Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metazoan Parasites of the Atlantic Spadefish Chaetodipterus faber (Teleostei: Ephippidae) from the Coastal Zone of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

One hundred ten Atlantic spadefish Chaetodipterus faber (Broussonet, 1782) (Teleostei: Ephippidae) collected from the coastal zone of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (21-23°S, 41-45°W) between February 1995 and March 1996 were necropsied to study their metazoan parasites. The majority of the fish (82.7%) were parasitized by 1 or more metazoan species. Ten species of parasites were collected: 4 digeneans, 2 monogeneans, and 4 copepods. The copepods were the majority (53.1%) of the total number of parasite specimens collected. The caligid Anuretes anurus was the most dominant species with highest prevalence and abundance. Prosogon- otrema labiatum and A. anurus showed a positive correlation between the host's total length and parasite abundance, while Parancylodiscoides sp. showed a negative correlation between the host's total length and parasite prevalence and abundance. The sex of hosts did not influence prevalence and abundance of any parasite species. The mean diversity in the infracommunities of C. faber was H = 0.659 ± 0.280, with no correlation with the host's total length and with no significant difference between male and female fish. Chaetodipterus faber had 4 pairs of parasite species with significant positive association, 3 pairs of endoparasites, and 1 pair of ectoparasites. Negative associations were not found. The low diversity and parasite richness observed might be linked to the low dietary variation of C. faber.
Biology and behaviour of developing stages of fruit sucking moth, Othreis materna Linn. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The period of life history of fruit sucking moth, Othreis materna (Linn.) from egg to the death of adults was 44 to 54 days in males and 49 to 60 days in females respectively. Adults are adapted for sucking the juice from fruits. The sexual dimorphism in both the sexes was exhibited by the unique spotted colouration of forewings. Mating occurs at night after 24 to 48 hours of emergence and oviposition generally occured in early morning before sunrise. The larvae feed selectively on the leaves of gulwell, Tinospora cardifolia. They show cannibalistic tendencies in the absence of food. All larval instars possess yellowish, white, orange and blue coloured spots but the 2nd and 3rd abdominal segments of fourth and fifth instar larvae are characterized by possessing prominent, large orange-white coloured paired eye spots. The pupa is obtect type and dark brown in colour having distinct wing pads.
Digitalization and Assurance of IFRS Financial Reports

We investigate if additional customized disclosure increases transparency or opacity for firms from IFRS reporting jurisdictions that adopt digitized financial statement filing. We identify the major data items that require customized extensions (firm specific) with digitized IFRS financial data and the deviations occurring in current implementations of digitalized data (XRBL lodgment). The findings have implications for regulators in determining the form and nature of extensions to allow, practitioners in preparing and coding digitized financial statements, and changes in auditing and the assurance of digitized financial statements.
Sensitivity analyses of the life cycle of midcontinent mallards

Relationships between vital rates and population growth rate (λ) are critical to understanding and managing population dynamics. Considerable study of the midcontinent mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) population has been directed to understanding how vital rates respond to environmental fluctuations and management, but inference to the relative importance of specific vital rates to λ remains weak. We used analytic and simulation-based sensitivity analyses of a stage-based matrix model of female midcontinent mallards to compare the relative importance of vital rates to λ. For each vital rate, we estimated mean values and process variation (biological variation across space and time) for females breeding on sites of approximately 70 km 2 in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the United States (Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota) and Canada (Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta). We conducted perturbation analyses (i.e., analytic sensitivities and elasticities) to predict the relative influence of changes in vital rates on λ. We conducted variance decomposition analyses to assess the proportion of spatial and temporal variation in λ explained by process variation in each vital rate. At mean values of vital rates, analytic sensitivity of λ was highest to nest success and survival of adult females during the breeding season and non-breeding season; hence, equal absolute changes in these vital rates would be predicted to result in the largest Δλ, relative to other vital rates. Variation in sensitivities and elasticities across process variation in vital rates was primarily explained by variation in nest success and survival of ducklings. Process variation in breeding parameters was driving variation in λ: vital rates explaining the most variation were nest success (43%), survival of adult females during the breeding season (19%), and survival of ducklings (14%). Survival of adult females outside the breeding season accounted for only 9% of variation in λ. Our analyses suggested that predation processes on the breeding grounds were the primary proximate factors limiting population growth.
Molecular vs. phenotypic sexing in Red Knots

