Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oral Chytridiomycosis in the Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog (Rana muscosa)

Abstract The chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was originally reported in wild frog populations in Panama and Australia, and from captive frogs in the U.S. National Zoological Park (Washington, DC). This recently described fungus affects the keratinized epidermis of amphibians and has been implicated as a causative factor in the declines of frog populations. We report here the presence of B. dendrobatidis in larval and recently metamorphosed mountain yellow-legged frogs (Rana muscosa) in or near the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, an area where declines have been documented in all five species of native anurans. Forty-one percent (158 of 387) of larval R. muscosa examined in the field with a hand lens and 18% (14 of 79) of preserved larvae had abnormalities of the oral disc. Twenty-eight larvae were collected from 10 sites where tadpoles had been observed with missing or abnormally keratinized mouthparts, and 24 of these were examined for infection. Sixty-seven percent (16 of 24) of these tadpoles were infected with B. dendrobatidis. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis was cultured from both tadpoles and recent metamorphs from one of these sites. Tadpoles with mouthpart abnormalities or confirmed chytrid fungus infections were collected at 23 sites spanning a distance of > 440 km and an elevational range from 1658–3550 m. Life-history traits of R. muscosa may make this species particularly susceptible to infection by Batrachochytrium. We recommend that biologists examine tadpoles for oral disc abnormalities as a preliminary indication of chytridiomycosis. Further, we believe that biologists should take precautions to prevent spreading this and other amphibian diseases from one site to another.
Character association and path analysis of grain yield and yield components in Maize(Zea Mays L.)

An investigation was carried out to assess the character association and path analysis for nine characters viz., days to 50% tasseling, days to 50% silking, days to maturity, plant height, cob length, kernel rows per cob, 100-seed weight, protein content and grain yield per plant in 29 genotypes (twenty one hybrids, their seven parents along with a check 30-V-92). Association studies revealed that, six out of nine characters exhibited highly significant positive correlation with grain yield per plant. However, the traits 100-seed weight, cob length, plant height, kernel rows per cob, days to 50% silking and days to 50% tasseling were found to possess significant association in desirable direction with grain yield per plant at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis studies revealed that 100-seed weight, plant height and kernel rows per cob showed true relationship by establishing significant positive association and direct effect on grain yield per plant.
Breeding Habitat Selection in the House Martin Delichon urbica in the City Of Valencia (Spain)

Abstract. The distribution of breeding House Martins was examined in relation to the characteristics of the urban landscape and the structure of the buildings. The study area (73 km2) was divided into 700 × 700 m squares. 11 habitat characteristics were measured within a 300 m radius around each colony. Each nest site was classified according to nest-support-type, its height and orientation. Habitat features around colonies were compared with places at the center of those squares without colonies. Stepwise multiple regression was then used to assess the possible contribution of the independent variables to the size of the colonies. A total of 1399 nests were found, distributed in 120 colonies, mostly consisting of 1–5 nests. In the built-up area, the density reached 31.85 nests per km2. House Martins selected areas with a larger proportion of old buildings and open spaces, and closer to the nearest sources of food or mud. Only the distance from colonies to the nearest mud source and the proportion of open spaces were included in the regression model. As far as nest-sites are concerned, 33% of all nests were built under eaves, 34% under the ledges of balconies with architectonic ornamentation, and 15% within balconies. Birds selected nest sites offering better adhesion of nests to the substrate; to compensate for poorer adhesion, the number of nest walls touching other nests was increased. There was a positive relation between nest site height and building height. Nests were not uniformly distributed around the circle, but no clear patterns emerged from the data.
Sex-specific plant responses to two light levels in the liverwort Marchantia inflexa (Marchantiaceae)

