Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lack of sequential radiation in a parasitoid of a host‐associated aphid

Sequential radiation occurs when novel biodiversity at low trophic levels ‘cascades’ up to high trophic levels generating further biodiversity. When putatively generalist herbivore species comprise host‐plant specialized populations, sequential radiation can be tested for their parasites and predators. We tested for sequential radiation in Aphelinus perpallidus Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a parasitoid wasp of the yellow pecan aphid, Monelliopsis pecanis Bissel (Hemiptera: Drepanosiphidae). This aphid has been shown to consist of at least two genetically distinct host‐tree‐associated populations, one feeding on pecan, Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch (Juglandaceae), and one feeding on water hickory, Carya aquatica (Michx. f.) Nutt. We found that this wasp consists of three genetically distinct populations with unique molecular phenotypes, but these populations did not correspond to host‐plant species of origin. Collecting site accounted for 20% of the molecular variance found. Sequential radiation may be less common in aphid parasitoids than in other parasitoid groups because of specific aspects of their biology, namely parasitization of externally feeding hosts, multivoltinism, and learned habitat preference.
DIETS OF SYMPATRIC POPULATIONS OF AMERICAN MARTENS (MARTES AMERICANA) AND FISHERS (MARTES PENNANTI) IN CALIFORNIA

Abstract American martens (Martes americana) and fishers (M. pennanti) occur together in mixed-conifer forests of the southern Sierra Nevada. We studied their diets in the area of sympatry by examining their feces and comparing diet diversity and overlap. Diets of both species were more diverse than previously reported in North America. Although the diet of fishers appeared to include more remains of birds, lizards, hypogeous fungi, and insects than that of martens, the rank contribution of prey items to the diets did not differ and the Pianka index of dietary overlap was high. The great diversity of diets of fishers and martens may be due to the absence or rarity of large prey (e.g., snowshoe hares [Lepus americanus] and porcupines [Erethizon dorsatum]) or to a greater diversity of available prey types in the southern Sierra Nevada compared to other study sites for Martes in North America. The high degree of overlap in diets is surprising given the body size differences between martens and fishers, previously described differences in their diets, and similar use of other niche dimensions. The similarity is probably due, in part, to the relatively large pool of diverse and available resources that are exploited by both species by using similar modes of foraging. In addition, our sample of martens was drawn from the lowest margin of their elevational range in the southern Sierra; a more comprehensive survey of the diets of martens at higher elevations may yield different results.
Assessing the Macronutrient Status of Some Selected Soils in Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria

Fertility status of soils within the south-south region of Nigeria varies both inter and intra states. Therefore, the study investigated the macronutrient status of some selected soils in Bayelsa State. Two farm sites in Opume (OPF) and Amassoma (AMF) with records of long term cultivation were randomly selected and soil samples randomly collected from each locality for physico-chemical analyses. Data collected were subjected to statistical analysis of means and a post hoc regression analysis to determine relationships between soils and analyzed parameters. Results revealed that soils were loam to sandy clay loam and acidic with low pH levels. Exchangeable bases (Ca2+, Mg2+, K+) were low in AMF soils compared to OPF soils except for Na+. Organic carbon and organic matter were moderately low in both soils, however, AMF had lower contents. Total N were found to be critically low (0.03%) in both soils. OPF had higher available phosphorus (5.09 mg/kg) while AMF had higher available sulphur (6.55 mg/kg). Base saturation was high moderate in OPF (50.44 %), however, not significantly different (p
Feline Epilepsy: An update

Epileptic seizures are the most common neurological disorder in the clinical setting. Their etiology is multifactorial and is mainly divided into structural, reactive and idiopathic epilepsy. Structural epilepsy can be caused by vascular events, inflammatory conditions (encephalitis), traumatic injuries, neoplasia, congenital and inherited (degenerative) disorders. Reactive epilepsy is caused by exposure in toxins or metabolic derangements. Although idiopathic epilepsy was thought to be rare in cats, it is now established as a common cause. Epileptic seizures in cats appear with various clinical presentations including generalized, focal with or without secondary generalization epileptic seizures. Diagnostic investigation is crucial in order to establish final diagnosis and to determine the therapeutic plan. Diagnostics include physical and neurological examination with detailed history (drug or toxin exposure), routine hematology (CBC, biochemistry, urinalysis), specific laboratory tests if concurrent or metabolic disease are suspected, advanced diagnostic imaging (CT/MRI) whether intracranial disease is suspected and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis. Most commonly used antiepileptic drugs (AED) in cats are phenobarbital and levetiracetam. Bromide is contraindicated in cats due to severe respiratory disease caused as an adverse life-threatening reaction. Diazepam is an emergency AED used to eliminate cluster seizures or status epilepticus but it should be avoided as a long-term medication because it has been associated with fatal hepatotoxicity. Gabapentin in another potential antiepileptic drug however its longterm efficacy has to be evaluated. Prognosis depends on the underlying etiology and treatment response. In most cats quality of life is improved and (>50% reduction of epileptic seizures) regardless of etiology. The complete remission of epileptic seizures in cats is rare and most cats should be maintained on anti-epileptic therapy.
Trophic relationships between itinerant fish and crab larvae in a temperate Australian saltmarsh

