. inspinata in the OWA, whereas T inspinata was >90% of the total numbers of Thysanoessa spp. Temperature tolerances may strongly affect the degree of dominance of euphausiids and explain why the TWA is the southern limit of T inspinata distribution, perhaps by restricting its access to the food-rich surface waters. Growth of males of T. inspinata was slower than that of females. Evidence from this study corroborates that E. pacifica is the key euphausiid species for food of surface-migratory Pacific saury during summer―autumn.
Analysis of Fusarium lateritium using RAPD and rDNA RFLP techniques

Chlorotic leaf distortion (CLD) is an unusual disorder of sweet potato caused by a morphologically unique strain of Fusarium lateritium. This study compared 15 isolates of F. lateritium from sweet potato with nine isolates from other hosts for genetic diversity by RAPD analysis and RFLP analysis of the intergenic spacer region and the ITS region of the rDNA. In RAPD analysis, 12 of the sweet potato isolates clustered very closely, nine with similarity of > 0.99, and three additional isolates at a similarity of > 0.86. This group comprised two pathotypes and included isolates from U.S.A. , South America, Asia and Africa. The remaining isolates, comprising three from sweet potato and all isolates from other hosts, showed little similarity with the cluster of sweet potato isolates. RFLP analysis produced similar results, with the 12 isolates that were clustered in RAPD analysis and one additional sweet potato isolate clustered at > 0.80 similarity. These data suggest that the sweet potato CLD pathogen is relatively homogeneous and genetically distinct from other strains of F. lateritium. There was relatively little similarity among isolates of F. lateritium from other hosts.
Effects of elevated CO2 on stem growth, vessel area and hydraulic conductivity of oak and cherry seedlings

Plants of Quercus robur L. and Prunus avium L. x P. pseudocerasus Lind, were grown in either ambient (350 vpm) or elevated (700 vpm) CO 2 . The intention was to examine the effects of elevated CO 2 on the morphological and functional development of the stem. The relationships between stem longitudinal transport capacity and development were explored in several ways: stem hydraulic function was related to stem cross-sectional area, supplied leaf area and total stem vessel lumen area. The mean total vessel number and the total vessel lumen area per stem, for both species, was determined from basal sections of the xylem. In Prunus seedlings grown in different CO 2 concentrations there was no significant change in the mean vessel size or number of vessels per stem. Quercus seedlings grown at elevated CO 2 showed a significant increase in both vessel number and mean vessel size. When total stem vessel area was calculated it had increased twofold for Quercus plants grown at elevated CO 2 . Measured stem hydraulic conductivity was shown to increase linearly with supplied leaf area, except in Quercus seedlings grown at elevated CO 2 . Stem hydraulic conductivity for Quercus seedlings grown at elevated CO 2 did not change with the increase in supplied leaf area. This absence of an increase in the stem hydraulic conductivity appeared to relate to changes in total stem vessel area. Despite total stem vessel area being greater at elevated CO 2 than that at ambient, it similarly did not increase with supplied leaf area. The implications of this change in the relationship between leaf area and stem hydraulic conductivity are discussed with respect to the possible effects the change might have on the plant's water balance. The possible causes and significance of the changes in xylem anatomy are also considered in relation to direct effects caused by CO 2 or indirect effects on changes in cambial maturity and tree growth.
Screening of antibacterial drugs from marine gastropod Chicoreus ramosus

Comments Numerous pathogenic microorganisms have developed their resistance against commonly available antibiotics; hence the need for developing new virulent drugs against these harmful pathogens becomes more important. Chemical drugs may lead to adverse effects and researchers now have focused on pharmacologically active compounds from natural sources. The present study revealed that the acetone and chloroform extract of both the tissues and egg inhibited the growth of the tested pathogenic bacterial strains. The MIC of both extract ranged from 4 to 12 mg/mL. These results suggest that marine gastropods tissue and egg extract contains comparatively good antibacterial activity. Details on Page 184
Mother Hood

This paper examines the role that having children, getting married, and educational attainment level play in affecting a women’s earnings and therefore her career by using five different econometric regression models. Data from IPUMS-CPS of June of 1990 and 1995 was used, and the results show that a woman does suffer a wage penalty due to motherhood. Not accounting for other variables, a one-year motherhood delay among women with a college degree increases her weekly earnings by $7.11. For women with no bachelor’s degree, a one-year increase in motherhood delay will increase her weekly earnings by $4.99. This leads us to conclude that college-educated mothers do not experience such a high wage penalty for having children than women who didn’t pursue a college degree, hence a positive relationship exists between a woman’s education level and her earnings. Similar to what Baxter et. al concluded in their study, this paper found little or no correlation between marriage delay and a women’s earnings. A possible explanation to this is that marriage does not usually imply childbearing for many women who have less liberal views on gender roles (Blount et. al, 2007). More black respondents in this study were single than white ones, which could motivate black women to be in the labor force for longer periods of time and served as a possible explanation as to why black mothers experience a lower wage penalty after childbearing than white ones. Earnings are also influenced by region, since the presence and quality of educational institutions and job opportunities vary from region to region. This may affect the education levels that women pursue as well as the job and industry that they work at, which can therefore influence their childbearing decisions and the effect of these in her career (Blount et. al, 2007). MOTHERHOOD: A BURDEN ON A WOMAN’S CAREER 2
Effect of feeding barley based diets on animal performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of crossbred beef cattle with and without Wagyu genetics

Growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of European and British crossbred (EBC; no Wagyu genetics; 28 heifers and 30 steers) cattle were compared with crossbred cattle with 75% Wagyu genetics (WC; seven heifers and 14 steers) to determine the influence of Wagyu genetics on marbling grade of beef cattle fed barley-based diets in a factorial design experiment. Weaned calves (250 d average age) were fed, one of two diets (diet 1, 35% barley grain; diet 2, 40% hay cubes on DM basis, with barley silage, protein and vitamin/mineral premix) for 84 d and then fed diet 1 until they weighed 394 to 432 kg. All cattle were finished on an 80% (DM basis) rolled barley diet and slaughtered. Carcasses were graded and samples procured for meat quality and Warner–Bratzler shear force determination. Number of days on backgrounding diets to arrive at target weight (380 kg) was greater (P < 0.05) for the WC cattle, owing to relatively lower ADG, but days on the finishing diet were fewer for these cattle, .
Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression and Activity Following Prostaglandin F2α-Induced Luteolysis1

Abstract Luteal tissue contains matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that cleave specific components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and are inhibited by tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). We previously reported a decrease in luteal TIMP-1 within 15 min of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α)-induced luteolysis. An increase in the MMP:TIMP ratio may promote ECM degradation and apoptosis, as observed in other tissues that undergo involution. The objectives of these experiments were to determine whether 1) PGF2α affects expression of mRNA encoding fibrillar collagenases (MMP-1 and -13), gelatinases A and B (MMP-2 and -9), membrane type (mt)-1 MMP (MMP-14), stromelysin (MMP-3), and matrilysin (MMP-7), and 2) PGF2α increases MMP activity during PGF2α-induced luteolysis in sheep. Corpora lutea (n = 3–10/time point) were collected at 0, 15, and 30 min and 1, 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after PGF2α administration. Northern blot analysis confirmed the presence of all MMPs except MMP-9. Expression of mRNA for the above MMPs (except MMP-2) increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 30 min, and all MMPs increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 6 h after PGF2α administration. Expression of MMP-14 mRNA increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 15 min post-PGF2α and remained elevated through 48 h. MMP activity in luteal homogenates (following proenzyme activation and inactivation of inhibitors) was increased significantly (P < 0.05) by 15 min and remained elevated through 48 h post-PGF2α. MMP activity was localized (in situ zymography) to the pericellular area of various cell types in the 0-h group and was markedly increased by 30 min post-PGF2α. MMP mRNA expression and activity were significantly increased following PGF2α treatment. Increased MMP activity may promote ECM degradation during luteolysis.
Vermicomposting potential and plant nutrient contents in rice straw vermicast of Perionyx excavatus and Eudrilus eugeniae

Vermicomposting is proven to be an effective way for nutrient cycling, converting large quantities of organic waste into value added product (vermicast). In order to harness the potential of earthworms in vermicomposting, selection of earthworm species that are able to consume large quantity of waste, and moreover, produce vermicast with high nutrient content is important. This experiment was carried out to compare the efficacy of Perionyx excavatus (PE) and Eudrilus eugeniae (EE) in vermicomposting rice straws. Ten earthworms were introduced into each vermibin containing grinded rice straw. The vermicast produced was collected periodically. The experiment was terminated when 70% of rice straw had decomposed. The plant nutrient contents and humic acids in vermicast were analysed. Vermicast of PE contained higher concentrations of total and available N, P, K and Mg while EE vermicast contained higher total and available Ca. Humic acid content was also found to be higher in EE vermicast. EE took 134 days while PE took 171 days to complete vermicomposting, thus, plant nutrient content generated per day in vermicast EE was higher compared to PE. Using EE in vermicomposting would contribute significantly towards practicing sustainable agricultural by recycling large amount of organic waste rice straw into value added high plant nutrient content vermicast. Key words: Earthworm biomass, decomposition rate, humic acid, agronomy.
Development of horse chestnut leafminer (Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimic) on red horse chestnut