Abstract In seed plants, the occurrence of spatial segregation of the sexes (SSS) along environmental gradients is well documented. SSS in bryophytes is usually more extreme than in seed plants, yet few bryophyte studies have explicitly linked SSS to environmental variables. For Marchantia inflexa, in which males are found beneath more tree-canopy openness than are females, we tested whether morphological, physiological and life history patterns are consistent with this sex-specific association to canopy openness. To accomplish this, we quantified morphology, physiology and life history differences between two light conditions for each sex. Responses to light levels were mostly analogous to sun and shade leaves of seed plants. However, we found that males had lower chlorophyll a∶b ratios (indicative of low-light plants) than females, contrary to our prediction.
The Effect of Pruning at Different Heights on Yields, Dry Matter Production and Partitioning in Clonal Tea (Camellia Sinensis) in Kenya

SUMMARY Dry matter production and partitioning in old clonal tea bushes pruned and maintained at different heights were investigated. New tissues (leaves, new branches and small roots) consti- tuted a small fraction of the total dry matter in all bushes pruned and initially maintained at 70, 40, 25 and 10 cm high, 36 months after pruning. Leaf/frame dry matter ratio was larger and the shoot/root and frame/root ratios were smaller in the bushes initially maintained at 10 cm than in the bushes maintained at other heights. Yields per unit area of the plucking surface were greatest in the smallest bushes initially maintained at 10 cm in 42 months of recording but on the basis of the available space they were greatest in the large bushes initially maintained at 70 cm.
Morphologically Uniform Bats Hipposideros aff. Ruber (Hipposideridae) Exhibit High Mitochondrial Genetic Diversity in Southeastern Senegal

Two mitochondrial lineages of bats that are morphologically attributed to Hipposideros ruber have been shown to occur sympatrically in southeastern Senegal. We studied genetic diversity in these bats in the Niokolo Koba National Park using sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene to determine the taxonomic status of the two genetic forms, and included skull morphology for comparison. Detailed multidimensional analysis of skull measurements indicated slight morphological differences between the two genetic forms. Exploration of peak frequency of the constant-frequency echolocation signals in a local population of Hipposideros aff. ruber was not available for both groups. Phylogenetic comparison with other available West African representatives of H. aff. ruber revealed paraphyletic relationship of the two Senegalese forms, with the less abundant form from Senegal forming a monophyletic group with that from Benin. Based on genetic divergence and sympatric occurrence, the two forms from Senegal might represent cryptic species. However, absence of nuclear gene flow between them is yet to be investigated to demonstrate their reproductive isolation.
Biodiversity, distribution and abundance of zooplankton in the Iranian waters of the Caspian Sea off Anzali during 1996–2010

The mesozooplankton of the south-western Caspian Sea, off Anzali, sampled from 1996–2010, had undergone severe changes, especially after the year 2001, when the invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi bloomed for the first time. Native species vanished or decreased, while invasive species such as Pleopis polyphemoides, Acartia tonsa, M. leidyi and the larvae of Balanus sp. , plus Hediste diversicolor dominated the zooplankton. It could be stated that the increasing amount of nutrients since the early 1980s led to a decrease of endemic species and smoothed the way for opportunistic invader species, which outcompeted and depleted the endemic species in their turn. However, the major changes in the zooplankton community and possibly the blooming of M. leidyi during 2001–2002 were triggered by changing weather patterns, when a period with heavy rain at the end of the 1990s was followed by a prolonged drought (2001–2002). It is not clear to what extent M. leidyi was responsible for the disappearance of endemic Copepoda and Cladocera species such as Eurytemora grimmi, Limnocalanus grimaldii, Cercopagis pengoi, and Polyphemus exiguous, because the mesozooplantic invader species seemed to be more successful competitors than the endemic Caspian Sea fauna. Compared with other areas of the Caspian Sea, the development of the M. leidyi stock was moderate in the area under investigation. Mnemiopsis leidyi numbers and biomass increased from the beginning of sampling in 2001 to about 600 n.m−3 and 40–60 g wet weight m−3 until 2003. Since then the stock oscillated in this range until 2010.
High-temperature optima phosphatases from the cold-tolerant Arctic fungus Penicillium citrinum