Comparisons of zooplankton inputs and outputs for a temperate Australian saltmarsh demonstrate a substantial contribution of crab larvae to the ebbing tide water, particularly during the cooler months. Few crab larvae were present in the incoming tide (mean abundance 4 m −3 ), whereas many crab larvae were present in the outgoing water (mean abundance 2124.63 m −3 ). Stomach content analysis of itinerant fish exiting the saltmarsh with the ebbing tide demonstrated extremely high proportions of crab larvae in the gut of glassfish (Ambassis jacksoniensis), as well as flat tail mullet (Liza argentea) and blue eye (Pseudomugil signifer). The results suggest a direct trophic link between secondary production of saltmarsh and itinerant fish, and a significant ecological role for burrowing crabs occupying saltmarshes in temperate Australia in the trophic food web of saltmarsh-estuarine systems.
A study of NS1 antigen and platelet count for early diagnosis of dengue infection

Dengue fever is an acute febrile arboviral disease caused by dengue virus belonging to family Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus affecting tropical & subtropical regions of the world. Virus transmission in its simplest form involves ingestion of viremic blood by mosquitoes and passage to a second susceptible host (Monath, 1994). Dengue virus infection with any one of four serotypes (DENV 1-4) produces a spectrum of clinical illness, ranging from an asymptomatic to its most ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 2 Number 12 (2013) pp. 40-44 http://www.ijcmas. com
LOW NESTING SUCCESS OF LOGGERHEAD SHRIKES IN AN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE

Abstract Southeastern Illinois is dominated by cropland, and the remaining pastures or grasslands are marginally suitable for breeding Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus), owing, in part, to limited nest sites. From 1998 through 2000, we recorded poor nest success (26%) among shrikes, although results of earlier studies (1967–1972) in this region indicated that nest success was 72 to 80%. Clutch size (5.7 eggs) and fledglings/ successful nest (4.4 young/successful nest) were similar to those reported in previous studies. During our study, generalist mammalian predators were abundant, and most nest failures (88%) were caused by predation. We suggest that the loss of grassland habitat and agricultural intensification has resulted in reduced nest success, and this may be true in other areas of the species' range as well.
Reply to comments of Reviewer #3

The authors conducted a large scale throughfall measurement campaign in 20 secondary forest plots in Panama which were 3 to about 130 years old. Throughfall changed rapidly with ongoing forest succession and surprisingly approached values of mature forest only after about a decade. A simple regression model explained throughfall better than a more complex modeling framework. The third conclusion drawn by the authors is not clear to me (see the following). In my view, another highlight of the work is the link which the authors draw to data on changes in soil permeability with ongoing forest succession (see Bruijnzeel (2004) on the importance of the link to the soil). Unfortunately that section is not explored in depth. It would also be good to have the authors make some guesses on how transpiration changes with ongoing succession (just a few words on that! ) if they are discussing succession effects on runoff/streamflow. The paper is well written but requires some more precision and consistency in the terms used.
Estádio de adaptação de Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) em hospedeiros alternativos

A principal praga-alvo na cultura do milho e a lagarta-do-cartucho, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), que, pela sua ampla distribuicao temporal e geografica constitui-se em uma das especies mais nocivas nas regioes tropicais das Americas. O objetivo foi avaliar o estadio de adaptacao de S. frugiperda em 17 especies hospedeiras, cultivadas ou selvagens, mais comuns no agroecossistema brasileiro. As plantas foram cultivadas em cinco epocas, entre 2006 e 2008, utilizando o milho como padrao. Larvas de S. frugiperda recem-eclodidas foram individualizadas e confinadas em copo plastico (50 mL), onde foram alimentadas com secoes de folha nova de cada hospedeiro. O alimento foi substituido a cada dois dias por folhas frescas. Quatro variaveis biologicas foram avaliadas e utilizadas para se calcular um Indice de Adaptacao (IA). Os resultados indicaram que a sobrevivencia inicial de S. frugiperda variou de 100%, no milho, a 46%, no arroz. O periodo larval variou de 12,6 dias, no milho, a 27,1 dias, na grama batatais. A biomassa de pupa variou de 173,1 mg, no carrapicho, a 294,2 mg, no milho. O indice de adaptacao, calculado com base nas variaveis biologicas de S. frugiperda, nos hospedeiros avaliados, variou de 17,43, no milho cultivado na epoca I, a 1,46, na cana-de-acucar na epoca III. Para corrigir o efeito de epoca sobre o indice de adaptacao de S. frugiperda nos hospedeiros, foi calculado o Indice Relativo de Adaptacao (IRA), com base no indice de adaptacao no milho (100%). Assim, com base no indice relativo de adaptacao, estimado em condicoes de laboratorio, os hospedeiros alternativos ao milho, para S. frugiperda, podem ser assim ordenados, do maior para o menor indice: sorgo granifero, sorgo selvagem, milheto, capim-tanzânia, amendoim, capim-marandu, capim-braquiaria, caruru-de-porco, trigo, soja, algodao, feijao, arroz, capim-carrapicho, grama batatais e cana-de-acucar.
QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS OF TWO BREEDS OF SNAIL