Using a reference collection of blood samples of Red Knots (Calidris canutus) from Florida and Alaska whose sex was determined by dissection, we demonstrate that the molecular method of sexing based on the size of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products from the CHD genes after digestion with Hae III accurately identifies gender in this species. In males, the 110 basepair PCR product is cleaved into two smaller fragments, whereas in females this fragment remains uncut. Molecular sexing of other samples of Red Knots from the Dutch Wadden Sea, southern Brazil, and Delaware Bay revealed that methods using a discriminant function on size or plumage dimorphism are only partly effective in correctly assigning sex of birds. Given the low cost and accuracy of molecular sexing on very small blood samples, we anticipate that it will find increasing use in studies of the evolutionary ecology of shorebirds and other avian species.
COMPARATIVE FEEDING ECOLOGY OF TWENTY-TWO TROPICAL PISCIVORES

Twenty-two fish-eating predators on a Peruvian lake show differ- ences in hunting technique, habitat use, prey sizes, and prey species. The swimming predators take mostly different prey species. Waders differ in their prey species and sizes, and in the habitats in which they hunt. Perchers and cruisers hunt from different heights and take prey of different sizes and species. Many of the same types of differences are evident between groups using different hunting techniques, although several species pairs have remarkably similar diets. RESUMEN. Veintidos depredadores de peces en un lago de Peru muestran di- ferencias en las tecnicas de pesca, uso del habitat, tamafio y especies de las presas. Los depredadores nadadores, atrapan mayormente diferentes especies de presas. Las aves zancudas difieren en las especies y tamafios de las presas asi como en los habitats en los cuales pescan. Aves que se posan para pescar ("perchers") y otras que recorren mucha distancia en su busqueda por presas ("cruisers") pescan desde diferentes alturas y atrapan presas de diferentes tamafios y especies. Son evidentes muchas diferencias del mismo tipo entre grupos que usan distintas tecnicas de pesca, aunque varios pares de especies tienen dietas remarcablemente similares. Most comparative studies of potentially competing species have considered only closely related species on the assumption that morphological differences between those more distant insure relatively great differences in resource use. Root (1967) suggested that functional rather than taxonomic relationships are more important and that all species using the same class of resources should be considered because very different species can use the same resources. In lowland Peru, oxbow lakes attract many fish-eating species that use a variety of hunting techniques. Some of these piscivores wade, some swim and pursue prey under water, some dive from flight, others dive from perches, and one skims the surface. Little information has been published on many of these species, and even those that are well known in some parts of their ranges are poorly known in South America. In this paper, I compare the feeding habits of twenty bird, one mammal, and one reptile species that I saw capture fish, and I analyze behavioral and ecological relationships within this portion of the fish-eating community.
Creating boreal mixedwoods by planting spruce under aspen: successful establishment in uncertain future climates

Planting white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) under established aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) stands has substantial potential for regenerating mixedwood ecosystems in the western Canadian boreal forest. The presence of an aspen overstory serves to ameliorate frost and winter injury problems and suppresses understory vegetation that may compete with white spruce. Under future climatic regimes with more frequent and severe drought episodes, underplanting may be a cost-effective strategy for lowering the risk of mortality in mixedwood regeneration. We examine the growth of white spruce during the first 18 years after being planted beneath a 39-year-old stand of trembling aspen. Treatments included thinning from over 6000 stems·ha−1 to 3000, 2000, and 1000 stems·ha−1 and fertilization. Initial stimulation of understory vegetation by fertilization had no measureable effect on spruce heights or diameters at year 18. Aspen thinning treatments did not have a significant effect on spruce height growth r.
Central place foraging in grasshopper sparrows: opportunism or optimal foraging in a variable environment?