Fifty-six fungal isolates from Arctic soils were subjected to primary screening for their ability to solubilize insoluble inorganic phosphate. Nine of the isolates were further analysed quantitatively for phosphatase production using para-nitrophenylphosphate as substrate. Amongst these, a cold-tolerant fungus, Penicillium citrinum strain PG162 was found to be the best producer of intracellular acid phosphatase. Further characterization of the enzyme showed that it is most active in the temperature range of 40–60°C and pH range of 4.2–4.8. The dried enzyme extract is stable at a temperature of up to 50°C for at least 1 h. Its activity is affected by presence of metal ions. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE) analysis suggests the molecular weight of the enzyme to be between 20 and 29 kDa. The present study is important with respect to our understanding of the kind of enzymatic reactions that take place in the polar microbes, and the extent to which their activity is sustained.
STUDY ON THE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7 DURING THE MANUFACTURE AND STORAGE OF IRANIAN WHITE CHEESE IN BRINE

Summary The behaviour of Escherichia coli O157:H7 was studied during the manufacture and storage of Iranian white cheese in brine. Cheese was manufactured using pasteurized cow milk and inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 with inoculum level of 10 3 cfu/ml. Four treatments were designed. Cheeses were made with or without starter culture and kept immersed in 6 or 8% salt brine during ripening and storage. Cheese samples were analysed for E. coli O157:H7 during manufacture and storage period. During cheese manufacture the number of E. coli O157:H7 increased by 10 6 cfu/g, but during ripening and cheese storage the number of organism decreased significantly in the cheese samples made with starter culture (P<0.05). The results showed an inhibitory effect of starter culture on E. coli O157:H7, but the organism can survive in this kind of cheese for up to 60 days of storage, respecting using starter culture, salt brine concentration and cheese storage time.
Increased nitrogen secretion by inclusion of soya lectin in the diets of pigs

A study was conducted with 12 castrated male pigs of 13 kg average body weight (BW) to investigate the metabolic flow of purified soya lectin (SL) incorporated in pig diets in low and high doses and their effect on nitrogen (N) passing the terminal ileum. The pigs were fitted with a post-valvular T-caecum cannula and two indwelling blood catheters. They were daily fed 500 g of a cornstarch-based semi-synthetic diet, free or supplemented with low or high doses of purified lectin. To determine the proportion of endogenous N on the amount of total N passing the terminal ileum, the 15 N-isotope dilution method was used. The amount of dietary ingested total lectins, determined by an ELISA method, recovered in the stomach was reduced from 177 and 1065 mg kg -1 of dry matter (DM) to 4.53 and 28.70 mg kg -1 of DM for the low lectin (LL) and high lectin (HL) diets, respectively. The concentration of lectins in mg kg -1 of DM in stomach and ileal digesta were at a similar level for LL and HL diets. The concentration of functional lectins as determined by the FLIA method (i.e. lectins capable of carbohydrate binding) were estimated in gastric digesta at 2.51 and 21.52 mg kg -1 of DM for LL and HL diets, respectively. They could not be detected in ileal digesta. The daily ileal DM and total N flow was significantly increased (P < 0.05) when feeding the HL diet, as compared with the lectin-free (control) and LL diets. The dietary inclusion of purified lectin increased (P < 0.05) the daily flow of endogenous N at the terminal ileum. With LL and HL containing diets, the ileal N flow were increased to 0.14 and 0.62 g day -1 , respectively, when compared to a control diet. Endogenous N passing the terminal ileum was increased by 033 and 0.51 g day -1 for LL and HL diets, respectively. In addition, the production of volatile fatty acids which appeared in the ileal digesta, in particular acetate and proprionate was increased in the pigs that were fed with the lectin-containing diets.
The Orientation of Tail-Flip Escape Swimming in Decapod and Mysid Crustaceans