Snail farming requires little experience, and the animals are usually found in cool environment. In this study ninety animals comprising of fifty Archachatina marginata and forty Achatina achatina were used. Data collected include Shell Length (SL), Shell Width (SW), Height of Snail (HS) Snail Live Weight (SLW), Aperture Length (AL), Aperture Width (AW) Visceral and Foot Weight(VFW), Visceral Weight (VW), Foot Weight (FW), Foot thickness (FT). The mean snail length (SL) was 8.29 + 0.31cm in A. marginata and 7.84 + 0.20cm is A. achatina. The A. marginata had a longer length than the A. chatina. The aperture length was longer in A. marginata 5.08 + 0.19cm than A. achatina 4.69 + 0.11cm. The mean foot weight is higher in A. marginata (34.21 + 3.20g) than A. achatina (26.98 + 2.26g). The mean shell weight of A. marginata (24.24 + 2.01g) is higher than A. achatina (14.46 + 1.48g). The mean shell length of A. marginata was not significantly different (P<0.01) from A. achatina. The SLW of A. marginata is significantly different (P<0.01) from A. achatina. The prediction power is more with shell width (20.013) in A. marginata and shell weight (0.771) in A. achatina. These findings should be considered in improvement programme to increase the meat yield of snail.
Influence of agrochemicals and Azotobacter sp. application on soil fertility in relation to maize growth under nursery conditions

In the present study, the effort has been taken to analyze the effects caused by agrochemicals. The best alternative to agrochemicals is biofertilizers. It is necessary to understand the beneficial role played by biofertilizer in crop production and regaining the soil fertility. Thus, the present study compares the effect of agrochemicals [fertilizers (urea), fungicide (carbendazim) and insecticide (endosulfan)] and biofertilizers (Azotobacter sp.) on maize under nursery trials were carried out in Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD) by altering the present recommendation. The effect of above-mentioned treatments was studied based on the maize growth, phytochemical concentrations, soil fertility level and microbial population. The treatment with Azotobacter sp. and actual recommended dose of urea were performing well when compared to other agrochemical treatments. The higher the concentration of agrochemical application, lower is the plant growth. It is incurred from the study that generally the usage of agrochemicals was seriously disturbing plant biotic characters and soil ecology.
Empowering girls, delaying marriage: Exploring the role of marital age and education on domestic violence in India

Domestic violence represents the most important component of violence against women. Whilst some literature report female empowerment as a protective factor against domestic violence, some literature find the opposite because the husband may attempt to compensate for the enhanced status of his wife. This paper aims to investigate the effects of female empowerment in the form of marital age and education on domestic violence in India, where intimate partner violence is amongst the highest in Asia. The analysis is based on the sample of eligible women aged 15-49 with valid response on domestic violence in the 2015- 2016 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) (n=9722). Upon estimating a series of instrumental variable (IV) regressions using age at menarche as an exogenous and strong instrument, we establish a causal relationship between empowerment and domestic violence taking into account the endogeneity of marital age and education. We further disentangle the relationships between domestic violence and age at marriage and education, separately. In addition, we investigate how maritage age and education influence domestic violence through labour market participation and spouse quality channels. We find that: i) empowered women do experience less domestic violence; ii) marital age and education are partially complementary; iii) labour market participation and spousal quality are relevant mediators of these relationships. Policies aiming at reducing domestic violence in India hence should be holistic, focussing on investing in education both for women and men and improving the conditions of the women’ labour market.
Genetic analysis of shudderer, the lithium-responsive neurological mutant of Drosophila melanogaster

Approved: ________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ________________________________ Title and Department ________________________________ Date 1 GENETIC ANALYSIS OF SHUDDERER, THE LITHIUM-RESPONSIVE NEUROLOGICAL MUTANT OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER by Garrett Anthony Kaas A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Genetics in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa
Diel Variation of Sugar Amount in Nectar from Pitchers of Sarracenia purpurea L. with and without Insect Visitors