Optimal foraging models provide a logical alternative hypothesis to that of dietary opportunism . Central place foraging models predict that, with increasing distance from the nest, parents should select larger prey (single prey loading model) and/or more prey (multiple prey loading model). The thriteen grasshopper sparrows (Amnodramus savanarrum) sampled do both, but show a stronger tendency to multiplys load small abundant grasshoppers
Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Biological Activity of Thyrotropin in Two Teleost Fish, Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) and Goldfish (Carassius auratus). (May 2011) Thomas Charles Miller, B.S. North Carolina State University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Duncan S. MacKenzie Thyrotropin (TSH) is a glycoprotein hormone released from the pituitary gland to promote the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone. The existence of wellestablished peripheral mechanisms for regulation of thyroid hormone delivery to targets has called into question the significance of TSH as a primary regulator of circulating thyroid hormone concentrations in fish. However, relatively little is known about the regulation or action of endogenously secreted teleost TSH, largely due to lack of purified TSH suitable for biological testing and immunoassay development. I developed a red drum in vivo bioassay to aid in the production and purification of recombinant TSH from the red drum, a perciform fish demonstrating dynamic daily thyroxine (T4) cycles hypothesized to be driven by TSH. Exogenous bovine TSH injection resulted in a time and dose-dependent increase in circulating TSH and T4 in red drum. However, the sensitivity of the red drum thyroid gland to stimulation by bovine TSH was lost during growth under controlled laboratory conditions, even when circulating levels of exogenously-administered mammalian TSH remained elevated. The insensitivity of the thyroid was not due to prior TSH injection or feed source. Because insensitivity of the
Diagnosis value of neuroendocrine differentiation in gastric cancer by immunohistochemistry and electron microscope

Objective To observe the expression of neuroendocrine(NE) markers such as CgA,Syn and NSE in the popular type of gastric cancer using the immunohistochemistry(IHC) and its ultrastructure morphous under the electron microscope.Methods One hundred and sixty eight specimens were stained with CgA,Syn and NSE antibodies,and positive cases were investigated by electron microscope.Results Eighty cases were NE positive by IHC,and 39 of them were detected with NE granules by electron microscope(48.8%). The sensitivity of the Syn+ group was the highest(66.7%). The sensitivity in Syn+,CgA+ and NSE+ trible positive group was the lowest(15.4%). Among all the markers,the specificity of the Syn,CgA and NSE group was the highest(97.6%),and the lowest one was 24.4%,which was from the NSE+ only group.The highest Youden index was from the CgA+ group(0.495), the lowest of it was from the NSE+ group(-0.271). Conclusions The detection of NE granules under the electron microscope is the definite diagnostic criteria for diagnosing the gastric cancer with NE differentiation,using CgA and Syn as the assisting positive markers.
Effects of an herbal extract composed of white tea, roasted yerba mate and fermented rooibos on the antioxidant activity and sensory properties of popsicles manufactured with different protein sources

Popsicle-type edible ice cream is consumed worldwide for its sensory properties. However, its nutritional composition is limited to carbohydrates, sweeteners and synthetic flavors. In this work, the objective was to develop popsicles manufactured with different protein sources (rice protein, concentrated bovine milk whey protein and a mixture of both proteins) and added with an herbal lyophilized extract (LME) composed of white tea, fermented rooibos, and roasted yerba mate. Six formulations were produced and their proximate composition, physicochemical properties, sensory acceptability, total phenolic content, condensed tannins, and in vitro antioxidant activity determined. Popsicles added with LME showed a higher total phenolic content compared to the controls (without LME). The popsicles formulated with animal protein and LME showed the highest antioxidant activity as measured by the DPPH and FRAP assays. In relation to sensory analysis, the highest acceptance rates, 91 and 88%, were observed in formulations added with animal protein without and with LME, respectively. On the other hand, the vegan formulation added with LME had the lowest acceptance rate (69%). Overall, the addition of LME and concentrated bovine whey protein provides a viable option for the development of phenolic-rich protein-based popsicles.
COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF BIOLOAD OF HEALTHY AND DISEASED Oreochromis niloticus AS MEANS OF FOOD SECURITY