The orientation of tail-flip escape swimming in a range of adult decapod and mysid crustaceans is reviewed. In mechanical terms, tail-flip swimming constitutes unsteady locomotion in which a single ‘appendage’, the abdomen, produces thrust by a combination of a rowing action and a final ‘squeeze’ force when the abdomen presses against the cephalothorax. In small crustaceans, a symmetrical ‘jack-knife’ tail-flip is more typical. Tail-flip flexion is controlled by two giant-fibre pathways, and also by a non-giant-neuronal network. The direction of thrust in the sagittal plane, and hence the elevation, translation and rotation of the tail-flip are dependent upon the point of stimulation and on the giant-fibre pathway activated. The laterality of the stimulus also affects the orientation of swimming, which is directed away from the point of stimulation. In large decapods such as the lobsters Nephrops norvegicus and Jasus lalandii steering is produced by asym-metrical movements of various abdominal appendages, and by rotation of the abdomen about the cephalothorax. In slipper lobsters the flattened antennae provide steering surfaces. In smaller decapods, such as the brown shrimp Crangon crangon, and in mysids, such as Praunus flexuosus, steering is effected by a rapid rotation of the whole body about its longitudinal axis during the initial stages of tail-flip flexion. The effectiveness of tail-flip swimming is considered in the context of predator-prey interactions under natural conditions and in relation to artificial threats from fishing gear.
Statistical modelling of insect behavioural responses in relation to the chemical composition of test extracts

Abstract. The use of generalized linear models (GLM) for relating changes in insect behaviour to changes in the chemical composition of a plant extract is presented and applied to data from an experimental study of the olfactory response of Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) to apple volatiles. The volatiles were collected from healthy apples, artificially damaged apples or apples infested with C. pomonella larvae (either instar I, IV or V). These treatments produced a blend of 23 major components and the chemical composition of the blends differed substantially amongst the treatments.
Shelter from the sand: microhabitat selection by the bromelicolous tree frog Scinax cuspidatus (Anura, Hylidae) in a Brazilian restinga

Habitat selection is one of the main factors influencing life-history evolution in animals, and is especially relevant for amphibians that must avoid desiccation. In environments such as the Brazilian restinga, where freshwater is scarce, bromeliads can provide suitable microhabitats and be an important determinant of amphibian diversity. Here, we used multiple logistic regression to investigate microhabitat selection by the bromelicolous tree frog Scinax cuspidatus in a restinga in the Brazilian southeastern coast in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Bromeliad use by S. cuspidatus was mainly influenced by pH and volume of stored water, while temperature of the water, potential prey abundance, number of leaves, height, and radius of the plant had little influence. There was no relationship between body size of S. cuspidatus and bromeliad size. Our results provide further evidence that microhabitat selection in the region is closely linked to some bromeliads characteristics such as water volume and pH, and highlight the important role of bromeliads as fundamental freshwater sources for amphibians in the restinga.
Hematological characteristics and correlations of diploid and triploid Caspian salmon Salmo trutta caspius in juvenile stage

Hematological analysis can provide valuable knowledge for monitoring the health and conditions of both wild and cultured fishes. The objective of this work was to measure and compare of blood parameters and studying their correlations for Caspian salmon Salmo trutta caspius. The values for Hb and HCT were higher for diploid than triploid Caspian salmon (P 0.05) between two ploidies. Lymphocyte individually showed more values for triploid than diploid (P 0.05) in MCV, MCH, and MCHC among diploid and triploid fishes and we found their proportions with greater values for triploid Caspian salmon. The highest and lowest correlation between hematological parameters for diploid Caspian salmon has been found for RBC-MCH (r = -0.81, n = 30, P 0.05), respectively. The greatest and lowest correlation for triploid Caspian salmon were found for MCV-MCH (r = 0.92, n = 30, P 0.05), respectively. Key words: Caspian salmon, Salmo trutta caspius, correlation, diploid, hematological parameters, triploid.
Isolation, identification and differentiation of local B. thuringiensis strains.