Abstract Sarracenia purpurea L. is a carnivorous pitcher plant that attracts insect prey by producing nectar. We compared amount of sugar in different samples of nectar collected during the day and night and from bagged and nonbagged pitchers. Sugar content was measured in nectar samples from 87 pitchers at 3 h intervals over a 24 h period through the use of a wick-sampling technique and a colorimetric assay. We monitored environmental conditions at the time of nectar collection and correlated them with the amount of sugar/wick. We also measured ten pitcher characteristics and examined their relationship to variations in 24 h sugar amount. Sugar amount was higher at night for both bagged and nonbagged pitchers. During the day nonbagged pitchers had lower sugar amounts than bagged pitchers, perhaps due to removal of nectar by insects. A similar, but less pronounced, difference was observed at night. Relative humidity, air and ground temperature and time of day had little effect on sugar amount. Our data suggest that nectar may crystallize during the day and dissolve when dew forms at night.
Notes on Early Land Plants Today

The adoption of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) as part of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has reinforced the urgent need for a global plant checklist to support, facilitate and monitor the conservation and sustainable use of plant diversity worldwide (Lughadha 2004). Without this list many of the other objectives in the GSPC cannot be met, and more broadly, in botanical science as a whole, our ability to communicate about plants on a global basis will be compromised (Crane 2004). The Early Land Plants Today project (see http://www.elpt.org) is a multi-institutional and multi-national endeavour preparing a working checklist for liverworts and hornworts worldwide (von Konrat et al . 2010).
New species and unexpected diversity of socially parasitic bees in the genus Inquilina Michener (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae)

Abstract Allodapine bees present particular problems for taxonomy due to a high level of morphological conservatism in adults, even between genera. However, this tribe of bees also presents a unique opportunity to explore the evolution of social parasitism because of the comparatively large number of origins of socially parasitic species. Morphological differences presented here, along with DNA sequence data and molecular phylogenetic analyses, indicate a much larger number of Australian social parasite species in the genus Inquilina than previously anticipated, and suggest that the final number of socially parasitic species may be considerable. We describe five new species and present sequence data that will help elucidate the delineation of further new species. Inquilina provides a unique opportunity to study the evolution of social parasitism in social insects, but further studies will need to encompass both population genetic and phylogenetic approaches.
Moose Movement Rates Along Highways and Crossing Probability Models

Abstract We developed and validated a density-adjusted spatial model to predict moose (Alces alces) highway-crossing probability to see if the model could be used as an index of moose–vehicle collision risk. We installed Global Positioning System telemetry collars on 47 moose in the north of the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, Québec, for 2–36 months. We recorded only 84 highway crossings in spring (0.29% of 28,967 2-hr steps) and 122 crossings in summer (0.18% of 68,337 2-hr steps), despite a high sampling effort and having captured moose close to highways. Moose movement rates during movement steps crossing a highway were on average 3 times higher than during the steps preceding or following highway crossing. Paths used by moose when crossing a highway were characterized by a high proportion of food stands, low proportion of lakes and rivers, and topography typical of a valley. Highway-crossing sites were located in valleys with brackish pools and forest stands providing coniferous cover but a low proportion of lakes and rivers. We adjusted moose crossing probability for local variation in moose density using aerial survey data and assessed crossing probability along the highways in the entire Laurentides Wildlife Reserve. We tested the model using moose–vehicle accident data from 1990 to 2002. The relationship between the density-adjusted crossing probability and number of accidents was relatively loose at the 1-km scale but improved markedly when using longer highway sections (5–15 km; r > 0.80). Our results demonstrate that roads and their surroundings are perceived as low-quality habitat by moose. We also conclude that road segments installed along secondary valleys could be a highly strategic site to deploy mitigation measures such as fences and that it could be desirable to increase the width of road shoulders to reduce forest cover and to eliminate brackish pools to reduce cervid–vehicle collisions. We suggest using empirical data such as location of vehicle–wildlife collisions to plan mitigation measures at a fine scale.
Dietary Habits of Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Four Oklahoma Habitats

Abstract Dietary habits of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, were investigated in four southern Oklahoma habitats: lakeshore, mixed grassland, wooded roadside, and unimproved pasture. Vegetation characteristics of each site were recorded for spring and late summer, in conjunction with estimates of forager success (the percentage of foragers returning to colonies with solid particles or liquid loads). Foragers collected a wide variety of solid particles, with different arthropod prey dominating samples within different sites. At the lakeshore site (no vegetation), dipteran adults, larvae, and pupae comprised >58% of foraged particles. Isoptera comprised >21% of foraged particles at the wooded roadsite site. At grassland and pasture sites, seeds (17.2 and 15.7%, respectively) were important foraged items. Forager success rates were highest for solids at the lakeshore site (≈30% and 16% in spring and late summer, respectively), and highest for liquids at the pasture site (≈30% and 22% for spring and late summer, respectively). Possible influence of vegetation on success rates, and implications for estimates of foraging energetics, are discussed.