Thirty-one (31) samples each of diseased and healthy Tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus) from Otamiri River, in Nekede, Owerri West; Imo State Nigeria was examined to detect the presence of bacterial and helminth fauna. The intestine, liver, gill, tissue and skin of the fish were examined. Bacteriological analysis revealed counts of healthy diseased organs to fall between 6.0 x 10 4 - 3.5 x 10 7 cfu/g and 5.7 x 10 6 - 1.9 x 10 11 cfu/g respectively. The result however indicated that the bacterial load of the diseased fish samples were higher than those of the apparently healthy fish. Identification tests of the probable bacterial isolates revealed the isolation of Vibrio sp, Renibacterium sp, Aeromonas sp, Klebsiella sp, Yersinia sp, Pseudomonas sp, Nocardia sp, Lactobacillus sp, Sporocytophaga, Staphylococcus sp, Mycobacterium sp, Serratia sp Proteus sp and Edwardsiella sp. Twenty-nine (29 ie 46.8%) of the 62 samples studied were found to be infected by helminth fauna identified as Camallanus sp, Procamallanus beviconchus, Capillaria sp, Clinostonium tilapiae, Euclinostonium heterostoma, Cleidodiscus sp and Bothricephalus acheilognathi. Percentage helminth infestation was found to be higher in males than females with sub adults recording the highest infection rate of 56.08%. Hence helminth infestation varies amongst age group. This study therefore reveals the bacterial & helminth load of cultured organs of Oreochromis niloticus with a view to provide information on the state of environmental and personal hygiene in the environment, the level of contamination of water and the security and/or insecurity nature of using fish as food.
Analysis of genetic diversity and structure in a genebank collection of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) using SSR markers

Abstract Genetic diversity of a red clover global collection was assessed using 36 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers representing all seven linkage groups (LGs). The number of fragments amplified ranged from 1 to 6 for all the primers. Primer RCS0060 detected highest number of fragments, whereas four SSRs viz., RCS0899, RCS1594, TPSSR40 and RCS6927 amplified single fragment. Size range of amplicons generated by all the primers varied from 100 to 400 bp. Polymorphism information content values ranged from 0.301 to 0.719 with an average value of 0.605. LG wise diversity analysis showed that LG 3 was most diverse (I = 0.65, Ht = 0.44), whereas LG-1 showed minimum diversity (I = 0.48, Ht = 0.26) for the microsatellites used. Bayesian model-based clustering inferred three genetically distinct populations in the red clover germplasm holding and showed considerable admixture in individuals within clusters. Neighbour-joining analysis showed intermixing of accessions within groups. Principal component analysis plot complemented the clustering shown by Structure and distinguished three populations to greater extent. Analysis of molecular variance showed that 91% of the genetic variation was residing within populations, while 9% variation was among populations. Overall, the results showed that a high level of genetic diversity is prevailing in this worldwide collection of red clover, which can be exploited for its genetic improvement through breeding approaches.
Population size and time since island isolation determine genetic diversity loss in insular frog populations