Observations on the development of the horse chestnut leafminer on red horse chestnut (Aesculus x carnea H.) were carried out in Wroclaw, Lower Silesia, Poland, in 2001-2003. Three genera- tions of the pest were recorded to lay eggs on the red horse chestnut leaves. Although females of each generation deposited eggs abundantly, the hatching larvae died after a short period of feeding in the plant's leaves and the species did not complete its development on this tree. Mostly L1 and L2 larvae were found inside the leaf mines. The observed leaf damage was, therefore, negligible.
The legacy of deer overabundance: long-term delays in herbaceous understory recovery

Decades of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann, 1780)) overpopulation have dramatically homogenized forests across much of the eastern United States, creating depauperate forest understory communities. The rate at which these communities recover once deer browsing has been reduced remains an open question. We evaluate overbrowsing legacy effects by examining how forest herbaceous layers respond in terms of biodiversity, density, and community composition over 11 years using exclosures and control plots within a mature beech–maple forest. Although little recovery occurred in the first 5 years, total density and preferred browse density rebounded substantially during the final years of the study. Although community composition began to diverge between exclosure and control plots after 5 years, diversity failed to recover even after 11 years of excluding browsers. Our findings show that vulnerable species can increase after excluding browsers but only if those species were initially present.
A comparison of growth and carcass traits in Scottish Blackface lambs sired by genetically lean or fat rams

An experimental programme was initiated in 1990 to investigate the consequences of selection for reduced fatness in hill sheep and to estimate genetic parameters for carcass traits in the same class of animal. Thirty-two progeny groups of lambs were born as a result of mating Scottish Blackface rams to ewes of the same breed on two Scottish Agricultural College hill farms in 1991 and 1992. Sires were from two divergent selection lines for subcutaneous back fat depth and were selected under ad libitum feeding conditions on an index combining live weight and ultrasonic fat depth at 20 weeks of age. The index was designed to alter body composition but not body weight. Weaned male progeny (reared extensively) were brought together from both farms in August of each year, reared on grass and finished for slaughter on swedes at a target condition score of 3. Measurements taken at weaning were: live weight, average ultrasonic measurements of average subcutaneous fat depth and muscle depth. At slaughter, traits measured were: pre-slaughter live weight, pre-slaughter condition score, age at slaughter, cold carcass weight, killing-out proportion, Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) fat class and MLC conformation class. Side and shoulder dissections were made on proportionally 0·2 and 0·8 of lambs respectively and lean tissue, subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat and bone were measured. Comparisons were made between the two genetic lines and genetic parameters were estimated from data adjusted to three different ‘end-points’: constant dissected subcutaneous fat weight, constant age at slaughter and constant cold carcass weight. Moderate to low heritability estimates were obtained for most traits: pre-slaughter live weight = 0·36, cold carcass weight = 0·39, fat class = 0·13, conformation class = 0·09, lean weight = 0·27, bone weight = 0·36 (constant subcutaneous fatness), intermuscular fat = 0·20, subcutaneous fat = 0·20 (constant cold carcass weight). Correlations between ultrasonic measurements at weaning, and slaughter and dissected carcass components were moderate to weak. However, there is sufficient genetic variation in the carcass traits to warrant inclusion in breeding goals for hill sheep. The results also show that genetic differences obtained by selection under intensive rearing conditions for divergent fatness are also seen in progeny reared under extensive (hill) conditions.
Drought Responses of Kentucky Bluegrass and Creeping Bentgrass as Affected by Abscisic Acid and Trinexapac-ethyl

The plant growth regulators abscisic acid (ABA) and trinexapac-ethyl (TE) may affect turfgrass responses to drought stress through regulating shoot growth and water relations. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of foliar application of TE and ABA on turf growth of two cool-season turfgrass species, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.) exposed to drought stress, and to examine water relations associated with changes in drought tolerance due to TE or ABA treatment. 'L-93' creeping bentgrass and 'Brilliant' Kentucky bluegrass plants were foliar sprayed with 0.904 mLha -1 a.i. TE five times before exposure to drought or with 6.75 mL/week of ABA at 100 mm before and after exposure to drought in growth chambers. Drought stress was imposed by withholding irrigation until plants were permanently wilted. Foliar application of TE or ABA maintained higher soil volumetric water content, leaf relative water content, and turf quality for a longer period of time during 28 days of stress exposure for Kentucky bluegrass and creeping bentgrass compared with the untreated control. Leaves of TE-treated and ABA-treated plants in both species also had lower cS at 28 days of drought stress than the untreated control. Creeping bentgrass treated with TE or ABA and Kentucky bluegrass treated with TE exhibited significantly lower shoot vertical growth rates at the initiation of drought stress, but maintained higher growth rates during prolonged drought compared with the untreated control. Turf treated with TE or ABA also showed higher levels of photochemical efficiency than the untreated control for both species. Our results suggest that TE or ABA application could prolong the survival of turfgrass under conditions of drought stress by suppressing shoot vertical growth and lowering water use during the early phase of drought and by sustaining growth and photosynthetic activity during prolonged periods of drought stress through osmotic adjustment for retaining cellular hydration.