In this research, 514 soil samples and dead larvae were collected from Khorassan, Lorestan, Tehran, Ghazvin, East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Mazandaran and Hamedan Provinces. B. thuringiensis was isolated from the samples using a heat-acetate method and the isolates were identified and classified using biochemical tests. The frequency of B. thuringiensis in soils with different plant communities was studied. According to results, 127 isolates were collected from the samples collected. Most isolates produced atypical and heterogenic and some bipyramidal crystals. Nearly all the isolates were able to hydrolyze starch and gelatin and ferment glucose and fructose, but could not produce indole and H 2S or ferment galactose and lactose. The isolates were divided into 8 biochemical types, among which B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki was the most frequent type. Total Bt frequency, corresponding to the whole sampling areas, was calculated as being 3.1%; the highest frequency was recorded for Khorassan Province (5.1%) and the lowest for Lorestan Province (0%). No realtionship was found between B. thuringiensis frequency and vegetation status of the soils examined.
Ground Beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) Species Assemblage as an Indicator of Forest Condition in Northern Arizona Ponderosa Pine Forests

Abstract Reintroduction of fire and thinning have been suggested as the main practices to regain forest health in northern Arizona ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Lawson) forests. Criteria for assessing the impact of such management practices in the forest are based on benchmark reconstructed conditions resembling pre-European forest stand structure and on the enhancement of tree vigor. A range of forest conditions currently exists including stands that have been unmanaged, thinned only, thinned plus prescribed burned and burned by wildfire. A surrogate taxon was used to assess forest condition under criteria of maintaining habitat for native species operating at the soil level. We assessed changes occurring in ground beetle assemblages at the stand scale as related to changes that had occurred in forest stands previously treated with the above treatments. A pitfall-trapping scheme was deployed during the summer months of 1998, 1999, and 2000. A total of 4,452 specimens was caught representing 15 genera and 20 species of ground beetles. We found that species diversity increased as the level of disturbance increased. The indicator species assemblage found on the wildfire treatment was represented by species in the genera Amara and Harpalus that are characteristic of dry-open habitats. Unmanaged stands generally had the lowest diversity and the assemblage was dominated by the species Synuchus dubius (Leconte). The thinned only stands did not significantly vary from unmanaged stands in species assemblage. Cyclotrachelus constrictus (Say) was indicative of the thinning plus broadcast burned stands. Stands that were thinned plus burned were richer than both unmanaged and thinned only stands without a shift toward an open-area dominant assemblage as occurred in the stands burned by wildfire.
Pear in Vitro Propagation Using a Double-phase Culture System

Proliferation of Pyrus communis L. CV. Abate Fetel, Precoce Morettini, and Guyot was accomplished with a yield of 10 to 15 new shoots per explant. The in vitro procedure is based on the use of 6.7 µM BAP as an overlay on a modified MS medium. Rooting without callus formation was achieved by immersing the basal end in 5 µ M IBA solution for 1 min. The possible inhibition of proliferation and plantlet regener- ation by GA3 and IBA is discussed. Chemical names used: 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP); indole-3-butyric acid (IBA); gibberellic acid (GA 3).
Effect of shoot pruning, naa and urea on cropping pattern of guava

A field trial was conducted with NAA (600 ppm, 800 ppm and 1000 ppm), urea (10 and 15 per cent), pruning of half current season's growth, hand-deblossoming and control to reduce the rainy season crop and a subseuent good crop in winter season. Various treatments increased the flower/fruit drop during rainy season followed by significantly higher fruit yield in the winter season. Positive correlation was recorded between flower/fruit drop of rainy season crop and fruit yield during winter season. In order to get higher price, winter season crop should be taken by reducing the rainy season crop with help of half-shoot pruning of the current season's growth which was economical than other treatments.