Understanding the factors that contribute to loss of genetic diversity in fragmented populations is crucial for conservation measurements. Land‐bridge archipelagoes offer ideal model systems for identifying the long‐term effects of these factors on genetic variations in wild populations. In this study, we used nine microsatellite markers to quantify genetic diversity and differentiation of 810 pond frogs (Pelophylax nigromaculatus) from 24 islands of the Zhoushan Archipelago and three sites on nearby mainland China and estimated the effects of the island area, population size, time since island isolation, distance to the mainland and distance to the nearest larger island on reduced genetic diversity of insular populations. The mainland populations displayed higher genetic diversity than insular populations. Genetic differentiations and no obvious gene flow were detected among the frog populations on the islands. Hierarchical partitioning analysis showed that only time since island isolation (square‐root‐transformed) and population size (log‐transformed) significantly contributed to insular genetic diversity. These results suggest that decreased genetic diversity and genetic differentiations among insular populations may have been caused by random genetic drift following isolation by rising sea levels during the Holocene. The results provide strong evidence for a relationship between retained genetic diversity and population size and time since island isolation for pond frogs on the islands, consistent with the prediction of the neutral theory for finite populations. Our study highlights the importance of the size and estimated isolation time of populations in understanding the mechanisms of genetic diversity loss and differentiation in fragmented wild populations.
Effect of insecticides, bio-pesticides and botanicals on the population of natural enemies in brinjal ecosystem

Studies on field evaluation of insecticides, bio-pesticides and neem based insecticides on the population of natural enemies i.e., braconid wasp, coccinellid beetle and predatory spider in brinjal ecosystem revealed that the pesticides from the biological origin and neem based were found relatively less harmful to the natural enemies than newer and conventional synthetic organic insecticide imidacloprid and cypermethrin. Spraying of cypermethrin 10 Ec @ 0.016% was found relatively most toxic having higher mortality of coccinellids (57.3, 58.1%); braconid wasp (54.6, 61.7%) and predatory spiders (64.58, 53.09%) during both the years, respectively. Next to cypermethrin application of imidacloprid caused maximum mortality of coccinellids (41.4, 45.3%) braconid wasp (37.86, 50.82%) and predatory spiders (47.1, 41.4%) during both the years, respectively as compared to bio-pesticides and neem based insecticides. However, the toxic effect of the insecticides and bio-pesticides decreased after 7 days of treatment application.
Long‐term impacts of variable retention harvesting on ground‐layer plant communities in Pinus resinosa forests

Concerns about loss of biodiversity and structural complexity in managed forests have recently increased and led to the development of new management strategies focused on restoring or maintaining ecosystem functions while also providing wood outputs. Variable retention harvest (VRH) systems, in which mature overstorey trees are retained in various spatial arrangements across harvested areas, represent one potential approach to this problem. However, long-term evaluations of the effectiveness of this strategy at sustaining plant community composition are needed as this strategy is increasingly applied in managed forest landscapes throughout the world. The forest ground layer plays a central role in forest ecosystem functioning, and we evaluated the long-term (11+ year) dynamics in ground-layer plant communities in response to VRH study in Pinus resinosa Aiton. forests. This large-scale, manipulative study included four overstorey (control, small gap-aggregated, large gap-aggregated and dispersed) and two understorey (ambient and reduced shrubs) treatments replicated four times in 16-ha stands. Changes in ground-layer community composition were apparent 11 years following harvest, regardless of live-tree retention pattern. Richness and diversity increased and were driven by introduction and colonization of ruderal species, while forest interior species continued to persist across treatments. All life-forms responded positively to harvest with the exception of moss and clubmoss species. The lack of effect of spatial pattern of retention on ground-layer plant communities was likely related to the presence of a dense and persistent shrub layer, a result of decades of fire suppression. In particular, the greatest responses to overstorey retention pattern occurred in areas receiving shrub reduction treatments, indicating this recalcitrant layer likely filtered response to retention pattern. Synthesis and applications. Overall, this work highlights flexibility in choosing a variable retention harvest approach when sustaining ground-layer plant community diversity and composition are goals, but altered disturbance regimes (e.g. fire suppression, timber harvesting) that have facilitated the presence or formation of recalcitrant understories, need to be considered. The legacy effects of historical land use and alterations to natural disturbance regimes on the understorey in northern temperate forests are of equal, if not greater, importance to overstorey retention patterns in eliciting desired responses to variable retention harvest and need to be more carefully considered in future applications of this method.